El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-10-02
CHINESE GIRLS
S0LDFOR 81. 90
w. White Thatcher Tells of
Seeing Human Auctions
in Progress.


W White Thatcher, formerly Of E
Paso. now Chinese Interpreter and
translator at Angel Island. san Fran
cisco. one Of the few men who has
succeeded in mastering the three main
dialects OF the Chinese language. is
visiting in the city and was the guest
Sunday of Malc0m A. Froser. secretary
and George p. Clements. publicity
commissioner FOR the chamber Of com
merce-
China as republic viii be a sue
cess. in Mr. Thatcher's view. although
she has many barbaric customs that
must he overcome one Of the relics
Of her barbarOus state is the auction
ing OF young girls which is still prac-
ticed in the interior Of the republic
7 probably am the only white man
who has ever seen one 81 these aue-
lions in actual progress M THATCHER
said Sunday The younger and pref
tier girls are sold by their parents or
guardians into slavery more AFFECT
than that which our civil war ended
SI-5O Is Market Price
a good price for "A Chinese girl
from Il to is years Of age and Of good
appearance. is about 5000 cash or
about $3.50 in our money II the buyer
sends the girl over TO America his in
vestment returns prOdigious profits.
for a Chinese girl is. in san Francisco.
Chicago. Or New York. is valued at
girl slave traffic between China and
the United States is one or the most
difficult problems included in the great
Chinese issue.
elected the next president Of China
he is highly capable man. Now thar
Yuan Shi 1ai has been eliminated /
expect TO see the Chinese republic be-
come a glowing success. Ii Hung
Chang, the former Chinese minister TO
the United States, and one Of the most
striking characters China has ever
produced. could have any Office within
the gift Of the republic but so FAR he
has refused all offers to serve in
public capacity
Three Dialects.
7 learned the Chinese language in +
its three chief dialects through seven
years of commercial life there. The {
three main divisions OF the tongue are I
the Cantonese dialect, the Mandarin. and I
the southern dialect. which Is spoken Z
south OF Shanghai The Mandarin
dialect is the official language, but .
with the three branches Of the Ian I
guage mastered man can make his +
way through any part Of the vast re- 4
public
7 saw the crowds in Fl Paso Satur- I
DAY night and my curiosity was aroused Z
by the 'baying" of rum hounds at 4
your various palaces of pleasure L
took a look at some Of the bars. In .
me Shanghai club, at Shanghai. China. &
thev have a bar $50 feet long there,
and until a late hour every night the B
crowds stand four deep waiting to be
served There is a Chinese bartender
about every three feet Few mixed
drinks are served Scotch whisky,
either straight or in a highbalL being
the fsvorite drink in the Orient
There used to be a fine German club
in Shanghai also. but since the war. OF
course, il has dwindled cOnsidera bly,.
1.-THE immigration Of Chinese into
the United States continue heavy de-
spite the stringent regulations Yes
.
mitted through Angel Island They .
come in either as natives. or as
students, and the travel is heavy [
think the recent criticism of the treat
ment accorded the Chinese at Angel
Island IS entirely uncalled for. Cer-
tain rules have 70 be compiled with.
and we have had very few complaints
from the Chinese themselves"