South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-08-08

VANCOUVER. B. C.. Aug. S.
Charles w Wood. a New york news
paper man. sailed Thursday on
the Empress Of Russia" on
one OF The most remarkable assign
ments since Jason set out 20 find
the Golden Fleece
Visit every country on earth and
find out what the people want
This commission was given Wood
by the Centenary Committee Of the
Methodist Episcopal church. Il may
take 20 years II probably will
Wood was on the Sunday editorial
starr Of the New York World when
-giyen his sailing order Twelve
years ago. at p. he was "A locomotive
9hreman and began his newspaper
career az a cub reporter on the
Syracuse Journal. in 1909 His
wartime interviews in the Ncw
York World were later put together
IN a book. The Great Change"
To China First.
- Woods first stop on his trip viii
be az Shanghai, China From there
he will go up the Yang Use Kiang
river 10 interior China His mis-
sion is not merely 20 write up the
missions" but 10 interpret the needs
Of each country as expressed by its
leaders in every walk OF life
II don't know where I'm going
but I'm on my way is literally true
OF Wood He has never been in any
foreign country before and speaks
no language except English He
shss no guide no schedule and no
definite orders. He is accompanied
only by his wife. who is equally UNI
acquainted with foreign lands
Their immediate destination. how
ever g Cheng-Tu In Western China.
which IS about as thoroughly for
eign a city as any white folks ever
visit There rather chan in the
cities familiar 10 American tourists,
Mr. and Mrs Wood will begin to
look at the problems of earth. as
far las IL Is Manhattanly possible.
through thoroughly Oriental eyes.
Doesn't Know Country.
81 don't know anything about
China" said Wood before starting
on his Unprecedented journey and
have been doing my best not TO
learn anything about il until / get
there have heard that it had
900. 600 people. and 1 have taken
Il FOR granted that they all run
lsHndries. / suppose 1 was selected
Tor the job because they couldn't
. think OF anyone else who would
have so little 20 Unlearn.'
DO YOU feel confident" he was
asked that you can actually get
the Chinese way Of looking at
things across to America, readers p"
Il don't know" ne said Il don't
know whether there is any Chinese
way Of looking at things. Maybe
the Chinese people are human. May
tre they love and hate and aspire
like ether human beings. May be
they have human differences and
human traditions and human pref
udiccs IL is possible that they live on
the same planet that Americans
have been customarily inhabiting
and that their problems may turn
OIt 10 he our problems too"
WEat People Want
added. what the people of all
these countries want, and I don't
know OF any better way OF finding
out than 10 ask them. Most Amer
icans that I have met seem 20 go on
the assumption that we have Ger
tain advantages here which the peO-
E,le OF the Orient do not possess. If
that is true we have wonderful
opportunity TO be OF service to
them. I am not a missionary.
an not a churchman. But I happen
to agree with Jesus that IL is more
blessed 20 give than TO receive; and
I may be able 10 discover some new
ways in which America can be
blessed.
II expect 70 talk with political
and government leaders with lead
ing spokesman of industry. business
and education. with labor leaders If
can ind them. and with the teach
ers OF other religious creeds. I am