The Washington times., 1909-06-27
Oriental Kindliness and IN
dolence Stronger Than
Occidental Activity.
SERIOUS PROBLEM
CONFRONTS GOTHAM
Workers in Chinatown Divided as
TO Best Way of Remedy
ing Evil.
CONTINUED from First Page.)

Continued from First Page9
smoking her life away in a Chinese
opium joint
That is one of the ways the seed
is sown.
'You no smokee? Thy. feelee
good"
She was out with a party of
Summers" the girl spoken to this
time.
Il wonder how it feels to puff
opium. wonder if there is any
sensation?" she asked. half-tempted.
Il dare you to try" urged a COM
panion.
She did. and today her story is
the same.
And thus. they told me in China
town. IN the forgetfulness of opium
fumes and for a little piece of brio
a-brac or feminine 1nery, the I'M
doing of many an American girl
has been wrought
Problems Confronting
workers among Ch1nese.
Perhaps if the murdered body of Elsie
Sigel. the young missionary girl, had
not been found in a trunk in the rooms
of Leong Ling, an unknowing public
might have slumbered on. oblvious TO
the real story of New York's China
town Even now but a faint under
standing is had OF the great unsolved
problem behind It aIl-whether Ameri-
-4nNfr -fsar2s1 f-I
shall teach the Chinaman to forsake
the teachings of Confucius and turn TO
the prece2ts Of the Christian.
1 spent three days and nights in the
high places and the low places OF Mott,
Peli, and Doyers streets. I mingled
with policemen who are still hunting
Leoug Ling; with missionaries; with
white women who are living lives of in
defence as the wives of Cinnamon, and
with the Celestials themselves. Every
lip, II seemed. had a different story 10
tell The theorists are at variance
one group Of reformers IS attempting
10 Christianize the Chinaman-another
group turns its endeavors to rescuing
white girls who are already in Chinese
dives. and are content. il this can be
accomplished. 10 let the Oriental return
10 his idols.
White Girls Lured
To Luxury and Idleness.
And while this war of methods is in
progress, and while this theory and
that is advanced as being the true solu-
ton of the problem. there really exists in
fact so plainly that anyone who investi-
gates even half-heartedly must realize
II, most startling state of affairs. The
revelations incident to the Sigel murder
mystery gives but partial insight into
that admittedly fascinating section
known ag-Chinatown-
II is impossible to picture in print the
more sordid side of al the strange. us'-
beUevable things 1 saw The ordinary
sight-seer gets but a fleeting glimpse
of these people as they live. They see
nothing Of the gambling houses with
their underground passages 70 the
street behind; the basement dives
where q fat. athletic Chinaman and an
emaciated, Opium-crusted white woman
live together as man and wife; OF mys-
terious hooks where the supply OF
opium is kept; Of the midnight revels
Of young girls who frequent the dingy
restaurants and talk unblushingly Of
the days and nights spent in the haze
OF blue opium smoke. Of the careless,
3ndoient lives and of their advantages
partment stores uptown.
Dora Freeland,
The Missionary Girl
I went with detectives furnished by
Capt. Mike Calvin, who IS cleaning up
Chinatown, and with woman mis-
sionary. Their word was an open ses-
ame 10 these places. seldom seen by
any save Oriental eyes. The story Of
the things seen there viii tell itself
ard after YOU have Followed its rsmi-
fications you too viii have your
theory about the Chinaman, his relig-
ion. and our missionaries.
IN one Of the opium dens Of the bet
Ter class, comparatively speaking, we
found Dora F'reeland. otherwise known
As the wife OF Chung Wee. She is a
woman OF about thirty-five years OF
age. intelligent alert a good business
sronan and not at all bad looking
E1fteen years 90 she would have been
considered beautiful. Her eyes are
large. brown and extremely frank in
their expression. Despite the fact that
she has long been accustomed 10 the
role OF a Chinaman's wife, there comes
irao them at times a look Of longing
for the better things. Several times
she seemed almost on the verge of say
ing as her face took on a sad, far
away look that she intended TO leave
It all. Then she broke of abruptly and
would say:
Il don't know what I am going to
do-yet"
Serves Chung Wee
With Pride and Faithfulness.
Years ago. she told me. she was
Philadelphia missionary and a choir
singer and organist for the Sunday
Breakfast Association. She came 10 New
York to work, and while on one OF the
stunning parties that one sees every
night in Chinatown. she vas struck
with the gentleness Of he Oriental. Just
how she became enmeshed IN the web
that holds with grip of steel scores OF
her kind neeC not be told here, but
she seemed 10 be half way content
The boss" she calls Ching Wee, who
rams a little tobacco and tea st0r.s in