Fortune smiled on me: two ladies from Burma (Indochina), members of the world conference of the Young Women's Christian Association, received me as their guest. One of them, named Ba Maung Chein, is a graduate of the Girls' College and the wife of the chief engineer, himself a graduate of the University of London. The second, named Ma San Tin, is a graduate of the Girls' College in Burma and president of the Young Women's Christian Association in Rangoon and its province. Here is the most important of the conversation that passed between us; perhaps there is profit or pleasure in it for the readers of "The Woman's Voice."

Q — When did you gain your independence? A: We are infants in our constitutional life; we are no more than two years old.

Q — And are you satisfied with the national government? A: Most of our rulers are young men of the new generation, and in spite of the mistakes that occur and the apparent lack of order and the confusion, we prefer independence. A child who does not fall and get

up, falling and getting up again and again, never learns to walk. And we are bound to arrive at a state of stability and order.

Q — What is the population of Burma? A: Its population is 17 million, of whom two million are Christians. The members of Parliament number 16, among them three ladies. I have put myself forward as a candidate for the coming election, because my children have grown up and no longer have urgent need of me — they are in boarding schools — and I am confident that I can be a member of my nation's council and serve my country, in view of the knowledge and experience I possess.

Q — And do you hope to win in the electoral battle when you belong to the minorities? A: In our country positions are given to whoever is most fit and most prepared; sectarianism has no influence among us.

Q — How many years ago did woman obtain her rights in Burma? A: As soon as our country's independence was proclaimed, woman was given her political and social rights. She exercises the right to vote like the man, and she inherits half of what her husband owns.

Q — And why do you not change the style of your dress? A: Because we believe that if the Burmese woman took up European dress, our shops would fill up with Western goods, and this we will not accept.

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I had the good fortune, too, to accompany the members of the world conference to Baalbek, and beside me at table sat a lady bear-ing the marks of nobility and sim-plicity. One of my friends whis-pered to me that the lady beside you is Madame Cedergren, sister of Bernadotte and cousin of the King of Sweden. I said to her in the course of conversation that the

Lebanese who visited your country admired the character and refine-ment of the Swedes. She asked

At a cocktail party a number of the delegates appear; second from the right is Maharaja, the delegate of India and wife of the Governor of Bombay

Seated: the delegate of Burma, Ma San Tin, candidate for membership in Parliament

Standing: the delegate of Ceylon; and seated, Ma San Tin, the delegate of Burma and candidate for membership in Parliament