Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-17
Letter From a Jap.
aneSe Girl.

MISS HETTIE p. ANDERSON, ex-
ecutive secretary Of the local Y.
w. c. A. has just received word from
Helen NJ. Collins. chairman OF the
eastern region Of association work az
the New York headquarters, stating
that nationwide campaign was
launched February to raise $3.50, 900
between that date and March z in be.
half OF the women and girls Of Japan.
The association buildings in Toxic
and Yokohama were completely r7lin-
ed by the earttlgiake, and the Y. w.
Z. A. barracks. now International CEN
ter OF former activities, are construct
ed from lumber donated by the jap
anese government
Japanese girls and women living In
makeshift huts and shelters need a
meeting place Of their own, where
they can gradually renew normal &C.
tivities and interests
Miss Anderson also received a copy
or a letter sent to the New York head
quarters from Yuki Kimura, one Of
the youngest Japanese Y. w. c. A.
secretaries in Yokohama In this
letter is vivid picture Of the actual
experiences that these oriental girls
have gone through. Yuki says. in
part:
we had such dreadful expert
ence, which you and even we cannot
realize. Yokohama was entirely de-
stroyed: city was all gone; almost
nothing is left. No more buildings;
no more civilization. People were all
scattered and killed, and we do not
know where and how our friends are
now. 1 am trying hard to find my
they are safe or not.
We are longing for our happy life
in Yokohama. I am sure you will cry
If you see our Yokohama all destroy
ed. 1t might be worse than The Last
Days Of Pompeif or The Fall Of the
Roman Empire Almost everybody
in Yokohama lost their homes. So
did 1. 1 lost almost everything ex-
cept my life and those of my family.
My uncle. who was working among
the poor people, was killed, but he did
not i've Will US.
You see, my house was broken
down in a moment when the quake
came, and we (my father was at his
Office and came back late at night
with his clothes burnt with fire. So.
my only younger brother and two
younger sisters were at home alone
them had no time to escape. We
were all crushed under the roof, but
luckily We were not killed. 1t was
beyond expression how ] felt under
the roof. When the second quake
came and made hole my brother and
my sisters got out. AS I was right
under the heavy beam I could only
breathe, even how hard 1 tried. 1 ex-
pected to be crushed into pieces and
killed soon, for it hurt me SO much
that 1 could not wait for help any
longer. Before 1 said goodbye to
my sisters I tainted and became un-
conscious.
After half an hour-people said
afterward-I was awakened by the
noise above my head. There were two
policemen and several people calling
my name and breaking the roof. Soon /,
they dug me out and put me on top
Of the broken house. Everybody
thought was dead, but came to life |
again, as you see.
I'VE had nothing to eat for three |
days. We drank rainwater. We felt
earthquakes all the time. We stayed
and slept in the open air for nineteen
days. 1t was really hard when it
rained. We could not sleep for many !
nights. Many dead bodies came float
ing; some lying in the streets. On the
Goth of September my uncle came
from Sendai to see whether we were
safe or not; and we left Yokohama
on the same day. My Sendai life
passed like a dream.
II was suddenly asked to come to
Kyoto Association I teach Japanese
to the foreign secretaries in the morn
ing and in the afternoon I do Y. w.
work. Everybody Is very kind to this
refugee and I am very thankful, but
when think of those people who are
In Yokohama, suffering and fighting
with cold and difficulties, 1 am rather
ashamed of my being here in safety.
I would rather go back to Yokohama
to suffer with them.
"Kyoto is as beautiful and quiet as
a picture. but even then I love my
native city, Yokohama, best OF all.
Often I think back OF the time when
we lived together in Yokohama and
miss 1t very much.
I'VE Japanese people are very sorry
for any Of the foreign people who
were killed or are suffering with US
row. We are really suffering, but
thanking very, very much your coun-
try and your people who think Of us,
sympathize with US, encourage us and
work for US. We appreciate your
kindness from our hearts!
"Kyoto> Y. w. is busy making XII
monos,' cushions, sweaters and so
forth to send to Toxic and Yoko-
hama
MY family is all in Sendai: my
father has no job now. My sister goes
to Miyagi Jogakko, social English
second-year class; my brother to
Boyg Middle School and my other
sister to 'Shogakko.' I stay at sasoki
Sans house. She was one OF the
training course girls this year"