Branding of Cows in China

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 235, 5 October 1936, Page 3

Branding of Cows in China

CAMPAIGN SUDDENLY STOPPED A stern policeman with a big rubber stamp had the curious assignment in Canton of marching about the streets in search of women’s gowns which seemed to him over-modern in styling. When he saw one he would dash up and conspicously brand it with the words, "Violating tho Anti-modern Dress Regulations”—these regulations being a devico of the police authorities for preserviug tho ancient virtues. A number of women wore highly annoyed, a number of gowns were ruined, but nothing happened otherwise until suddenly tho policeman with the rubber stamp was called into headquarters, his stamp was taken away from him, and word went out that the campaign was “off.” ' What was more, the Canton garrison commander inserted a notice in the local newspaper apologising for the inconvenience caused during the period of anti-modernism.

It developed—after some whispering, for tho papers weren’t allowed to publish the full facts —that tho policeman had stamped tho wrong woman finally. Ho spoiled the best dress of tho wife of a high Canton official. Sho returned home and read "the riot act” to her husband, who lost no timo in making indignant representations whero they would do the most good. At the same timo the wifo hud photographs of the stamped gown taken and theso Avero shown to the wives of other high officials, who agreed that a grave injustice had been done, and similarly made life miserable for their husbands. This is only ono of the several efforts which Canton police have made during the past few months to protect the morals of the community, but it seems to have been tho most conspicuously unsuccessful of the lot. Last summer tho police successfully campaigned against mixed bathing. A feature of tho unlucky drive was the prescribing of a "standard dress,” including sleeves covering tho elbow. A number of incidents occurred before the grand finale. Police patrolled the city in a van at one time, arresting modern-attired women and stamping their gowns. One girl was ashamed to leavo tho police station with her dress eo marked, and finally one of the secretaries of tho polico chief lent her a cheap cotton gown—and was herself subsequently discharged for her action.