Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 153, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 June 1913 — MUST SAIL THE SEA [ARTICLE]

MUST SAIL THE SEA

Chinamen Condemned to Live on Board Ship. Woo Chow Prevented From Landing Either in America or China by the Authorities of the Respective Countries. New York. —Woo Chow sa|led from this port on board the steamer Ambria, bound for Singapore. If Woo can convince the Singapore authorities that his eight-inch stub or braided hair is a pigtail, be may be allowed to land and 'pee his wife in Canton. If not, he will be condemned to sail the seas some more—he has been on the water continuously for fifteen years—until he can establish his iden-. tity as a Chinaman or smuggle himself into America. Woo Chow is a man without a country. Woo is neither oriental nor occidental. Me has been excluded from the United States and from China for fifteen years. This is how it has happened: Woo Chow had heard much of America, the promised land, in his home in Canton, when he attended an American missionary school. His blood was stirred by the tales of opportunity. Fifteen years ago Woo left his native home and went to Singapore, leaving behind a wife, and a father and mother, and two children. For two years he worked on the Singapore river front, until one day a Bbip, sailing for America, was without a crew. The captain picked up a crew along, the water front Among others he picked up Woo. Throughout the long voyage Woo proved his fidelity. Being the only Mongolian on board he had to do the work of all the white mep, but he never compldined.

At last the ship arrived in New York. As the sky line of Manhattan island loomed up Woo’s heart beat faster for he felt that at last his dreams were to be realized. Even in those days New York’s sky line was a marvelous contrast to the low-lying and filthy harbor of Singapore. But Woo Chow could not land. He was a Chinaman and the Chinese seclusion act barred him out. Greatly saddened, Woo returned to Singapore. In that town, however, he was informed that it really was easy enough to get into the United States, for the authorities in America only objected to the customs of the Chinese, not to people themselves. Again Woo ventured forth, and again he came to New York. This time, when still eight days from land, he visited the ship’s barber and cajoled the individual into providing him with a haircut. The precious queue was gone. Woo considered himself no longer a Chinaman, but to make assurance doubly sure, Woo bought a belt and a .pair of western* trousers and tucked in his shirt. At last, he thought he would be admitted. Again he was doomed to disappointment, and again he returned to China. But there they would not let him in, for he had no pigtail. He was not the same Woo who had left China, and the Chinese would not allow Woo’s contention that he was a native, and as tie had no passport he was excluded. Of course, if Woo had been able to appeal to the captain with whom he had left China he might have been better treated, but the captain had been dismissed in New York. So Woo Chow is condemned to sail the seas for the rest of his life, an* when he dies he will in all probability be buried at sea. Woo has left New York again, bound for the far east He thinks he will be able to convince his countrymen that he is one of thefon, for he has been allowing his hair to grow for several years.