WOMEN THE WORLD OVER.

Evening Star, Issue 14635, 3 August 1911, Page 3

WOMEN THE WORLD OVER.

(By OsAcmßCo] Western influences arc sweeping _ away most of the landmarks of traditional Japan. If the charm of the Japanese women does not become also an episode of the past, it is perhaps because she-—of all her countrypeople —can best assimilate Western ideas without losing her innate fascinations, and her new education and tii« higher social position to which sho is actively reaching arc making less of a revolution in Japan than are the activities of women in England. “Women,” said Mr Yoshio Noda, professor at the Ladies’ Training College lor Secondary Teachers at Kara, “were for many centuries inferior beings in Japan. They stayed at homo, and they kept their houses in order. They looked after the children. Their id oak were to become wise mothers of their babies. Even ladies came little together Mxnally in social life. All tho important work was done by men. When Japan unlatched the doors of its trade to Europe, tho movement proved tho open sesame to women's work. Ever since these days, in fact, the position of girls and women has been rapialv changing, and Japan is forging fast ahead with the secondary education of her girls.” Tho public’subscription organised by the Paris ‘Figa.ro ’ in aid of Mum Mat-plot, the lighthouse heroine, has reached £3lO. Two gold medals, one from the Minister of the Interior, and one from th© Minister of Public Worts, are to he presented to Mme Mat slot in recognition of her brave conduct-. Tho French Government showed at first no sign whatever of recognising—oven by the simplest thanks—-Uus heroic art, and the ‘ Figaro ’ gave the lead to the public condemnation of tho Government's apathy. A career of heroism and of touching Jovo and car© for wounded soldiers on the battlefields of Europe and Africa has rlcsed by the death of Mis Janet Helen King (Sister Janet), of Wood View, Purley. When only IS years of age »ho entered tho Protestant Deaconesses’ Institution to he trained as a nurse for the sick and wounded in war, and was one of a party of nine sent out to assist in nursing the troops encaged in the war between Russia and Turkey. Snow lay deep on tho ground, the party lest its way, and the night was passed in the open carts, hitter cold and the howling o: wolves effectually preventing sleep. Arriving at Yard in they found their services sorely needed, and for months tho Sisters worked from early mom till late at night. To Sister Janet's care were allotted somo SCO patients, who lay in hubs scattered here and there amongst tho hills. Daily os sho trudged through tho snow from hutto hut. an her mission of mercy she was exposed to attacks irora the wild dogs which infested Bulgaria-. More than once these brutes had her down, but her stick and dagger protected her until her cries brought assistance. At tho close of the war sho received lor her s©rric<» the Imperial Order cl the Red Crosse of Russia. .She went out, too, to tho Zulu War, and tit Utrecht 5,200 sick and wounded passed through hex hands. There sho was personally thanked by Sir Garnet Wolseley. She was awarded the medal for the war. and received the Decoration of tho Royal Red Cross from the Queen for '‘the special devotion and com patency displayed in nursing dities with Her .Majesty's troops.” Mite V-assilU Monro i. a beautiful and wealthy girl in Bucharest, Rumania, has, hay* the ‘ Alai].’ been shut dead by her lover for wearing a harem skirt- Her fiance had often expressed strong views on eccentric fashions, and was particularly bitter in denouncing harem skins. Out of mere waywardness Mile Alonroi determined to get a harem skirt, but the first day she wore it she met her lover. Without saving a word, he took out a revolver and tired at his sweetheart-, and lulled her by a shot in th© head. When arrested ho stated that he did not regret iris act. and wished to be sentenced to death rs quickly as possible. "I could never marry ;i woman who deliberately oppose© ray will,*' ho said, "and life without her would havo been q u it© ’rn possible. ” Many quaint and pretty customs prevail among Tyrolean women, but none more so than that relating to tbe tenrkerchief. .Tret before a girl leaves her .homo to go to tho village church to be married her mother gives her a handkerchief or newlyspun linen, which Ls called the toarkorebict. With it tho bride has to dry the tears that are regarded as only natural when sac leaves the parental roof. The tcirkercivcf is never used after tho marriage day. hut is laid away with the bride's reest, cherished possessions till the day c,£ her death, when it is taken out and spread over her face before the- coffin is screwed down. In August last this advertisement ap j (Cared in a New Jereev paper : “ Daughter of a farmer, 57 years of age. American Presbyterian, affectionate, height s?t--6hi, weight 1891b. perfect health, loving home life, well educated, blue eyes, blond >i. tincere, desires early marriage.'’ Air' W. Marten, of Pomona, replied to fho advertisement, in tho following October he scut th© lady her railway ticket, and two hours altar she arrived at Pomona they were inarried. In April Mr Marten applied for a divorce, but the Judge, thougn acknowledging that tho petitioner had made out a geed oase ; marked his disapprobation of the marnior in which tho marriage was entered upon by keeping tho petitioner in attendance on'the Court ter 45 claya before granting ids application. It is generally known that- Airs Hetty Green is one of tho richest, if not actually tho richest, women in the United States. And though she has entered her 76th year she has just taken a. long lens© of a. finite of offices in Now York, where film i intends to personally superintend the management of her estate, which is valued ;;t twenty millions sterling. Hitherto the ; management has been in tho hands of j banking institutions. end it is understood that this change in her relationship to ; the banks with which eho baa burn in the j habit of doing busineas is duo to bor do- i tore to bo free from a)! influences a firing 1 out of tho acceptance of the favor of free ■ rental. Mrs Green is a strange, hard i woman. !

—Pensions fop Women Employee®.— To commemorate the Qbrcnatk'n of George V. ord Queen Mary by Mine t:m<rib!o good, Meseie Cadhary, of lioumvilln, propose to create a savings and pension land for their woman employees. w!;o r,umber op-wards of 3,000. Five years ago they established a pension iimd for their men and boys, practically all <u whom have joined. It was hoped at the time to indede women employees, but owing to the great disparity in the period of service of 'men and women this was found to bo impracticable. 1& is now proposed to establish a scheme specially designed fi.r wojhnen. Employees will contribute fixed sums tuf 6d. 9d, or Is per week, according to age, ■ and. these together with o>iuinterest at 5 per cent, per annum, will aocnnmlato. and the whole will bo paid cut to them on leaving through any cause whatever, or to their represent,-itives in tho ovent of death. For any who may continue an the service of tho company until oO years of age (or earlier if letirement is due to infirmity), tho option is given of either taking • their own contributions in a lump sum or receiving a pension payment until death, and including o. funeral grant. The fund will be invested in guaranteed securities earning a little moro than 5 por cent. The company, as an annual contribution, propose to make." up tho total interest to the sura of 7 per cent, per annum. To make seme provision for thosa who have been in the company's service for a considerable period prior to tho formation of the fund. Messrs Cadbury will mike a donation estimated by the actuaries at £IO.OOO. No part of the fund may bo in. Tested in the basinets of the firm*