Chinese Educational Mission to Europe, 1932/33

HA VI Nachl. C.H.Becker. Rep.92 Becker C. Nr. 102

242. Prof. Y.G. Cheng an C.H.B. Universität Nanking, 20.11.1931

My dear Dr. Becker,

On behalf of the faculty and students of the university I am writing to ask if you will be good enough to give an address at our general assembly on Wednesday, November 25th, at noon. The meeting lasts for twenty minutes and any subject you decide upon will, I am sure, be of great interest to all. If next Wednesday should not be a convenient time for you to come, would you kindly give us the pleasure of hearing you the following Wednesday?

We should all appreciate it very much also if you would consent to give a lecture any afternoon next week at five o’clock. You would not be limited for time at this lecture and could speak for an hour or so if you cared to do so.

Hoping very much that you can be with us on Wednesday at noon, and at five o’clock some day convenient o you, I am yours sincerely Y.G. Chen

HA VI. Nachlaß C.H.Becker. Rep.92 Becker Nr.106

Chinese Educational Mission to Europe (Polen, Deutschland, Frankreich, England, Italien, gesponsert vom Völkerbund in Genf)

243. Prof. Cheng, Schanghai an C.H.B. Paris, 11.11.1932

Dear Dr. Becker,

I am very glad to write you that we had a very comfortable journey to Paris and arrived in due time. We were met at the station by representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Public Instruction, Dr. Bonnet, Mr. Laytia, and many others. We will have a conference about our program with Bonnet and others to-morrow morning. We all seem to agree that our work here must not be too heavy.

I must take this opportunity to thank you most sincerely for all the assistance you have given to us and the interest you have shown in our work, during our travel in Germany. They are real sources of courage and inspiration to us. We do hope that our friendship will grow with time. When we go back to China, we will have plenty of opportunity to solicit your assistance and are confident that you will give us lavishly.

With my highest regards to yourself as well as to Mrs. Becker. Very sincerely yours C.P.Cheng

244. Prof. Lee, Cinese Educational Mission to Europe, Paris an C.H.B. Paris, 18.11.1932

(Maschinenmanuskript)

Dear Minister Dr. Becker,

We are again busy with our French study program. During the last few days we have been visiting different scientific institutes incorporated with the Sorbonne. Beginning from to-day we are going to study the primary and the technical vocational education in France, in which we are deeply interested as we have been in all our study tours through different countries in Europe. We believe through universal primary education rigidly carried out can the training of citizenship morally, physically and intelligently be secured; and by adequate vocational training the poverty and the unlawfulness of the masses can be reduced. This is one of the most gigantic problems our country must face and solve before she can lift herself above and free herself from international encroachment.

I hope you will pardon me for my bringing-up again the question I spoke to you on the eve-ning when I left for Paris the question of the possibility for the I.G.(Farben) Fabriken works to take in some Chinese students educated in chemical engineering at Engineering Colleges in our country to be trained in advanced work in their practical technical departments. The Siemens and AEG works at Berlin during the last few years through personal friendship have been making it almost as a practice to take in a few students each year trained in electrical engineering in our schools at home. During the course of training the students are paid with an amount of money enough to pay their living expenses. It is indeed a high sacrifice and the part of these two concerns and a great favor to us, that even during such business crisis they are still keeping the students. The Siemens works also have promised through my personal acquaintance with Mr. Esterer of their overseas department to take on one more of my students from Hanchow from the beginning of the next year.

Being a chemical factory which, I am fully aware, likes always to keep certain amount of secrecy I do not want to take for granted that IG Fabriken will also take in foreign students as do electrical manufacturers. But I am just venturing the idea if the IG Fabriken will consider to take in foreign students and train them as chemical technicians so that later on these students can be placed on services if the IG Fabriken works or sales-offices in foreign countries. For example the Siemens companies in Shanghai and other places in China are making use of the services of the Chinese students engineers trained in Germany very intensively. The matter, therefore, must looked upon as beneficial to both sides.

