The Washington herald., 1912-01-29
BY JULIA CHANDLER MANI.


The world position of woman grows
rapidly higher. Even in the far East,
where for hundreds OF years her po-
sition has been considered hopeless, the
woman question is fermenting, and she
is dropping the shackles that once
bound her to man as his chattel.
A book recently published, which
bears the title of 'Inter-Racial Prob
lems," edited by Mr.. G. Spiller, is a
compilation of papers contributed by
various authorities all over the world
TO the Universal Race Congress, held
recently in London. At first thought
one might not expect these experts to
take cognizance of the woman move
ment that now stirs the world, but
rather that they would deal with grave
questions of state and government. On
second thought, when the agitation OF
the woman question that IS now gong
on, even in the Orient, comes to our
remembrance, we are not surprised that
the progress of woman the world over
should come in for serioss considera-
ton in these papers.
Nothing could bring more comfort
to the reader of this volumn than
ans position of to-day in the East, as
compared to her position in years
gone by.
The late sister Nivedits, of Calcutta,
referring to the position of women IN
India, said:
Women in India.
Anything more beautiful than the
life of the Indian home, as created
and directed by Indian women, it would
be difficult to conceive. But there IS
one relation, or one position, on which,
above all others, the idealizing energy
of the people spends itself; it is that
of the wife. Here, according to Hindu
ideas, is the body pivot of society and
poetry"
Quoting again: "A little boy is
brothers, to strike his sister would be
a sacrilege" And again: "a man IS
expected to love his mother above all
is everywhere considered more efica-
cious than a mans IN preparing for a
journey or beginning an undertaking"
The status of women in China is
reported in the paper by WI Ting fang,
States of America.
In part, he saws: "To those who are
well acquainted with the family life of
the Chinese, the position of Chinese
women does not seem much lower than
that now attained by the majority of
their sisters in the West Within the
Chinese home they reign supreme. As
emprcsses, mothers, wives, and sisters
they usually obtain their due share of
honor, power, homage, affection, and
respect. Their education, even in for
mcr times, was not entirely neglected, |
and, besides literature, they were early
instructed IN needlework and household |
management, in order to become effect |
i've helpmates of their future husbands |
Since the beginning of the national re-
form movement, within the last few
years, many public, as well as private,
schools for girls have been established
The custom OF the seclusion of women
IS being gradually abandoned, and they
now enjoy as much liberty and free
dom as their Western sisters"
Her Position in Persia.
NJ. Harji Mira Yahya, of Teheran,
reports that the position of women in
Persia is on the high road to improve
ment He does not consider the veil
any obstacle to their progress. He says:
'In the villages and among the tribes
the women. far from yelling themselves,
so about with face uncovered, live a
simple, natural life; help to bear the
burdens Of the men, taking their part
even in the hardest toll, and engage in
industrial occupations which often Weld
very valuable wares, such as carpets,
&c. In the towns according to NJ.
Harji Mira Yahya, "the women,
though veiled, are by no means un-
with household routine and
the education of children. They also
manual occupations, which
are productive of fine and costly mer-
chandise. And, above all, new hori-
zon has been latterly opened to them
through the establishment of private
classes for women"
The section of the book on woman's
present position in Egypt by Mob
Sourour Bey, is not so happy a chap