New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-29
HUSBANDS LOT IN CHINA
All Are HenpeCked There, Says
Dr.. Yamei Kin.
NO INDUSTRIAL PROBLEMS
Woman Graduate of Medical
College Here Describes Con-
ditions in Her Native Land.

China is the land of the henpecked hus-
ought to know. for she has been a doctor
among her people for many years. ever
since She was graduated from "A medical
college in this .ity and went home the
first the pioneer Chinese woman ply
sician.
DR.. Kin arrived in New York Friday
night on the liner Majestic, and is staying
at the Martha Washington Hotel for a
few days before starting on a lecture tour.
Everybody who saw her yesterday wanted
To know about the new woman in China.
and DR. Kin laughingly assured everybody
that there wasn't any new woman in
China-that women there from the En-
press Dowagcr down. had always had a
pretty ois Say" In things.
II told YOU when ! was last here. two
wears ago. that the Chinese woman was
very important in her own household, but
| think you thought | was romancirg.'
DR.. Kin observed. 1t is true. though -
the Chinese husband is often badly hen
pecked. You SEQ, his wife is often older
than he is-his parents select an older
woman for his wife. that ne may have
one who will take proper care Of him.
Later on he probably takes a sec
ondary wife--a pretty. young woman, who
isn't exactly a wife. but a sort OF hand
maid IN the house. There arc two women
for him to reckon with. and then his
mother. generally. lives with him. and
she has power to make him obey-no mat
ter how old he is his mother can spank
him If she likes. And often he has aunts
who also can tyrannize over him
NO man wants fuses i'm his own house
hold. and a man with three or four
women around him--well. the women gen
orally get their own way. Oh. the Chi
nese man has the legal right TO rule. IL
he chooses TO assert il. and then the
Chinese woman is economically depend
ent. for women are only just beginning
there 20 go ont to work.
1--WE have scarcely any industrial system
as yet, factories are just beginning 70 be
established, and woman labor or child
abor as YOU know II here IS almost un-
known with US. There are few Oppor-
tunities for a Chinese woman to earn
on the men. And a man can divorce
his wife there. while wife can only
leave her husband. Ali the same said
Or. Kin, with twinkling eyes. many
Chinese men are sadly hcnpecked in
their own households.
Women don't really have the vote in
China to any great extent" DR.. Kin said.
in spite Of all that was said ia Western
newspapers about their political cman-
They vote only in q few
provinces, and in minor ACKNOWLEDGMENT
in any OF the larger bodies" she said.
But women smoke in public there. and
DR.. Kin was quite naively surprised wheI
some one asked II she thought women
ought to smoke IN public here.
why shouldn't they" she demanded,
III they smoke in private? / can't see
why women shouldn't he seen smoking
just as well as men-only think it a bad
habit, unhealthful, ! mean. for women
and men. too
Or. Kin says she thinks the Chinese
Republic is here TO stay.
"Of course, no one can be sure" Size
said. but we won't have the Manchu
rulers Dack again, ana il any one OF TIE
people sought to set himself up as an
how could he support his
claim? Every one else would say: why
shouldn't ! De emperor-why should ypu
be emperor? You have no more right
than l." No one man has the strength.
the military strength. to support such d
claim, to push his way into power, so /
fancy we shall continue to have the re-
public"
DR.. Kin wanted to know all about the
suffrage pilgrims who have been hiking"
10 Albany ard she inquired If American
intended TO pour acids into
letter boxes. as English suffragists are re-
ported TO have done.
II am a suffragst," she said. but
don't believe in militant methods"
Dr.. kin said the women of her people
liked pretty clothes just az much as any
women did. and they were especially fond
of bright silks. Dr.. Kin wore a silk her
self but ii was sober gray. 1t was a
modified Manchu costume-long straight,
rather loose fitting, graceful and yet com
Portable looking.