The Ordway new era., 1920-08-20

prepared by the national Geographic So
ci-ty. Washington. D. CO
ANTON is the Paris and Bun
ker Hill of China.
4 The Chinese say that he
who has not lived in Canton
knows not luxury Equally true is ii
that the American OF lowliest estate
who has not seen Canton knows not
poverty. In contrast to ancient tenn
pies. and palatial homes surrounded
with park-like gardens, are the beg
gars at their gates, covered with
sores and whining for pittance; the
leaden-eyed porters, straining under
their burden OF humanity or baggage 3;
women haggling for pigeOn-egg-si
lump OF bean curd, half dozen pea
nuts. n dozen roasted beans. or strip
of ment the size OF rasher of bacon
us a special luxury for the family din
ner.
A five and ten-cent store would be
Tiffany's for many well-to-do Can
ton families. The cent, now sort
of war tax annoyance 10 us. would
have to he subdiyided for the China
HldH. Ills tDlil. tilt
mally worth one-twentieth of an Amer
lean cent, was too large in some
places, and bamboo tokens are rec
ogniZed by tradesmen as worth half
cash.
Yet there is luxury. expressed not
only in homes, commerce, and busi-
ness structures, but in products which
make Canton the art center of China.
Its lacquer and sandalwood articles
are unique. its ivory carving unsur-
passed. its pottery. gem setting. and
fans. from the palm leaves we buy
for few pennies TO the ivory handled
feather ones the tourist bargains for
at SO or S35, are world famous.
Revolutionary Center Of China.
Patriotically Canton has several
points of contact with the American.
Most likely the firecrackers which dis
turbed cur early-morning slumbers on
the Fourth of July came from there,
as well as the fan we carried TO the
community demonstration later. Can
ton was the birthplace of the revOlu-
ton in 1911 that ended the Manchu
| dynasty, and has been the storm Gen
ter of other revolutionary activities
since.
Except for few newer streets. it
| still Is true that Canton is Il city of
| IL million without wheel or u beast
of burden" Strangely ancient in some
respects. Canton long has practiced
| some OF the expedients which are be
ing urged as experiments in western
lands.
So far as her business district is
| concerned, the city is thoroughly
"zoned." The shopper may find prac-
tlcally all the city has to offer in wood
carving on one street. in silks and EN-
broideries on another, in jewels and
precious stones on another. During
| the coal shortage in our eastern states
in recent winters. efforts We're made to
do cooking ct central kitchens and
serve food ready to eat at homes in
the neighborhood. Long has the fuel
shortage been acute in Canton. driv-
| ing the housewife 10 chaff, twigs, lit
ter, for her cooking, and making cook
ing and vending ON the streets re
course of the poor rather than fad
| with the rich. The Chinese ''hot dog
man has u greater variety. but small
er portions, than our own. and he is
not To be recommended from the
standpoint of sanitation.
Fighting the Plague.
Human life inevitably becomes
| cheaper in the midst of congestion.
suffering and poverty. Early efforts
TO fight the bubOnic plague We're grave
| ly met with the argument that there
were too many mouths TO feed. any
way. in Canton, and the plague, like
the typhoons. We're prUvidential for
| those who escaped.
Humane science finally won the tlay,
| and the tin boxes on street corners
are not TO he mistaken for trash re
ceptacles. They are for dead rats,
which are collected and burned. The
t0rnadoes wreak peculiar havoc be-
cause of the peculiar dwelling place
of some 125,O0O of Canton's inhabi-
tants-on honsehonts. These boat
dwellers, the Tan-min. are social
| pariahs Their women formerly FUR
nished the singing girls" on the flow
rr boats" floating haunts of the under
world, which We're burned several
years ago. Their men engage in the
| river traffic that Is an essential fea-
| 'ur,. nf f'nptnp's ,.nnnar.ioI nee