Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-14
WORK FOR HINDOO
WOMEN

/ -
Editor Herald. In your SUNDAY
magazine of November 81 was
view of an article from East and west
entitled "What Hindoo Women ThihK
of Their American Sisters and agaii
we found 1t in our December REVIEW
of Reviews, and 1t impressed US t'iae
If the Princess Baroda really sa'O
these things 1t was not strange ior
coming from the strict purdah con-
dition of her native land into Amer
lea was like emerging from darkness
into brilliant sunlight; emerging from
a meutal purdah into a land Wileie
women have perhaps the greatest
freedom on the globe today; and "here
her brothers rejoice to give her TINS
freedom.
We are not saying that she has al
ways used this freedom in the wisest
way, however. as for for instance some
are willing to be hobbled and TO our
humble view the hobbled skirt means
a more or less hobbled mind.
1t is about ten years since Miss j.
M. Holmes, the founder of the Wo-
mans Restoration league, and her
friend and companion, Mrs. G. Z. wal
lace, began their investigation or the
conditions of the Hindoo woman IN
her own land, spending a year in the
different large cities. Returning they
formed the league as basis for work.
Three years later Miss Holmes spent
another year in India studying con-
ditions and teaching the necessity OF
wiping out the custom of child mar
riage If the lawmakers of the lana
wished their country to advance.
Two years ago this month Mrs. c.
P. Wallace and Miss Carrie Tenant
left Los Angeles for far India to form
a branch league through which the
advanced and humane Hindoo could
work and speak for himself in the
interests of his country. Progress Is
slow in those old countries where Gus
toms have been fixed for centuries, but
the work accomplished has been cheer
ing to the home league.
In Calcutta a branch was formed
with Mr.. Norendro Nath Sen, editor
and proprietor of the Indian Mirror,
as president and the justice of the
high court, Judge Ashutosh Mukher1i,
as first vice president. These no
table Hindoos are ably supported by
sixty educated and leading Calcutta
citizens. Also fine and enthusiastic
branch is since started In Benares
with a strong reformer, DIR. Keshava
Deva Shastri, at the helm. We would
add that the renowned Kesheb ,Chun-
der Sen" (of whom Baba Bharati
speaks in his criticism of the Amert-
can woman) is an own cousin to
Mr.. Sen, editor of the Indian Mirror,
and was all his life an earnest re-
former along the same and other hu-
name lines with his cousin.
Mr.. B. N. Malabari, who is mem
toned in the enclosed article by Saint
Hihal Singh, is also warm friend OF
Mrs ]. NJ. Holmes and Mrs. G. p.
Wallace and a coworker with them
in this greatly needed reform; a re-
form which should affect our own
country to which the lowest castles are
coming with their bestial inherited
ideas of womanhood.
In this article before mentioned 1t
will be seen that Princess Baroda is
reformer herself and desires free
dom and education for her sisters, also
it is past our understanding that
Princess Prativa should express such
opposition to the views of her ''re-
nowned" grandfather, Kesheb Chun-
der Sen, whose name all India re-
veres.
Should anyone. reading this, be
moved to send us financial aid it will
be gratefully received by our secre-
tary and treasurer. Miss M. M. Fette.
255 North Belmont avenue, for the
support of our organizers in India.
MRS. STELLA A. MERRITT.
Los Angeles, Cal. g.