The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-12-23
CHINA IS AWAKENING
Lethargy of Ages Is Being
Thrown Off in the Orient.
WESTERN IDEAS NOW RULE
Military Discipline Rapidly Taking
Root and Industrial Progress Is
Great-MOtOr Car Now to He Seen
and Locomotives No Longer a
Strange Sight-FoIIOw Japanese.

PeHin, Dec. 22-At last Western IDEAS
have penetrated the Chinese intelligence,
and the awakening is likely TO be swift
and of extraordinary Importance to the
world. The sleeping giant is rousing him
self. and when he shakes the counterpart
of the world the nations Will do we'll TO
look TO their supremacy For behind the
exclusiveness of ages there lie forces that
need only to be set in motion to become
overwhelming. The China Of to-day is not
that Of ten years ago. Her army is under
going thorough reorganization, and no
longer viii the Chinese approve their an
Gent proverb. "One does not take the
best iron TO make hooks, nor brave men
for soldiers" Smart uniforms. modern
weapons, and drill are now in use on
every parade ground, and even the very
small boys Of the nation are under mill
tary instruction.
The soldieriy ideal IS taking root, and
these small cadets are said 10 give every
promise of smaTtness and efficiency. In
industrial life it is the same The print
ing press Of the West has come to the
land where the art was known long be
fore CaXtOn. The Celestial cOmpositOr
stands at European cases filing his stick.
and in the machine rooms the most per-
feet presses, driven by electricity, are
looked after by clever workmen. who
have learned their business in Europe.
Thus the Chinaman of to-day receives
his Up-to-date newspaper.
Latest in Locomotives.
On the railways Chinese officials drive
the latest patterns of locomotives, which
are sometimes built in China; or, if not,
are put together there by native artif-
GERS. On the roads the motor car has
made its appearance-not the antiquated
machines that Europe has cast aside, but
powerful new vehicles of from 20 to 30
horsepower
It is nothing uncommon to see the staid
mandarin rushing along in his motor on
business or pleasure. X IS regrettable
that the picturesque national costume IS
yielding 10 the top hat and frock coat,
but this penalty 10 progress has been
paid by Japan, and China can hardly es-
cape. The women of China do not adopt
Paris fashions at home but they do so
not infrequently when they travel Since
they discovered that they must go abroad
the awakening Of China has become an
accomplished fact. They send representa-
tives to the French maneuvers. and have
also some cadets under instruction at the
French naval school In this they are
only following the lead of Japan.
Capable in the Sciences.
In every science they are becoming ca
pable. and in the applied sciences their ex-
peTts are 10 be met with everywhere
Cinnamon are now accomplished in the
conduct Of telephone. telegraph. and rail-
way service. As engineers they are sure
to be successful, for the nation is pro-
verbally ingenious and neat-handed.
There is little doubt that he viii pick
up the lessons of the West as quickly as
the Japanese and it remains one of the
most important problems of the age what
he viii do with his knowledge once he
realizes the power Il bestows.