The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-01-16
ing their country. So it is with. the
other prominent schools.
But the m0sf drnrnriain.r

otner prominent schools.
But the most surprising movement
was recently when the geisha quarter
Of Toxic, the gallant Shinbashi and
Yanagibashi, woke up to the wave of
patriotism. and the well-known geisha
girls in both places engaged to make
rollers just as the titled ladies and
the students of the Peeress school do.
Already Shinbashi has produced near
ly 5000. Then, apart from this, is their
determination to consecrate so much
ftheir earnings to the war fund.
Although the public bitterly criti-
cizes any who spend money upon the
geisha girls and sake since the war
was declared, nevertheless the exist
ence Of the geisha is recognized, and
they are undoubtedly necessary for the
social pleasure of the Japanese din
ner party and a necessary part, of
course, of the tea house. So they
make money more or less continually,
even since the war, and now they nave
decided to give of their earnings 10
per cent. More than 500 yen have al
ready been gathered in only Shin
bashi. 1t is very interesting to see the
geishas at work for the soldiers and
sailors. using their pretty slender
fingers, which only touched the sami-
sen till now, in making the roller
bandages, and working with that same
rare. and exquisite grace that has
made the name of geisha celebrated
throughout the world.
In Toxic there are fifteen districts
and each district has it's own move
ment for helping the families of the
soldiers. In the Fukagawa district the
chief of the district formed the Hoko-
kai-a society to help needy fami-
lies-with a capital of 10000 yen.
Three yen is given to each one over
10 years of age every month, members
of soldiers families, and, besides this,
it is seen that work for making enough
money is furnished them. Baron
Shibusawa is doing this also in an
other district, and he has lately un
dertaken the responsibility of seeing
to the education of the children whose
fathers are off at the front. So the
families of the men are being we'll
cared for
There are still some superstitious
practices among the people, starting
from over-heated patriotism, but still
showing most admirable spirit among
the women.
In the province of Shiga some time
ago travelling priest stopped in the
temple of the Oshitate village and
preached before the old women and
young girls. He told them that now
was the .geratest time in Japan's his
tory, when she must show her might,
valor and determination, and his words
filed them with enthusiasm. They
pie for prayer and that in order that
Lord Buddha might accept their prayer
would cut off their hair that their
souls might be pure. In Japan it has
been regarded from time immemo-
rial that to cut the hair or shave the
head is publication of the soul as well
as of the body. So all the village
women cut their hair with the prayer
of their hearts for Japan's victory.
Every village in Japan has some
story of the effort it's women are max
ing to help their country. And the
majority are practical, although many
have superstitious and sentimental
ways.
One of the magnificent palaces of
H. 1. H. Fushina has been given up by
her for the use of the soldiers. She
has restricted her own family ex-
penses severely and has commanded
each of her servants to treat the SOL
diers handsomely, since they are go
ing to die for their countrys sake.
Stories of self denial, of self sa-
crifice, on the part of the women are
endless. Seldom has a nation been at
such accord in working with one spirit
as Japan.
aRIA1ea lAIAllA aHlnKETC