Address by the Commissioner to B. W. A.
Mrs. rtlidge, Commissioner for Girl Guides in' China explained the aims and ideals of the _moyement to members of the British Women's Association on Tuesday.
During the war the girl of ten years of age, said Mrs. Cartlidge, reached the age of l4—and became a flapper. Owing in many cases to the preoccupation of her parents in. matters connected with the war, she was largely left to her own devices. In the words of Lady Baden-Powell, while the flappers consumed quantities of sweets, tied their hair in astonishing bows and in addition made up" and had tastes for expensive silk stockings, ti stood for tendencies' which their elders know to be mainly bad. But the girl guides were no kill joy institution.
Its object was to fit™ the young womanhood for their great task of making the world a better place. The girl guides were led into the paths of safety. While inculcating character, the need for service to her fellow beings, teaching handicrafts through the medium of games, and by putting before the young girl those things that interested her, she unconsciously learnt her duty to others.
Concerning the organization of girl guide troops in the Far East, Mrs. Cartlidge said that there were many difficulties to contend with. There was very varying material among the personnel to work upon, their ranks being composed of many nationalities, but withal the young movement in China lived up to the high ideals of the parent organization.
Hunprens of refugees are flooding into Shanghai from Ichang, Wuchang and Hankow. More are expected to arrive during the next few days.
The Chinese hotels are already filled.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.