Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-08-25

tcntion Of their fellows TO your pres
once. They like their elders are
bold, unmnnnerly very prrclclous
and plainly show criminal tcndoncios
But they have a saying in Japan:
/ where the cnrcass is there also VIII
/ the eagles be gathered From the
roof caves on The right hang two rows
/ Of bright red lanterns, ana from the
shops ana teahuuses on the opposite
side hang two rows more. 80 I'm day
/ light four long rows are waving in
the wind, while az night four streams
/ of scarlet make the darkness say. on
high towers above the buildings you
see great clocks telling Oh the hours
as If time were more important here
/ than In other marls. Here and there
/ on all sides rise massive structures
| Of brick ana stone, with nilared VCr-
andas and wide entrances, through
which you get a glance Of wide stair
ways and columns Of polished wood,
with cool gardens fresh with leaf and
foliage beyond. Finer buildnGs are
not In Tokyo and each has cost a for
| tune. Many Of the buildings have
fronts OF the costliest plate glass, per-
mitting YOU 10 see upon n lacquercd
wall within, immense photos and
paintings Of their moro celebrated in
| mates, Beyond this there Is neither
mark or sign indicating the buildings
purpose.
Still in passing, II you look up
| closely, you may see a figure or two
| strollng upon The balcony, wrapped
in bright gowns, possibly a pair Of
| black eyes may look down curiously
at you. or II may ho little head
with tall coiffurc resting upon little
hand or bare arm that will attract
your attention This is the Yoshiwa-
Ia as seen from ricksha.
But behind the scenes, behind all
this glitter Of outward show and tin
sci there is another sceno--one Of
slavery mental misery, and physical
wretchcdness SO intoleroble that The
inmates for relief and escape resort
to selfdestruction. YoshIwara means
the plain Of reeds' and it Is said that
formerly an inscription was posted be-
fore all such places, which read.
They who enter here abandon hope
There is belief in America, that the
line separating vice from virtue Is
very indistnCt i'm Japan. | have fire.
quently heard the statement in fact,
have seen it in print, that it Is not
uncommon for girls TO willingly de-
vote themselves to this life for a
period 10 relieve family poverty,
which being accomplished they return
home to be received as if from long
and distant visit TO relatives and in
variabiy honored for filial piety. Now
that we are in Japan we find this IS
not so, that in place Of girls return.
ing home after such a life, they are
never known to do so. All sorts Of
people, including government officials,
police and even the yu-jo themselves
characterize such statements as lies.
From the same sources you are told
that girls entering such places are
there 10 provide money for their peo-
pie, but not one in thousand enters
of her own free will. Filial obedience
is The primal ana imperative virtue
among the lower classes. A daughter
must yield absolute obedience TO herI
parents under all circumstances.
When they say TO her: you must
marry this man." she never thinks Of
ohjecting; neither does she when they
say You must enter the Yosh.wara.'
When at the police station, she ISL
asked as 'he law requires, "Do you
take this step Of your own free Will?'
She replies | do But her case IS |
like that Of the boy who walks up TO
his teacher TO be whipped Of hi5I
own free will.
The belief that the life Of a court !
esan is not considered by the Jap
anese d!sFraceful is equally silly. |
They look upon her exactly as she ISL
regarded elsewhere, with just this
difference that she is not immoral
from choice. she detiles her body, |
but not her heart" "She Is a lotus in
the mud" are familiar sayings. |
These women understand this and
look forward to respectable marriage |
with acquaintances they have made In !
the YoshiWara, a few being successful |
every year but the proportion Is no
ldl SCI II dD lhl Ntt ti9 III bIli'A NNAAA
tries. Among all but the very lowest |
classes of japanese, the Yoshiwara Is |
viewed as they name it, "A fenced |
plague spot" "a place to be avoided -
Among the better classes the subject |
is avoided in talking with foreigners, |
as If It is a condition among them Of
which they were ashamed. They are
proud touchy people and endeayor
to conceal the truth about many of
the conditions bearing on their lives
In addition to this they are more 50
than any other, strictly a family peo-
pie. You might question a thousand |
people above the age of twenty and |
not find two but were married. The
better classes attempt to account for
the Yoshiwara and its continuance I'm
various ways, all tending to show
that it is a condition forced upon
them by circumstances over which
they had no control. ! recall one re-
lated to me, which at least is ingeni-
Gus. Ny informant said:
when we were compelled to open
our ports to foregners, we soon
learned It was necessary to build two
places to afford ourselves protection
against the white ailen-the first was
the Yoshiwara. The next a custom