June 17, 1933
Canton

I wrote a letter last Sunday and fully intended sending it to you Monday. However I have found that this life is filled with plans that never materialize, and this is an excellent example of just that.

Monday the exchange over here went absolutely wild. As you know the exchange has been getting steadily worse and worse. When I arrived here in March the exchange was 22, gold to Hong Kong currency. 22 means that it took 22 cents gold to buy one Hong Kong dollar. Therefore one dollar gold exchanged for approximately four dollars and fifty cents Hong Kong. The exchange has been getting worse worse all the time until last week it was 27. Monday it went to 31, with all indications that it would go to 35.

I couldn't take a wrap like that and still live in this country. When the exchange first went beyond 24 which is four to one we all entered a protest and tried to have our salaries put on a Hong Kong basis of four to one. After all we have to spend Hong Kong money over here, can't spend a bit of U.S. currency . Our contract reads that we will receive 200 gold a month and the Chinese wouldn't do anything about it, - simply said that it was our hard luck.

When the exchange went flooey Monday I was in an awful stew. I would only be getting five hundred Hong Kong which is just about what it costs to live by watching every corner and living quite simply. That wouldn't do at all because I must save enough each month so that I can pay Jeannette's fare back home at the end of the year if necessary. Besides that I wanted to save money in addition to that and continue building up a little capital.

In view of the Chinese action last time I tried to shift to Hong Kong and save taking the rap every time the exchange fluctuated-- it didn't look very promising. However I couldn't stay here and go behind until I had used up what little we have in the bank. Then how would we go home. I decided to go to the Commanding General and ask for the change. If he refused he could get someone else to take my place. I would have been foolish to have worked for less than I spent.

I told Ed and Terrill that I intended doing the above and asked them what they were going to do about it. Terrill said he was going to stay and take whatever the exchange brought even if it went to two to one. He wasn't going to say boo about it. Ed said that he felt the same way I did and suggested that we see the General together, there being strength in numbers. That sounded good to me because I figured that I alone raised the devil about my salary and the other two were content with what they got, I would be given a nice shiny gate. But with two out of three the chances were better.

Well to make a long story short we called on the Commanding General, General Wong, and presented our case. Maybe we looked decided, I don't know, anyway he agreed to pay us 800 Hong Kong a month which is an exchange of four to one. Also if the exchange goes back to less than twenty five he will pay us 200 gold and let us have the advantage of the exchange. At the present rate of exchange I am making 240 gold a month now. If the exchange goes to 35 I will be making about 300. Unless the U.S. goes back on the gold standard I doubt that the exchange will go back to 25. As you can imagine I am very pleased with the outcome of the affair. I am more money and the Hong Kong that I change into gold for savings will bring more gold at the exchange. For instance at 25 it took four H. K. dollars to buy one gold dollar. At the present 30 it only takes 3.33 H. K. dollars to buy one gold dollar.

I am extremely glad to be on a Hong Kong Basis and get away from the fluctuations of the exchange. Hong Kong money is as stable as any currency in the world today. Hong Kong is a British colony so Hong Kong currency is British currency which is good.

I didn't want to send you the letter I wrote last Sunday until I settled this salary business and could give you a report on it all. Fortunately it turned out O. K. so I don't have to tell you that I am looking for a job once more.

Jeannette has our house all fixed up nicely now and everything is lovely. We surely live like kings over here. Servants wait on us hand and foot and everything is kept nicely. I hardly get a pair of shoes off before the boy has them and is busy polishing them again. Every time we go any place we hire a car and driver who waits patiently while we shop or what not and is johnny on the spot when we are ready to go on. It is quite the life of Reilly I'll say. Quite something for a couple of kids just starting out. And with it all on my new salary we will be able to save about 100 a month gold. Old lady luck is sitting right on my shoulders.

As far as staying in China is concerned I can see no reason for returning to the States until things are on the up grade. The way every thing is no over there it will probably two years at least before opportunities open up. I am positive that there are many possibilities of making a lot of money over here. However, I can't as yet reconcile myself to living in Chine for the rest of my life. There are many drawback but the worst is the problem of staying healthy. This country has every known disease and no sanitation. It is a problem of being on the alert every minute to avoid things like typhoid, malaria, meningitis, and cholera, the last two of which spell curtain. Besides there are millions of skin diseases etc. which are the bunk even though not fatal. Then again with all the service etc. there is very little to do. Of course there are dinners and parties but always with the same small group of foreigners which gets tiresome, a few movies, and an occasional trip to Hong Kong which isn't anything. There are no roads so we can't go anywhere. The thing that gets me the worst is the dirt. Can't even eat at the restaurants now that cholera season is on. Money isn't everything in life, all you get out of life are the pleasures. If you have money but can't have the pleasures with it what good does it do you?

I do not think that I will remain down here after my present contract expires. I am not getting any flying time, or very little for reasons that I set forth in the questionnaire. I am not making any barrel of money either. Therefore I can't see that I am improving my position. I am going up North for something with more flying time that is fairly safe, which limits the field. There is a new air service between Hong Kong and Shanghai opening up July 1st which I am going to investigate. There are opportunities here all right, but I must pick the right one to better my position. I think I will stay another year, maybe two, but I am not anxious to stay longer than that. Maybe I will change my mind after I been here longer.

Aerial gunnery goes merrily on at the field and things broil up and subside day after day as usual. I am becoming accustomed to it all now and do not let it bother me as much as I did. It takes some time to become accustomed to such a different country. I am sorry that I can't tell you all about everything at the field but it just wouldn't be the thing to do. After it is all over and I am back in the States we will mull the whole thing over. Jeannette has written you a description of the house and of Canton. I will leave that in her more capable hands and stick to the plainer things as I have in this letter.

I want to congratulate you Jean on your graduation from college. You made a splendid record and I want to tell you how proud I am of you. I can't realize you are twenty one and a college graduate ready to step out and buck the word. Let me give you a tip. The next seven or eight months of adjustment are going to be tough but don't let get you down. Just remember that everyone else has had the same problem and come through ,- you will too although at times you may think that you will never make it. Write me a letter and let me know how goes the battle.

Mother and Dad you are having a tough problem too but I will bet my last dollar that you will come through it sailing. I am awfully sorry that things are so hard in the States, it must be hell. Things are bound to get better though, it is a cinch that they couldn't be worse.

Imagine this, I now weigh 132 stripped. Less than I have weighed since I was in high school. Jeannette weighs 100. Won't we be a sweet looking pair when we return. I am all run dry on things to write so I will have to close. Give my love to Mala and Granddad.
All my love to you all.
Love,

Stu.