New-York tribune., 1919-12-28

WV HEN tne playWr!GhtS started
,E-&~S out to write about China and
T1 the directors set The Rose
~ of China" on its melodious
way and opened EAST Is
West" with Fay Banter starring. they
did not reckon on the local Chinese
Indignation has been aroused among
restaurant keepers over the infamy of
Charlie Yang. the chop suey villain
in East Is West" Complaints have
been made over the representation of
Chinese girls being sold at auction in
the same play. Sam shipman, who
collaborated with John B. Hymer on
East Is West" says the objections
are all nonsense. Guy Bolton, who
worked with P. G. Wodehouse on the
production of THE Rose of China"
says the locale could be anywhere, and
that the story was given Chinese
background merely because at the
moment there was vogue for Or-
entail plays.
The complaints, for the greater part,
have been made to the Chinese Con-
sulate. In statement regarding them
j. S. Tow. secretary Of the consulate,
says
Nowadays the Chinese people are
supposed to be we'll known in this
country. Plays are often seen imitat-
ing and eXaggerating their life and
customs. But, as the writers of these
plays do not understand or know the
real life of our people, they often are
ridiculous and insulting to the Chi
nese. 1t is a pity that our people
should innocently suffer this mockery
and humiliation. We lament the worst
carlcatures that are put upon US and
the most inconceivable misrepresenta-
tions, which can serve but TO create Ill
r n nA NJ cf ta 49,,
public toward our people as nation
I'm play called East Is West our
girls are represented as being sold at
auction. This is never done in China.
as there was a strict law against it
even in the days of the Manchu gov
ernment. A Chinese is made to kid
nap the girl of an American mission
airy in China, which is an inconceiv-
able thing. Our people are supposed TO
be bitterly against Christianity, but
the tact is that since the foreign mis-
slonarses have proved themselves to
be real Christians determinations
against them have long vanished. The
Chinese who own restaurants in this
country are given the worst character.
Indeed, the author has proved himself
to be very skillful in expressing his
impressions Of and feeling toward the
Chinese people through Ming Toy and
Charlie Yang.
I'VE are portrayed as being what we
are not 1t is too injurious to the
feeling of the two peoples 70 have
this play continue unchanged. 1t is
too serious to be a comedy, and the ex-
cLse that it is only to poke fun, to
produce laughter and even to derive
profit, is insufficient, considering the
friendly relations between the two re-
publics."
ut seems to me that this matter is
being taken altogether too seriously" !"
said Mr.. Shipman when questioned on
the subject. In the first pkce, the
play is supposed TO represent China
before the revolution. The trading in
girls is true picture of what oc-
Cured at the time. They were not sold
as slaves. The lines in the play make
the situation perfectly clear: we
have no slavery in China. We bring
our girls here to be adopted by those
who can afford to take care of them.
LAS for Charlie Yang-well there's
villain in every play. Undoubtedly
much of the vice of New York has had
It's roots in Chinatown, and one is lust
as entitled to choose a Chinese as an
American villain. Mr. Tow does not
mention the noble characters at all
My main idea in writing this play was
| to show that you cannot AnRlicize the