Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-30
Washington, Dec. 30.--"We had

Washington, Dec. 3o.--"we had a
swell time!''
That may be said to epitomise the
first report made TO the House by the
congressional junketeers who devoted
three months and liberal outlay OF
government funds to a tour Of the Far
East last summer, bringing home much
information and many souvenirs as
mementoes of their trip.
Although Representative Henry u.
Osborne, of California, doesn't put 1t
exactly that way, he confesses in be-
half Of the party to attending "A very
gallantly permitted the visiting con
gressmen and their wives ct al. to
dress informally" This is one Of the
disclosures Of carefully written speech
of some $4,000 words, filling twenty .
five pages Of the Congressional Record
and thereby made frankable--in
which Representative Osborne narrates
in elaborate detail many of the delights.
hardships and strange experiences of
the party in the world across the seas.
In spots he is positively poetic. AS his
audience accompanies him into the
yawning Zangtze or the whirling Whan-
groo, or idlcs on deck in the Japan
sea or beside the exquisitely carved
marble fences of "The Temple Of
Hcaven'--this delicate touch is Mr..
Osborne's--it brings inevitably the long
ing expressed by Mr.. Kipling's hero:
For the temple bells are callin',
An ne there that I would be
Looking lazy at the sea-
Temple "Beggars Description"
Even the architecture of the Temple
of Heaven did not escape MIR. Os-
borne's observant eye. He 'dmits IAN
insufficient knowledge Of the details Of
architecture to properly describe it,
but says quite emphatically 1t was so
charming and pleasing to the eye that
] could not see In what respect II might
be improved" Which might be de-
scribcd as blanket Endorsement OF
China's holy Of holies, even TO the mar
bic fences. He adds that the temple
is "pagoda shapcd-round" and the
"thc interior Is even more beautiful
than the exterior" As the coloring OF
the exterior is ''very ornate" being "a
blending or combination of lapis lazuli
blue and gold" the impossibility OF
adequately describing the interior can
be readily imagined. Mr.. Osborne leaves
it largely to the imagination. except
that he noticed in the color schemt
gold, blue. green, red and purple in
, various tints." in addition to IAN i'm
mense amount of carving, OF most elab
orate designs, on which this coloring is
lavished"
But he reaches the pinnacles Of de
scription in telling of the many events
| and courtesies arranged in honor OF
the Americans by the fine large men
elsewhere described as ''our smiling
Chinese hosts There is the subject Of
| refreshments. for instance. The occa
sion is a reception, and Mr.. Osborn,
elucidates:
Such reception in China always
includes Refreshments on very gen
erous scale, and this was far from being
an exception. These include tea ant
cakes of all sorts and usually soda
water, lemonade. silent water (dis
| tilled), and sometimes wine and liquors
The bad character of the water
throughout China affords an excuse il
not reason for drinking other pota
| bles. The water in general use for
! bathing, etc. Is not considered safe tc
| drink, and at the rooms in hotels there