Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-12
Educating China's Masses

| tire absence of even sanitary measure.
and the frank cruelty of the methods
as described to me are details which
cannot set down here.
Then, of course, there is no sense OF
hygiene for those who survive. A sur.
vey showed that the great majority OF
the wells were within 20 feet Of the
utmost sources of pollution. Smallpox
has been endemic, although not, per-
haps, as bad here as in other parts OF
China. The most visible sign of physi-
cal neglect was the almost universal
prevalence of trachoma. The richest
man in the whole Hsien is an eye doc
tor who has made huge fortune out OF
quack remedy for trachoma made
from crushed peanuts combined with
some hocuc pocus that helps to cure.
Reform in these matters in Ting
Hsien has at least some hope of success
because the confidence of the inhabi-
tants has already been won in other
fields. This was not easy, for the
Chinese farmers have every reason to
be suspicious of any effort to better
their lot. At first they thought the
social workers must be in some way
connected with the government and
that their real purpose was to get more
taxes out of the countryside.
has held back the civilization of Asia
more than the historic fact to which
this bears witness, namely, that when
ever a villager began to show any sign
of wealth or added comfort the tax
collector or the representative of some
official would be at hand to take it from
him. The incentive to improvement
was almost killed through long CEN
turtles of spoliation.
In course of time this suspicion was
overcome. But still the villagers were
puzzled. Why should any educated per-
son come among them to share their
hardships and try to improve their con-
dition? The mass education movement
must be connected with either the Com
munists or the missionaries. It took two
years or more before these suspicious
of some Interior purpose were removed
and the inhabitants began to feel real
community of interest with the leaders
of the movement for reform. 1t is
doubtful If all these obstacles are re-
moved even yet.
Advantage in China.
There is at least one advantage, how
ever. which this kind of work has in
China over India. For example, there
are almost no religious taboos here such
as Ghandi has had to struggle with.
The Chinese peasant is singularly free
from the inhibitions of superstition
And SO medical reform can follow at
once in the wake of Improvements in
agriculture. The work in this field,
however, has only just begun, and there
are no achievements as yet to record.
Ting Hsien is already becoming known
throughout the length and breadth of
China. War lords have tried to appro-
pirate 1t or some of is personnel. Both
the late Marshal Chang Tso-lin and
his young son. who has succeeded him.
have offered ready cash; politicians and
universities have sent in at
tractive offers to the men in charge.
But so far all of these offers have been
refused so as to avoid giving any polit-
Ical complication to the movement and
TO maintain its independence.
It must have taken a great deal of
courage to turn down these tempting
proposals at time when the pioneers
Of the mass education movement were
working under conditions of absolute
poverty and hardship, living on starva-
lion diet in the mud hutS of peasants.
But the soundness Of their decision to
-efuse the offered help and to maintain
heir independence is now entirely
proved. While Ting Hsien remains in
dependent, however, their work is al
ready being copied more or less In other
parts of China. and its influence is
growing on all sides
The day that I was in Ting Hsien
The general in command of all the
roops of that section came on q visit
II inspection. He had previously sent
n local class of some IS officers to
'e instructed in the regular class room
york. As a result of his days contact
With the villagers. he said 1t was the
lrst time in his life he had ever come
70 closely in contact with the villagers
,hemselves-he stated in my presence
hat he was going to propose to the
authorities that the officers
md men In the army about to be de-
instruction in the principles Of the
mass education movement 50 that when
they go back to civil life they may have
something to offer their communities
Instead Of simply forming a discon-
tented and dangerous section ready to
be enlisted In future disorders.
Incidents Commonplace.
Incidents like this, which I myself
witnessed, are happening all the time.
The staff is overwhelmed with demands
upon it-demands which it Is as vet
unable to meet. It has refused, how
ever. to be drawn aside from its expert
ment by any superficial activities, for
the fundamental idea Of the mass edu-
cation movement Is that the people
themselves must take it on and be re-
sponsible for 1t, so that 1t will have a
permanent basis in the life of the ma
lion instead of being dependent upon
the enthusiasm Of a few educational
reformers.
The return to Peiping from Ting
lei de {x1 frl oil
age filled to overflowing, like all the
trains in China. Even the
roofs of the cars were crowded with
men and baggage. And so in the hot
afternoon of late September day we
numbered slowly back to the station by
The Great Wall of Peiping, and. drawn
BY the silent ricksha men, we were
soon within the great gate Of this old
imperial city where the street cars clang
along the roadway that once brought
tribute from all Asia to the palace
gates that lie but block beyond.
A short turn to the right and we are
American sentry stands guard at the
gate. Row after row, the great
legations stretch out on either side
the first chapter Of Chinese
political contact with the outside world
The organized West Is here expressed in
the language that no one can mistake
but down in the little villages that lie
beside the Tartar walls of Ing Hsien
there Is force making for moderniza-
ton that, If properly guided through the
coming years. has mere capacity for
change than even these symbols of poll
teal power.
{ Chinese COntiuua