The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-08-17
CHINESE WOMEN
QUIT OLD CUSTOMS;
ARE MODERN NOW
Sir Henry Jordan Tells OF
"New China" Change in Wis
Femininity-SayS Celestial
Likes u. S. Better.
BY international News Service In an
Interview with
SIR HENRY JORDAN,

SIR HENRY JORDAN.
LONDON, Aug, III do not know
why writer's OF fiction should he so
fond OF portraylng the Chiuaman as a
person with evil qualities, VINO is ahie
to control his emotions so well that
hy means OF a bland expression on his
face he can completely hide his real
feelings. -.--
possesses his power may be picturesqu"
but 1t Is mono the less incorrect. The
inscrutabllity OF the Chlnaman Is a
myth. -,,- -, $780,.
cred, generous as the rest Of us lie
works hard, is intelligent and honor
able and has great capacity for
friendship. In short he Is a very hu
man being.
After all, human nature Is pretty
much the Same everywhere, ana the
ChinamRn Is very little different from
any OF us.
Il know him well, and he Is no more
inscrutable than the rest Of us ARE to
one another, for we do not wear our
hearts on our sleeves, The Chinaman
Is far more like us than many Eu-
ropeans. and only the language barrier
leads TO misconception, You can not
get TO know any man unless you Know
his language or he Knows yours
The ChlnamRn Ia very fair, lie
makes a lot OF allowances for US II
he visits our country am speaking'
OF course, Of the educated class-he is
chilled by our eXclusiveness. for we
are certainly not as sympathetic toward
our Eastern friends as we might be.
HE has always found Americans
moro sympathetic. They Introduce nm
20 their homes. and such an interna-
tlonal courtesy appeals to him. Here,
pGnnln Inclined 10 be
stand offish, and his admiration Tor
Britain has to meet severe test, How
ever, he is quick to attribute our con-
duct, TO national GOODNESS that Is d.
Iected, Internationally, not so much
against him as the world outside the
British isles. He generously overlooks
the rebuff, and thinks only OF our good
qualities
"Our coldness does not deter the
Chinese from visiting us In increasing
numbers They greatly admire our ed
ucation, The emperor has an English
tutor, while the late president OF the
republic sent his three sons TO Chelten-
ham, and he swas exceedingly pleased
with the result
81 asked him once why he chose an
English school for his sons and he told
me Il was because the moral atmos-
phere OF England was better than that
OF any other country In the world.
"The desire on the part OF the Chin
ese to improve their education accord
ing to Western ideas Is on the Increase,
and there is noteworthy development,
too, with regard TO sport. Games that
formerly were foreign to the Chinese
are now becoming common features
Of their life. Athletic meetings are
held regularly and running, jumping,
football and other forms OF sport are
popular,
f'The best lawn tennis player in North
China is a Chlnaman; he has beaten
all European competitors.
t'There has been one curious effect.
The missionaries can not get the boys
to 70 to school now, because OF their
fondness for sport, The Chinese stu
dent used TO be bespectacled and Sc
dentary; now he IS quite the reverse,
through his liking for sport.
80 far as other forms OF amusc-
ment are concerned the theater Is very
popular, for the Chinese have always
been great actors.
when / first went to China the WON
en-, except those Of the lower classes
lived in seclusion. with very rare ex.
ceptions they never appeared In public
under any pretext.
Now so great change has taken
nlace that they even appear at dances
Some are very charming women, and
the freedom enjoyed today is in strik-
ing contrast to the cloistered life OF
the past.
Excellent English and American
schools are provided for them. and
many OF the girls travel abroad to com
plete their education. II Is all part OF
a very enlightened policy. but there
were few difficulties to be encoun-
tered at the outset
81 remember visiting the capital o
one OF the provinces and staying for q
few days with the governor He wa
carving on an misunderstanding crusade
and his work consisted in not only pre-
venting the young girls from binding
their feet. according to the custom
but in ordering the adults to unbind
His troubles were very numerous, AM
he confessed sadly TO me that he founi
It far more difficult to deal with tn,
ladies than the general government q
the country.
To-day however. the women, instea,
OF hirdering progress. are endeavorint
TO expedite II by all means in thei
power. They have not yet taken an
part In the government, but they ar
deeply interested in politics and WON
ems rights, and they take part In mum
erous street demonstrations. They ar
not violent. but they are very mucl
in earnest. and I have no doubt the
win play their part eventually In tn
pronounced public opinion that is nov
being developed IN emma,
1T Is interesting to note that Chin
has her lady doctors, some Of WHOM
are sald to be very good surgeons. The
work principally In the missions an
government hospitals. and their educa
tion has been gained in Europe o
America,
"Of course, although conditions hav
changed so much. 1t should be remem
bered that China has Always had dis
tinRuished women.
1.-THE late empress dowagcr was
wonderful woman, who impressed every
one by her personality and worth
VERY gracious. and with a thorour
knowledge Of her people, the empires
issued DEGREES which We're respccte
throughout the length and breadth O
the land. She knew the country re
markedly well and from her girlhoo
exercised a great influence.
During her lifetime she held chin
together, and 1t was only after he
death that the government collapsed
Nowadays the country goes on with
out a government and the fortunta
thing is that China does not requir
one very much The people COVER
themselves
OVER THE TOP.