Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-01-29
the practical and edaoient campaign
that will be launched by the COMMITTEES.
and there will Be no danger OF failure.
China's New Alphabet.

For moro than 1000 years China has
been the sleeping giant Of nations.
Archaeologists havo discovered that
when tho rest OF the world was barbar-
GUS. But that civilization died before
tho advent OF Christianity. Today II
is huge country, having millions OF
people within It's borders who speak a
score and more dialects. and which are
bound together by Iuere racial tics, and
little else. Probably the main cause
for Cbinas drifting backward has been
the lack OF \ system Of writing intelli-
gtble to all of the people
The present aystsm of ideographs.
consists of 10000 separate symbols.
each representing a different word. At
least 5000 word signs must be memo
rizsd before the student can read and
write easily. Consequently at least 10
years ore required by the average Chi
nnman In which to master his written
language
Several years ago the Ministry of
Education. no doubt being influenced
by the rapid strides which Japan was
making in the commercial field. ap-
pointed a committee to devise sys-
tom OF national phonetic script. which
could be easily learned by the average
child The result WAS the creation OF n
phonetic alphabet. consisting OF only
90 separate characters, which represent
all verbal sounds In the Chinese Ian
gunge. This alphabet can be learned in
R4y ou hsyt IN 1ttIt
was made a part of the compulsory cd
uoaion IN all elementary schools lest
spring. and investigators report that
much progress is being made In fur
thering the work In higher grades.
Tho written word is the foundation
of ali commerce. Without IL nothing
but personal barter can be carried on.
Tho fact that only 10 per cent OF the
Chinese can write the tdeograph sys-
tenn explains partly the commercial
backwardness Of the nation. Llecwise
II ia seen that the use OF the telegraph,
the typewriter. and the printing press
ia hindered by n language which con-
tains 10000 word symbols. Yet those
three instruments are absolutely In
dispensable to modern business.
II Win be a generation. perhaps, be-
fore the phonetic alphabet Is used by
all of the students. II may be many
more years before oil Chinese children
are educated I'm public schools But it
can be seen that the day is not far Off
when the masses Of Chinese will be
fairly well educated. This viii mean
development of the spirit of national
.su. which China woefuIly lacks to-
day. The various cantons will awaken
from their centuries-old lethargy. and
take an interest not only in their own
political affairs. but In that OF the
nsiehboring cautons. Thus VIII the
national spirit 10 fostercd, which VIII
result In q reai awakening OF the coun-
try a. a whole.
II ss too early to predict what VIII be
the FIRST benefits to accrue to the now
China. But II II safe TO say that the
slsspins giant Will awaken. and the eff
fect of that awakening Will he felt on
the entire world. II may be years, II
may be many generations before the
miracle Is accomplished, but q start has
been made by the creation of those 90
separate characters which form the
phonetic alphabet, Such is the power
of knowledge. which comes through
education.