China and the West

Letter from Alice Chipman Dewey to Frederick A. Dewey
Peking, Feb 15th. [1920] Sunday.
Dear Fred…
I had my breakfast before the others and went to the fur market and I nearly bought a fur coat to make over for E.A. The little Am. children wear them here either made of spotted cat which is very pretty or striped cat, or of grey squirrel. If you had only been near to ask if you wanted that expense, they cost about fifteen dollars all made up. I am going to buy another and better for me, and some others, and I think Elizabeth might want one too, but I dont dare to go too far in a ting so perishable as some of them are. let me know I hd lovely sable coats offered to me for 250 and 400 depending on the size. One long coat coming to the feet may be had for 1000 or 1500 and they cost 4000 or more in the U.S. I am not thinkig of those but I like the grey squirrel ones. What I think I shall buy is oe made of fox legs which look like sable and wear a long long time cost about 75. The variety of fur here is greater than with us as they are fond of sewi[n]g little bits together to make handsome designs like the fox legs which are small but dark and handsome. There is one kind made of pieces less than an inch square. Well, so much for fur. Silk is sold at that morning market too, and as for pigs all in parts I necer saw so many in my life, You can buy furniture there and cotton cllth and brasses and dishes and spectacles and vegetables znd ol junk made of iron and all the rest besides the Chinese people. Since I wrote you yesterday there is more evidence that China is just drifti[n]g into the maw of Japan. The teachers and the Students Unions were suppressed day before yesterday and the fact is published today. The tendency has been steady, in spite of all the remonstrances of the people. It is curous to us to see what these people seem to depend upon in making up their minds, or not making them up, as you see it. Since reading more of their history I can see they have always been in a stae much like this. The Japanese have held parts of their coast in the past and then been forced to get out after century or more. They have always pirated the coa[st] and for the Manchu rule, and its downfall the effect of that seems to be to make the Chinese take things as they come trusting that after 300 years or so they will again drive out the Japs. They seem to rest on this great lazy fact that the Chinese nation is too big and too unwilling to be absorbed in any other; and as for this interference, why we have to stand about so moch that is disagreeabl any way and it is very disagreeable to fight the Japs and to hate them as we do but Govt is always bad any way, -like ours, - and we may as well make the best of it. A man named Que [Kuo] Tai Chi is here from Canton. He has just come back from Paris with the peace delegates and he is said to be saying strong tnings to the legations and to the Govt regarding Canton. No one can be surprised if the south breaks entirely with the north in case this govt does make the concessions direct to Japan in Shantung. There is also a strong probability that the whole of the intriguing is just to overthrow this present govt. That downfall happens to be a thing that the republicans want of course, as well as the Anfu Club since they too can not control it. There is not telling from day to day.
I have a charming little satin coat for E.A. which I think I can send over by Mrs Frame, and I shall try. She goes in about one week. The embroidery on it is quite rare, and shows the garment once belonged to a child of the highest rank, next to the imperial.
Pa has just come in from his lecture. Hu [Shi]says, suppression of the Unions is like the threat to close the schools, largely a threat to induce the students to make trouble. What the govt really wants is an excuse to close the schools and their spies keep coming to the students to urge them to bring legal action agnst the metropolitan police. They really know that the students idea has influen[ce] and agrees with the public sentiment and they want to close the schools for the next four months so as to be able to quietly get things back into their own hands. But the students are on to their tricks and have settled upon a quite policy which does not mean giving up. They mean to continue classes and to outwit the govt by nonresistance. The procalmation of Marial law will not alter anything. Meantime Peking look as if it were under martial law already so many guards every [w]here. Japanese goods have been put out for sale again and some shops which had only native goods have been closed by the police on the ground that they were supporting the boycott. Did you every hear of a contry punishing patriotism to such a degree?...
Travel is dear here, and especially when we go with the Chinese who think it necessary to have the highest priced things everywhere…
Lucy is feeling better today and Papa worse, That is to say he has the worst cold he has had for on the whole he has thrown off beginnings of colds easily and his lecturi[n]g has not been troublesome. Today however he is lying down tho he has no symptoms of fever or other expreme disconfort. It is quite wonderful how he adapts to all the changes without being upset and I hope this cold means nothing to worry about. There is the usual amount of cantagious diseas in the city among children. Our good friend and still better friend of Chinese education Mr Sam Dean has qite broken down. He is in bed, not allowed to se peple and it is feared the trouble is tuberculosis. He has not been well all winter and has gone on breaking all the laws of hygiene and now every body is mourning him. He is to go home soon any way and now it is a struggle to get him buil up to travel. If he does not come bck the loss to China will be immeasurable…
With lots of love to you and to all, Mama.