The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-07-05

from say party, she is obliged to greet him, kneeling l1umbly on the threshold. She may never say mo- never look displeased, and under nc circumstances may she display jeal- ousy. Her attitude toward her hus- band must be always humble and unquestioningly obedient. Even in the wealthiest families, the wife serves her husbands breakfast and scrubs him in the bath. She may not sit down on cushion in his presence, and Japanese floors are like ice fin the winter. When walk ing with him, she always follows at certain distance, carrying his bun- dles, everything he needs.
 Deprived of pleasant social life, discouraged by convention from go- ing to the theater, movies, even making too many trips to shrines, the Japanese woman must limit her interest to the far-from-gay family ceremonies and children's feaSts. But even her pleasure in her children is restricted, because they are not her children. Accord ing to the law, they belong to her husband"
 Madame Moscicki states that Japanese law does not regard the woman as person. Marriage is the only career open to woman unless she becomes a geisha. The Japanese woman cannot divorce her husband, but he can divorce her by sending her back to her family where she is compromised the re- mainder of her life regardless of now innocent she may be. Madame Moscicki reports that childlessness is one of the most frequent causes of divorce. The woman is always blamed, never the husband, she writes. and for that reason the tem- ples are always crowded with wo- men praying for children espe- cially sons.
 The only woman with the slight- est degree of freedom is the geisha, Madame Moscicki contends. It is an old custom for Japanese women to take geishas or concubines immedi- ately after marriage. It is the geisha who becomes the husbands corn- rade. discusses his business, and enjoys comradeship from which the wife is generally excluded. Not only must the wife accept the geisha's existence, Madame Mos. cicki asserts. but she must adopt her children.
 These pretty toys are artist courtesans carefully educated for mans pleasure" Madame Mos- cicki writes. No reception is com plete without geishas. have seen them dressed in their wonderful kimonos, wearing sashes which often cost more than Q thousand pounds. Articiai, seldom pretty, very sure of themselves, they press around the guests. passing them dishes, cleverly cutting the fruits and serving small gobiets of sake, Their games seemed like childish entertainment to me, but their fa- nous symbolic dances, accompanied by weird music and songs, were beautiful"
 The Japanese mother is permitted to guide her son for the first twelve years of his life after which she is Of no further consequence to him, Madame M0seiekt reveals, It of- fends the mans dignity to pay Q compliment to any woman, hold her coat or show her the slightest courtesy,
 The lucky Japanese wife. Madame N0seiekl points out, is the one wh0 lives abroad where her husband Is compelled to Rll0t her . certain amount 0s freedom, The wife, however soon becomes accustomed to the freedom and Is desperately unhappy when forced to return to Japanese customs,
 Madame M0selcki reports that suicide is practically the Oniy sure retreat for the hipponese woman and then only certain forms are her privilege, She may commit haras klTi only lf she wishes 10 de wtth heF husband and then she must 0b. tain his permission 70 do SO. Two 0f the popular places for suicides are Q very high waterfall and the crater of the volcano on the Island og 0fhinia. Madame M0selekI states.
 After living to Japan e0r several years" ahe wFltes, ''olae understands shy, in this lovely. unhappy land, self -deslrncti0n ls surrounded wlth q halo oi poetry"