To the Editor of the'
"Nonru-Cuiwa Dany News"
Su—Having read with interest the correspondence on the subject of assisting women—travellers who land in Shanghai alone, without friends to meet them and in ignorance of local conditions—I recalled what I personally noted as being done, under similar cltcumstances, for women and lone in Paris, metro. and Railway Station of Paris—conspicuous notices are placed by the Y.W.C.A., giving addresses within easy distance' of any. said station, to. which women and girls were invited to apply for as~ sistance and advice as to suitable lodgings, ete, I cannot say that I personally applied at such stations—women of a certain class are generally averse to applying to public institutions, but whilst working in the American Red Cross Bureau at Place de In Concorde and so unable to go home for lunch I did have personal experience of a most excellent Y.W.C.A. Hostel situa ted near the Madeleine. No hint of charity appeared there and it' was run by a most sympathetic and broad minded lady, who even if women frequenting the dining-room, did not speak to her noted those who looked down-hearted or alone, and made it! her business to speak kindly and out if it was possible to be of any help.
The Hostel was in quite a large building and there were a certain number of private rooms where girls vould live and be free live their own lives (within rea~ son!) exactly as in ordinary lodgings, with the exception that there they were under protection ani not exposed to the come hither' annoyances that any girl alone Is bound to attract in any large city, more especially in Paris.
On the ground floor of the Hostel was a spacious dining-room where good plain food could be Bought, each separate dish on the menu could be bought separately—so that troubles to. Off the dining-room was avery spacious reading and rest room. Gay with flowers, books, papers and comfortable couches and chairs, where a girl could be as sociable or otherwise as she pleased. The speciality of the place was its perfect freedom and the sense that hhabitues had of in no wise losing their independence I admired the whole thing immensely.
Here in Shanghai, was have our Foreign Y.W.C.A. and also the Chinese Y. and it seems to me, that these institutions are the nai
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.