The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-08-16
japanese Fighting
Drives Chinese TO
Westernized Ways
BY Charles q. Stewart

WASHINGTON-SiX years OF de-
fensive hghting against the jap
anese have driven the Chinese peo-
Pile further and further from Orr
entail life until now it appears tina.
the nation may be almost com
pletely westernized by the time the
United Nations have expelled the
Nipponese invaders.
The Chinese have invested al
most their entire faith in Uncle
Sam as their savior and the pro
cess of patterning their life and
thoughts along American lines pro-
ceeds with every passing day.
Movies from the United States
have become the most popular me-
dunn OF entertainment and diver
sion. The buxom Mae West is
easily the No. fayorte OF the fans
and her films have always been
sell-outs.
The transition, begun nearly four
decades ago, of China from an en-
pire into a republic has brought
about far-reaching effects upon the
women. The traditional seclusion
OF that sex has disappeared. Wom-
en- have won virtual equality, parti-
cularly with the new inheritance
laws which provide that girls shall
inherit equally with brothers in
the division of parental estates,
Extensive provisions have been
Il o. n q
girls. English is requirement in
their colleges with the result that
the Chinese language is slowly
passing. Educators estimate that
for every 10000 Chinese who can
write, read and speak English.
there are only 100 who can handle
the Chinese language with equal
facility.
The classic. although true exam.
pie, is that OF the girl from prom
inent Chinese family who was en-.
tertained by an English couple on
a visit. The lady had applied her
self to the task OF learning enough
Chinese so that she could hope TO
converse, at least slightly. with.
the girl. over the dinner table the
English lady lsbored to make her
self understood. which only EN-.
barrassed the girl
Finally. the girl asked in perfect
English, I'm sorry, but do not
understand the language you are
speaking
The Chinese woman. however,
comedies that western dress is not
so becoming TO her, usually making
her appear awkward and ungainly.
The most fashionable attire. today
is the long coat and trousers. made
OF dazzling brocades. with the mar
row skirt, slit to the knees on
either side.
Chinese tradition has 1t that a
mans spirit will not rest until he
has had a son. The urge for son
is so strongly rooted within the
people that polygamy is exercised
in cases when the original wife
does not bear a son. The wife Of
ten urges her husband to acquire
another wife IL she did not bear a
son.
The first wife remains the mis-.
tress OF the household and any sub
sequent wives assist her in the du-
ties OF the household. There are
not infrequently complaints from
wives that their husbands do not
marry a second wife-so that there
will be more hands to help out in
Homework.
The advances OF western ideas
are pushing this marriage system
into discard on the practical basis
that the average Chinese husband
has his hands full in supporting one
wife. For instance, II the No.
wife decided that she wanted new
dress. the No. .. and perhaps other,
wives would clamor for new dress
which might be more than the
mans pocketbook could stand.
From the war China expects that
her conquered provinces will be
restored. The Chinese have already
made known to their allies that
they want the island OF Formosa
returned.
Chinese statesmen have also ex.
pressed a reported hope that the
rich provinces OF Manchuria and
Korea, which have been exploited
by the Japs, viii be returned TO
her.
The government has agreed to
the principle OF exclusion and will
not ask for the right 10 send her
peoples into other OF the United
Nations. However, II is hoped that
close economic and political ties
with her allies will become a perm
anent part OF China's national life