I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Duisburg1 at Köln when he received us at tea at the immense establishment of his works. Then, however, there was no opportunity for me to convey him my intention. But perhaps the matter can be taken up more appropriately through your good office than by direct communication between Dr. Duisburg and myself. At the same, however, I must assure you, Dr. Becker, that I shall not be disappointed a bit if Dr. Duisberg’s answer is negative.

Our study trip through Germany has been most helpful. All forms of activities in this wonder-ful country of yours have impressed upon us most deeply; and we only hope that, through carrying out rigid discipline and systematic training of the youth by education our country shall be able, as Germany has been, some day in the near future to develop her natural wealth for the welfare and enrichment of all mankind instead of being a constant source of danger for international conflict on the Pacific.

Words, we feel, cannot express our appreciation adequately for your help given us throughout our study trip in Germany. And we must also convey you our hearty thanks for the assistance and guidance rendered us by Dr. Hilcker and Dr. Littmann of the Zentralinstitut.

Our mission shall be at Paris until the 4th of December and we will be in London from December 5th to 28th. In either cities mails can reach us by care of the Chinese Legation.

With best regards, I remain Yours sincerely S.M. Lee

245. Prof.C.P.Cheng an C.H.B. London SW7, 7.12.1932

Dear Dr. Becker,

We left Paris yesterday and arrived London the same evening. We met Prof.Tawney this afternoon but very briefly. We shall be here until Christmas, then we will go to Geneva.

We are glad to inform you that our Government has sent us some further appointments which will enable us to visit Italy, Austria and Russia. In that case, we shall look forward with assurance and (I) am revisiting Berlin.

With my highest regards sincerely yours C.P.Cheng.

246. C.H.B an Prof. S. M. Lee. Berlin, 30.12.1932

Chinese Educational Mission to Europe, London

(Maschinenkopie)

Dear Mr. Lee,

I have to apologize that I did not answer your letter at an earlier date, but I was waiting for an answer of Dr. Duisberg to whom I had forwarded your suggestions. I received the included letter of Dr. Duisberg a few days ago and I hope you to be satisfied by his proposals, though they don’t correspond to all of your wishes.

Your visit in Germany is still unforgotten and I am sending to you and your colleagues my heartiest wishes for the forthcoming year. I hope that we shall see you again in Germany before long and that you enjoyed your circulate tour through Europe with all the profit you expected from it.

With kindest regards and renewed wishes (C.H.B.)

Anlage Original am 30.12.1932 an Mr. S.M. Lee of the Chinese Educational Mission to Europe.

Prof. Dr. C. Duisberg Leverkusen, I.G. Werk, 21.12.1932

Geheimer Regierungsrat

Herrn Staatsminister a. D. Prof. D. Dr. C. H. Becker, Berlin-Steglitz

Sehr verehrter Herr Staatsminister!

Mir liegt es noch ob, Ihre sehr geehrte Zuschrift vom 12.d.M., die ich mit lebhaftem Interesse zur Kenntnis genommen habe, zwar etwas verspätet, zu beantworten. Inzwischen hielt ich Rückfrage bei einigen Herren aus der Leitung meiner Firma, I.G. Farbenindustrie Aktiengesellschaft, in deren Arbeitsbereich die von ihnen erörterte Angelegenheit fällt.

Schon im Frühjahr 1929 hatte sich die I.G. dem Verband für den Fernen Osten gegenüber bereit erklärt, eine beschränkte Zahl chinesischer Studenten nach Absolvierung ihres Hochschulstudiums aufzunehmen, um sie mit der Anwendung unserer Produkte vertraut zu machen. In Aussicht genommen war hierbei ein Ausbildungskurs in unseren Färbereilaboratorien und den in Betracht kommenden Propagandastellen. Das Projekt erlangte seiner Zeit keine praktische Bedeutung, weil die in Aussicht genommenen jungen Chinesen restlos bei anderen deutschen Industriezweigen (Siemens, Ludwig Löwe & Co., Junkers-Werke) untergebracht werden konnten.

