Tientsin, China.
January 28th, 1936.
Dear Miss Turner:
Here is almost end of January and I have not written to you. Your books to me and my children have all come in good condition and we thank you. We love books as they are rare here. This month has been a busy one and I have hardly had time to sit for reading. Dr. Tan has taken one of them for reading first. I am always willing and happy to share my books with others.
Christmas season has been full of excitement. Universities and colleges went on strike against government authority for being so weak in their policy in dealing with Japan. Students parades [sic] streets. There were clashes between students and policemen. Ofcourse [sic] poor students suffered for policemen were armed. My nephew went out with other students also for parading. Thery [sic] were so patriotic and nothing could stop them. Finally I wrote for my nephew to come home for fear he might be injured in clashes with policemen. You have no idea how helpless we older people are. They would not listen to anything.
Here at Nankai Middle School many high school boys went on foot to Nanking. Our students want our government to resist against Japan. Youth is youth in every country. They have no thought for tomorrow. Our women students are equally courageous and noble in their purpose. They have ventured cold, hunger and hardships on thier [sic] march to Nanking also. Poor students they have been so disturbed in their studies this term. Finally General Chinag had a conference for all university heads and student representatives at Nanking on January 16th and explained to them our government's policy toward Japan. In midst of students strike Tientsin changed from bad to worse with incoming of bad officials.The crowd we have now consists of all oldmilitarists and they are mostly here for the money they can get from people. In fact our Central Goverment have no control over them. If our government should interfere with local affairs war between Japan and China will be started immediately. Japan is giving protection to all these rascals.
Dr. Chang Po Ling of Nankai University called upon me yesterday. He said patience wins in the end. For the present we suffer humiliation. He said that there is much progerss [sic] made in provinces under central government control. It is only a matter of time that our government would be able to get control in all provinces. Dr. Chang is man of deep insight. He has taken a brotherly interest in our work. He has given me much support in things personal as well as things public[.] General Chinag and his wife are doing much for our people. It is thru General Chinag's effort that there has been no civil wars between warlords. In fact he has tried to bring armies of different provinces into national control. This is what he is still working[.]
The so called autonomy movement is nothing but Japanese intrigue. People are are [sic] with central government in heart and spirit. We cannot express our opinion for there is no freedom of speech. Japan has ruthlessly taken our land and taxes in all Manchuria and outside of greatwall [sic] up to Tientsin and Peiping. In fact tese two cities are under Japan's thumb. Japan's three fold policy is being carried out everyday; 1st to get rid of our intellectuals from North China, second to demoralize our people by opium and morphin[e] in country districts and third to deplete North China of all cash currency. A nation cannot last long by resorting to these dishonest methods for conquest. I will not tell you much about political situation now as you can read much in papers.
Dr. Adolph is very well known here. He is known for his chemical studies of Chinese vegetables and soy bean milk. [W]ith soy bean milk it is good food for children. For babies we like goats milk better. In our home for infants we use goats milk entirely for we have had no success with soy bean milk. For poor people we ought to resort to soy bean milk as it is much cheaper. For average growth animal milk is better.
In recent years we have learned much about Russia. In fact all our young people are eager to pattern everything like Russia now. So many people have gone to Russia for studies. Many are learning Russian language now in China. In Nanking one can almost see certain things pattern after Russia. I was so happy to hear of your good enjoyable trip. I read a summary of the Physiological Confenerence [sic] in a scientific magazine recently.
By this time I hope you have no more troubles with tonsils. I have heard of Dr. Tobey's name while studying at Harvard Medical School. When [it] comes to matters relating to our health nothing should be in our way. I always say health is happiness. I shall be glad to hear of your tonsil operation. We remove tonsils here under local and with children still under general. Abby had her large tonsils out last spring right at this hospital.
My niece is getting on very nicely in Michigan. She feels tired with long hours of standing in laboratory. But after few days one gets adjusted to condition. By this time I guess she is well settled in her work. My two nephews are doing well in thier [sic] school work. One is a freshman at Tsing Hua. He is taking a scientific course, other a high school junior. Our high school boy will study scientific farming for his college work. Mary Jean is in her fifth grade and she is ambious [sic] like her sister. Abby jsut [sic] would not apply herself in anything except studying with a tutor. She reads everything else but herown [sic] lessons. She is quick to learn but she just would not learn without someone being with her every minute. So this year I have taken Abby out of school and let her study at home. She is studying little of old classics with a tutor along with her regular school work. By nature she is slow in actions and movements. Probably her menigitis [sic] had cuased [sic] her poor muscular coordination. I find too wide a difference between Mary Jean and Abby with a difference of fourteen months in age. After all it is not an easy matter to bring up children.
This little country scene is just back of our summer cottage. I had a boat made for our two boys. You can see our ducks also. The other little kodek [sic] picture is of Mary Jean and Abby. Now they are evn [sic] bigger as the picture was taken in August.
Mr. Rufus and Mrs. Rufus from Michigan University are coming to visit us this week. How I wish that you can pay us a visit in near future. We all send our love to you.
Yours lovingly.
Me-iung Ting.