The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-28

Washington, d. c., Feb. 27.-Is
the door in China really opening !?
Are her youth movement, her con-
test over foreign spheres OF infin-
ence, her new culture movement
Turing her down the ladder OF CEN
turtles to an occidental landing?
This seems to be indicated by her
new policies. Walls of old cities
are torn down; congested districts
are being transformed into broad
streets and parks; education is
changing to suit the demand for a
new culture lin which what is best
in western thought is to be freely
adopted" Ancient superstitions
and the gods of yesterday are rap
idly being discarded under broad
ening educational influences
chiefly American. sChina within
the walls" was STEPPED in mystery,
buried in orientalism. The "Flow-
cry Republic" today stands on the
remnants Of its walls and looks
customs change and progressive
China energies.
From city to city the wall de-
stroying move has travelled until
it has at last reached Canton.
Nowhere are changes more strik-
ingly apparent than in this, the an
cient metropolis of South China,
the second large4t non-Christian
city in the world. Known as Yang
Chin-the City of Rams-Canton is
from a commercial standpoint the
New York of China One Of the
chief manufacturing cities of the
merchandise are turned out; silks,
embroideries, jade, blackwood fur
niture, carved ivory, cloissonne,
lacquer ware, idols, incense and
fans. Pottery manufactured IN
Canton is expected to nearly every
country in the world. Exquisite
small ornaments are made from the
bird; rich brocades are woven into
oriental patterns by the hand loom.
The majority of the industries are
carried on by trade guilds, some of
which have whole districts devoted
to the production of their respec-
tive wares. One most interesting
section for visitors is the factory
ters' guild is located. Here are
fashioned for occidental eyes, tables
and chairs of teak wood carved N
beautiful and strange designs. The
carver is proud of the fact that his
ancestors worked in the same shop,
with the same tools, long before the
foreign devils" thought of coming
to China. Near the chair carver
will sometimes sit an idol carver
putting the finishing touches on
his image, preparing it for its coat
ing OF gilt. Yet, side by side with
this ancient handiwork may now
be seen some of the modern ma
chinery of the Goth century. Thus
Canton becomes a sample Of
China's sharp contrasts; constant
forging ahead of the new over the
old, the first step in the march of
progress being the destruction OF
the restricting walls.
Influencing Public Spirit
AS the great mass of Cinnamon
are totally lacking in what Ameri-
cans know as public spirit, and are
closely bound together by family
LlSS anu LEdQlIAOASy lie va O6l SSS4fO
modern officials had to prepare pub
lie sentiment for the physical
changes such as the destruction of
these ancient walls and the
Strengthening of streets The lat
ter was a tremendous undertaking.
Old Canton is made up of hundreds
Of small twisted streets or alley
ways each darker than the other,
allowing only the passing Of a
sedan chair Tiny and crooked
they were made at this time in
order that evil spirits in pursuit
could not travel in a straight line
but must zigzag around corners.
High above these six-foot streets,
a mere strip of sky shows between
overlapping balconies and signs,
and through the narrow passage
way a babeling humanity flows.
Through it floats the odor Of burn