Auch heute steht die I.G. den Anregungen des Herrn Lee von der Chinese Educational Mission to Europe nicht ablehnend gegenüber, allerdings mit der Einschränkung, daß nur eine Ausbildung in Bezug auf die Anwendung unserer Produkte in Betracht kommen kann. Eine Beschäftigung in Fabrikationsbetrieben oder wissenschaftlichen Laboratorien scheidet der Betriebsgeheimnisse wegen natürlich von vornherein aus, ebenso können wir uns nicht ver-pflichten, den betreffenden Studenten nach Beendigung des Ausbildungskurses eine Anstel-lung in unseren Fabriken oder auswärtigen Verkaufsstellen zu geben. Ob und wieweit wir eventuell den einen oder anderen in unserer China-Organisation verwenden könnten, muß von Fall zu Fall auf Grund der Bedarfsfrage und der persönlichen Geeignetheit des Betreffenden entschieden werden.

Ihre liebenswürdigen Festwünsche erwidere ich herzlichst und verbleibe mit besten Grüßen Ihr sehr ergebener gez. C. Duisberg

 

247. Prof. C.P. Cheng an C.H.B. Venedig, 9.1.1933

Dear Dr. Becker,

I am so sorry not to be have been able to write you earlier, anyway I am very glad to inform you that I am having a wonderful time in Italy, enjoying both the sights und their hospitality. While in Rome, I had the pleasure of having long conversations with both the Pope and Mussolini. They are both admirable personalities2 and both expressed their confidence in the great future of China.

At present we are in Venice again. This will be the end of our visit in Italy. From here, we hope to go to a mountain resort for a just short rest. We will be in Vienna by the 21st of this month. Our address there will be in care of Chinese legation.

I wish and renew my thanks for all the kindness you have shown us while we were in Berlin. Those days we spent with you are precious to us and we will never forget them. May I take this opportunity of asking that if it is not too much bother, I would be proud to possess a photo of you for souvenir? If you have one on hand, please send it to Vienna. I want also your autograph on it.

With my best personal regards I am very sincerely Yours C.P. Cheng.

248. C.H.B. an Prof. C.P.Cheng, Vienna Berlin, 21.1.1933

(Maschinenkopie)

My dear Mr. Cheng!

I thank you so much for your kind letter from January 17th. I learned with the greatest interest that you had long conversations with the Pope and Mr. Mussolini. They are not the only one who believe in a great future of China. I am looking backward to your visit in Berlin with the greatest satisfaction and I should be very pleased to see you here again. I enclose the photo you asked me for; you would oblige me very much by sending me one of yours occasionally.

I speak very often of China. So I give a lecture to-night in the Verband für den Fernen Osten on the whole journey from Peping to Damascus. I always say that China is the only country in the word that does not fear Japan. You have heard perhaps that a certain discussion took place in America on account of our criticizing the shaping of the new Chinese civilization after the American pattern. The consequence was that the New York Times asked me to explain in a more explicit manner in what the difference between American and European civilization should consist. This article of mine appeared in New York Sunday the 8th. Unfortunately I have no copy so send it to you but I am quite sure this discussion will be continued

An other point I want to stress upon is the opinion uttered in our report on the Mass-education movement in Tinghsien. I don’t agree myself with what appeared here under my name. I only tried to smooth the criticism given by one of our colleagues. Unfortunately I was ill so that I could not form an own opinion of what is being done at Tinghsien; now I hear at my greatest regret that this part of our report finds a severe criticism in China as well as in America. Mr. Tawney who did not see the text before it appeared was very angry, but we where under such a stress in finishing these last chapters that it was impossible to ask the opinions of all our colleagues before printing this isolated opinion of one of us.

With my best wishes for a successful stay at Vienna, where you will see marvellous things and hoping sincerely to see you in Berlin very soon, I am with kindest regards to you and your colleagues Yours very sincerely (C.H.B.)


1 Er meint natürlich Geheimrat Prof.Dr. C(arl) Duisberg, nach dem die heutige CDG benannt ist, die sich für internationale Praktika einsetzt.

2 Hervorhebung vom Herausgeber.