Well-Known Writer and Leader of Women's Movement in Shanghai 2
The arrival in Shanghai of Mrs. Grace Thompson Seton who has devoted so large a part of her life to the interests of women in many parts of the world is of particular interest to those whose attention is directed to the position and pro-grees of the women of China. Her career, an exceedingly versatile one, has taken her to many countries, has embraced the organization of two important clubs for girls and women, namely "The Pen and Brush Club of New York" and the "Girl Scouts" organization, has taken her to the battlefields of France with a motor unit which carried food to the seriously wounded in the front-line trenches, and now brings her to the Orient. In Japan, Mrs. Seton discovered that "the new woman " was as definitely an essential part of the intellect tual awakening of the country as she is in every other part of the world. But it was in Egypt that she saw the movement in its most spectacular form. When the Nationalist party of Egypt incited and carried on open rebellion to the Government, the necessary suppress sion of their activities resulted in the imprisonment and exile of its leaders, among whom was Mr. Saad Zahglul Pasha, the idol of Egypt. It was then that great numbers of the Egyptian women came out of purdah and took up the mantles of their husbands. Today their influence is growing increasingly with the establishment of schools and welfare work throughout their country.
Among the most influential is Mme. Saad Zahglul Pacha, whom Mrs. Seton _interviewed and through whom she was able to rheet women of all classes. One of the most interesting of all was the Queen of Egypt, a girl of about 23 years, who is in complete sympathy with "la femme nouvelle" and does all that can be done by one who is kept in such seclusion as is the " First Lady of Egypt" to break down the barriers of centuries.
"In one step,' said Mrs. Seton, "the women of Egypt have bridge ed over the great gap between the ancient and the modern woman, which it has taken other women of the world" centuries of laborious effort to cross."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.