To the Editor of the "NontH-CHINA DatLy News."
Sit—Once again I would crave the indulgence of your valued col-urnns to give expression to a few humble thoughts on this question.
First, I would plead for more tolerance in the writings of your correspondents. Too many of them, it seems to me, adopt the "high and mighty" standpoint" in their thinking on this subject, and yet how very, very few of us have the right to cast stones, "Garg! Dev the whole chance of his argument being favourably received by this distressing generalization at the very opening of his letter: "The oman of to-day is a disgrace to the world." After that statement find to read your letter, for your innation has got the better of your sense of fairness.
Then the next letter, penned "A Man." Here, again, readers are subjected to exaggeration and the use of misleading adjectives. Rending between the lines, one could quite conceivably imagine that his [whole motive writing was to give expression to a disappointment at the "unattractiveness and ill-for-motion" of the nudity (it severely that) he saw, not at the fect v" itself. Tf he: fs easily understood, for we men will put up with a lot from a so-called "beautiful but when that superficial beauty of form is Incking, we are most exacting. Nov, to be quite honest, quite a lot of the "nudity'
as by no means unattractive or li-formed.'
"Bachelor" ruins the hope of his Th fjudigment. being considered free from alli prejudice und heat by. generalizing all dancing as: "Swaying masses of perspiring flesh in sensuous contact." If he can see only that in dancing, accept his opi question? And again, he refuses to discriminate between any of the couples who float by "transport of bliss" of a moonlight night. Surely not all couples such occasions are a shock to 01 sensibilities? And yet "Bachelor's writing would make it appear so.
If evidence is required of the need for careful, unheated and tolerant writing on subjects of this sort, surely it is provided in this very case in the unqualified refutation which "Youth of 1924's" letter affords to the things which were said and implied of the "unsexed woman" by "An Old Correspondent." In view of what "Youth of 1924" says about the actual graces ut thie very lady, it would be only fitting if "An Old Correspondent" should hang her head in very shame for writing (unthinkingly, I hope)
basely of another. We yet neod to have in mind: "Judge not, that ye be not be judged," and a con-Yinued remembrance of the parable of the beam and the mote.
My main purpose, though, in writing now is simply with' a view to trying to dispel the entirely wrong impression which I think certain of the letters which have appeared in your columns are calculated to create in the minds of those of the public of Shanghai who are unacquainted with Henli Henli is a delightful waterway. where we oarsmen repair for our regattas and for the training incidental thereto. The benefits of this retreat, secluded from the bustle city life, are not easily overestimated. "To see the ann cise in ithe crisp: morning" air ami touch
of earth, and' than to see, as can be seen at Henli in a way denied: the city-gazon's eyes, the Pageantry of wondorour sun Zining noon, ake Whispering sophie, seudelne eldon: Call"of throstle, clear and true, is to know the innate goodness and purity of Nature. During the Tegattas, these pleasures are shared. with' us by our gentle womenfolk, and who will say that Henli is not rendered the more attractive and beautiful just because of their presence? And some of them would share the pleasures that awe ment enjoy, in swimming and boating and. generally Inzing comfortably. in the free air and unencompassed surroundings, 'To do so to the full, requires a. freer attiring of the person, and it is here, just in this tiny' little particular, that also something seems to' have one wrong, and a blot on the landscape raised. The beauty and joys and innocent pleasures of Henli have been side-tracked into a welter of sensuousness over the tiny point of wearing apparel. Well, it is all over now. 'Those who,' unwittingly, gave cause for a little fence,' will by. this correspondence have had their attention drawn to it, and doubtless at the next reyattar they will note quite so anthinking.
But—and this is what all of oarsmen would like to have remains ting in the minds of the public, asa final impression from this unfortunate correspondence—Henli still remains an unblighted source of content and enjoyment to many' men and women who tale delight in contact with the open, and we may assure all those who.
Henli, with innocent intent, for that, purpose, that they need have no fear of their enjoyment being marred by any unpleasantness, for if ich ni does exist from any cause whatsoever, it may be a thousand times eclipsed by the know-Tedge that pre-eminently Henli exists for the association in chivalry and wholesome recreation of the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.