New-York tribune., 1916-02-19
WOMEN OF THE ORIENT.

-sr HARM ANp TIE PURpM stuaisss o.
o-,.-fai Wofrer Ry Elizabeth Oooptr In'
,rassd svo u. 500 Toe Century Company.
So much has been written about the
women Of the Orient and their emerg-
encc from their age-long seelusion 'hat
little that is positively new can oe
expected al this late day. Mrs. Cooper
the author Of My Lady OF the Chinese
COURTYARD gives us IN this book OF
bers a series Of pictures Of the life OF
tho women Of the East. from Egypt
across India 10 China and Japan, which
is of most interest and value on ac-
count OF its generalizations. For that
life varies but little from Suez 70 the
yellow Sea. The first generalization
the author offers US is the CRY or az
Oriental womanhood. Give US sons!
East as West. the evolution Of woman
is directed, according TO her by eco
noric considerations. In Burmah ana
Japan. where the women are SOWING
the question Of self-support, they en-
Joy many rights. including that OF al-
vorcing thciI husbands. Elsewhere
their position is determined by eco
nomic considerations OF another nd'
Poverty renders seclusion impossible.
Polygamy. again. is q matter OF eco
Monies. OF means. The better class
Fgyptians can no longer afford TO have
many wives; IN the interior OF emma.
on the other hand. a man can easily
support four wives and fourteen chll-
dren on an income Of $1,000 year.
Withal. the women Of the Orient eH-
ere Sc an enormous power, mostly IN an
indirect way. but occasionally with
Startling directness;
In Persia. in 1861. at the time Of
the Great famine, foOdstuffs rose
10 an exorbitant price because OF
few greedy officials who were
enrichine themselves at the eX-
pense OF their starving country
men. II was impossible 20 bring
the matter before the Shah by the
methods generally employed, but
the women rose, and one eay thou-
sands Of them surrounded ms car
riage and demanded that he should
make an Investigation. The Snan
was thoroughly frightened al the
sight OF this unprecedented eXhibi-
tion on the part Of his usually
unseen subjects. and promised all
they asked, and what was more
wonderful. kept his promise.
II is only few years ago that the
women Of Persia confronted the
President Of the Assembly in ms
hall. and. tearing aside their vells
and producing revolvers. confessed
their decision 70 kill their hus-
hands and sons and add their own
bodies 70 the sacrifice Il the Dep
uties should waver IN their duties
10 uphold the liberties Of the Per
sian people.
In Egvpt the advanced women OF the
upper class still cover their faces IN
the presence Of men OF their own rank'
but remain uncovered before the felIa-
heen, which reminds one OF IurgeneV.s
mother. who undressed before her serfs
because she did not consider them
human beings
Caste is the curse of the women OF
India. according 20 a progressive Hlncu
lady. Il restricts the marriage mar
kct for their daughters Hence female
infanticide. The British government
does all i'm its power 10 suppress the
horrible practice. but il is stlll carried
on 10 some extent. "ln the smaller
villages the crime is difficult OF detec-
zion. but when the ratio of girls 20
bows falls particularly low in d com
munity the government quarters extra
police upon the people. and the records
soon show that girl babies are again
being born in tho villages.
Mohammed warned the FaithfuI
against -FOUR Classes OF WOWeH' AoSN
meets West occasionally:
THE YEARNER That is. wom-
an who has children by former
husband. and wishes 20 get every
thing possible for them from her
present husband
THE DEPLORER One who is
constantly deploring the loss Of
her first husband and stating his
virtues TO the disparagement Of
the present incumbent.
THE BACKBiTER- who S
kind 10 her husbands face and be-
hind his back accuses him OF cru
city. miserliness and i'll treatment.
THE TOADSTOOL-A beauty
who is lazy and tyrannical and
uses all her husbands substance 20
buy silks, jewels and perfumes
with which to adorn herself.
How far the Oriental woman will 20
in her emancipation Mrs. Cooper does