The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1929-08-29
LETTER FROM FROM CHINA
c.. p. o. Box No. 1884
Shanghai, China,
July 9th, 1929

c. p. o. Box No. 1884
Shanghai, China,
July 9th, 1928
Dear Editor:
Here comes letter from this
land of intrigue, graft, warfare,
famine, suffering, chaos, to tell you
and the readers of your excellent
paper about China's new woman
who has a share in the "goings-on."
If woman in China, twenty
years ago, had been given Rip
Van Wrinkle sleep, she would be
more surprised than he was, should
she awake today. Then women
had to stay indoors and work some
thing like domestic animals. Or, if
of better familys be cooped up at
home and stay there. She was al
lowed to be seen only by her hus-
band or brothers.
Now what change! The modern
chinese young women skip around
the streets with spring, grace and
freedom that's quite refreshing
when one remembers the women
formerly holding along on bound
feet supported by amahs. Now
girls bob, single, or permanent
wave their hair. That's a sign of
freedom. They ride bicycles, play
tennis, basketball and engage in
other athletics. Formerly the par
ents arranged their marriage. Now
one often sees the young ladies
walking very affectionately arm
in arm with their best boys and
the young people often do the ar
ranging. The dress used to be the
most modest of any nationality.
Now women are often seen with
short sleeves and very low-necked
frocks even at midday. Some
times they're seen with the most
up-to-date up-beyond-the-knee short
frocks and flimsy silk hose and
very high-heeled shoes. Indeed the
Chinese girls are quite amusing
fappers sometimes shocking
sometimes-so much so that the of
ficials have felt it necessary to is
sue proclamations commanding
them to dress modestly. The girls
have even learned to f1irt in the
most-up-to-date way. That's free
dom! They dance in the latest
style. They ride horses, astride,
with boots and riding breaches.
That's English, you know"
Once the ideal for girls was that
they be able to do beautiful need
| le-work at home. Now they are
doing other things. They are
clerks in stores. Some are typists
and stenographers. Some al e
bankers They play the organ CT
piano or Their musical instrument;
Some are becoming movie artist 5
or actresses. Some are lawyers
and i--.ges and doctors, are teach
ers and kindergarteners. They
even become soldiers and some
times they become Generals secre-
taries. Women also become street
corner politicians and scream the
Revolutionary platitudes such as,
Down with imperialism" Give the
people freedom" to beat the most
Jealous men Revolutionaries. Rare
ly do you see meetings for propa-
sanda or riots without seeing girls
or women taking active part in
them, urging on the riots. l am
glad to say that some few of them
are taking part in the Red Cross
work in relieving the suffering OF
those wounded in battle. Women,
too, occupy places of influence in
the government in Marking. Once
women's faces lacked all hope and
ambition, and there are still great
hosts of women who are the same
drudges at home or-worse-
great. factories. But among the
younger generation they have am
bition- ambition that carries them
to extremes.
I'm glad to say that there are
many modest, motherly women who
have gone through our mission
schools who are making nice, clean,
beautiful Christian homes where
the children are brought up well
and taught to be good useful meln-
bers of society, children of whom
they and missions can be proud
and thankful. One can not expect
great things from a nation in
which the people have been brought
up for ages in filth, physical and
moral; but a new generation is
coming on, born anew in the
Church of Christ and in these clean
Christian homes. We are expect
ing much for China from such.
Things are out of joint in China,
but we hope and pray that the COM
mon sense of better Chinese and
the deeply planted power of the
Gospel will gradually overcome the
criminal influences and that China
will find peace, prosperity and a
place among the great nations Of
the world.
Yours in Christ's glad service,
(Rev.) H. G. c. Hallock.