do you live yourselves; how are you training your children?" I
asked her.

"We are training our daughters to live in American style; on a common
ground with the men. That is the better way. That is the fairer way!
That is the way out of our feminine darkness!"

She said it quietly, with poise, and with a fine assurance which was
thrilling. It sounded like a call to battle, like a trumpet note in the
new freedom for women.

A missionary friend told me at the conclusion of that meal that this
beautiful young Japanese hostess whispered to her Mother-in-law during
the dinner a phrase that sounded strangely like American slang, when she
noted that her mother-in-law was not carrying on much of a conversation
with the man beside her, "Start something! He can speak Japanese as well
as English!"

At that, dear Mrs. Mother-in-law started an animated conversation in
Japanese with her silent guest on her left. This was illustrative of the
care with which our hostess was watching that we be kept happy at her
table. It was a Feminine Flash-light that I do not care to forget; an
illustration of the possible efficiency, poise, grace, beauty and
sweetness of the Japanese woman of the future when she shall have won
her rights of freedom from the slavery of an inferior position to man in
the social scale.

To an American, the position of woman in regard to prostitution in Japan
is a terrible thing, but when we consider the light in which the
Ethical thought of Japan sees it, we do not blame the women any more
than Jesus blamed the woman taken in adultery in his day.

The system of prostitution is run by the Government and the largest
income that the Government has, comes from the sale of Sake, the
national drink, and its houses of prostitution.

A woman who becomes a Prostitute is looked upon as a heroine. This is
for the simple reason that she is given a matter of several hundred yen,
it depending upon her form, beauty and qualifications for her position;
and that money goes to her poor parents. When she leaves her little
village to give a certain number of the years of her life to the
Yoshiwara in order to free her parents from debt she is lauded and feted
by the people of her village and sent off as one who goes on a crusade
of service.

Prostitution is so much a part of the acknowledged life of Japan that
Temples for prostitutes exist where they may go and pray. In one Temple
we saw large numbers of photographs put up by ce