Saturday evening, March 27, 1909, saw the hall of the Chinese Presbyterian Church so crowded that a burly policeman had the doubtful pleasure of turning away visitors of both races. Inside was filled with merchants and their families—the men on one side, the women and children on the other. The Consul, in a robe of biscuit brocade, followed by his suite, entered and aroused the interested glances of Caucasian and Oriental alike. Like flowers, bloomed from the dark blue background of the bloused and trousered women, a parterre of babies in cap and gown of purple, blue and rose. Tiny ques and tiny sandals, smiling faces, and not a whimper the long evening through.
Under the guidance and by the gracious courtesy of Donaldine Cameron, a noble friend of Chinese womanhood, a choir of Chinese young ladies sang the “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Later the audience rose to the “Star Spangled Banner,” most beautifully rendered by Miss Wong in a clear mezzo-soprano. The program—partly interpreted by Mr. Wong, partly in Chinese—closed in a glory of flashlight, the sudden burst raising pandemonium among the baby choir, who were “velly much ’flaid.” A small dog smuggled in under the blouse of Lee Ching, a real boy, supplied the necessary bass for the tiny Celestial singers.
Organized by Dr. G. H. Richardson and the writer, the welfare of this successful detachment has been splendidly nourished by Dr. Mark Neumann, the Medical Director. From occupying the “parlors” of the Chinese Native Sons of the Golden State, its members became ambitious to have quarters of their own. Dr. Neumann donated his waiting room. On one wall hangs the Dragon and the Stars and Stripes about a Red Cross on a field of white. On another the portrait of President Taft; on the third, beautifully written in Chinese characters, the By-laws of the Legion and the Proposed Women’s Auxiliary. Often a silk-trousered Chinese lady, with polished hair ornamented by fine workmanship of jade and gold, sits before these by-laws studying them seriously, beginning at the upper right hand corner and reading downward.
THEATRE WHERE THE CHINESE HELD AN ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE RED CROSS.
Most remarkable will be the evolution of a Women’s Auxiliary to the Red Cross Legion; most remarkable to those best acquainted with Chinese life and character. It is an emergence from sheltered living, a setting aside of a custom scarce permitting a Chinese young lady to appear upon the street. One does not even talk to a Chinese gentleman about his household. But there is a precedent. Chinese ladies are going about the streets of the great ports of New China obeying the calls of humanity and the voice of recent ideals of social development and service. For China has a Red Cross.
A Chinese merchant rarely calls upon a male physician for his family, but an up-to-date woman physician is welcome in the families of the educated. Favorable as is one’s impression of the prosperity, intelligence and generosity of our Chinese friends; the advantages of enlightened medical knowledge and sanitary science among them in San Francisco, not to mention the vast interior of the Chinese Empire itself, cannot be overestimated.
It is one of the functions of the Red Cross to create and foster enduring friendship between nations. War is often the instrument of passion rather than equity. Whether war is eternal or not the function of the Red Cross is to be neutral and to heal. With acquaintance comes understanding. We have our superstitions regarding the Chinese; they have theirs regarding us. Beyond the Pacific the pulse of a mighty nation is quickening, and through the Golden Gate the young Chinese will soon be lured by opportunity to the Flowery Kingdom. Nor will they go as student, tourist or commercial man alone. Slow, indeed, will be the opening of the vast interior. The intelligently trained Mongolian is a great organizer and China’s metropolitan progress will be swift. Since the fire the evolution of the Chinese quarter has been marvelous. Some undesirable conditions still exist, but measuring by these only heightens the achievement of the progressive.
A YOUNG GIRL OF THE CHINESE QUARTER.