The Hawaiian gazette., 1918-08-27
CHINESE IN FLANDERS ARE
IMPORTANT ASSISTANCE

athletics aud find them welcomed,
Baseball IL particularly popular. As O
result Ching is developing muscles he
never know he had. And somehow the
story rrrpt out from one Of our, camps
that nu all star team Of Americans
lately took drubhiug at the hands Of
tho Chinese cohcs in their CantOnment.
Comfort Secured
In tho rnntCcns there is often large
building Whcrc the men can come to-
z, thcr m their on hours for reading
Chinese books and newspapers are pro-
vrded and tor moving pictures,
sinCs and other entertainment
At one Of these cantepns there is n
Chinese thcmtrr. with Chinese stage
and an orchestra Of Chinese inAtrn-
mPnts played b, the men Themselves.
Their" ia generality an American organ,
too, which always draws crowd be.
cause it - such II queer instrument and
makes such peculiar noise
Work Of Educ alton
There il. Of course, y large amount
Of educational work to bP done, which
is made az pleasant and as much like
play az possible. Ching must be taught
why he ~ in the war, and what the
part Cf the great laboring armies, is.
He must have il explained to him what
are the advantages and the reasonable
| ness of the army regulations, and why
he must be innoculated, which operation
| he il inclined to look upon as the mach.
| nations Of a particular kind of Ameri
can evil spirit. And his characteristics
must be something like Sammy's, after
| all. for he has the talks about writing
| to the home folks and about the neCes.
1ity and duty Of saving his money. A
| great need has been met in making IL
| possible for these men to send their
| earnings h me. II was at first sup
posed that most Of them were doing
this, but It has been found out that
most II them who had been here from
| the beginning of the war had not been
| heard from hv their home people.
IT goes without saying that they have
sent no money. or had until the Y. NJ.
| {. A. made arrangements 70 manage
| il. The opportunity was Immediately
seized and in Que month $3.50 was sent
! through the Paris Office 20 more than n
hundred needy families in China. Some
| who had been holding their earnings
| for two years and more turned il over,
and Others began saving for the first
| time.
Quick To Learn
Some of the men have already picked
up 2 considerable knowledge of French,
and they are eager to learn English.
Both American officers and enlisted
men have volunteered to conduct classes
in English, Chinese scholars teach
Chinese and French soldiers connected
with the camp teach French. In addit.
ion there are lessons in hisCu"V, geo
graphy and arithmetic, ns well as Bible
classes.
Beyond the immediate benefit to
the men themselves aud their increas.
cd efficiency to the army, there is n
larger benefit to his work with t'hiui,
Chinamnn. After the war he is going
home to tho interior of China to be
looked up to by his friends and rela,
tives and by the whole community rs
a man of information and Importance.
re will be a leader in his village, and
his word win carry weight. The engin,
GERS directing Chinese work will be
among those to 60 to China to have q
share in the great industrial develop
ment which is sure to come at the close
Of the war.