18 Facts About Lily Haass

Lillian Katherine Haass was an American YWCA worker in Shanghai, China, between 1914 and 1945.

Lily Haass led efforts to educate Chinese women to become leaders among industrial workers.

Lily Haass graduated from the Whitewater State Teachers college and the University of Wisconsin.

Lily Haass moved to China in 1914 and worked as an American YWCA secretary in Beijing.

Lily Haass wanted social and economic justice for Chinese factory workers, but as a Christian believed in peaceful, cooperative reform.

Lily Haass told Russell about the National Christian Council, which was helping arrange for Chinese and foreign Christians in Shanghai to work on World Student Christian Federation industrial reform.

Lily Haass worked with Agatha Harrison in the YWCA Industrial Department.

In November 1923 Lily Haass invited Russell to travel with her on furlough the next year.

In June 1925 Lily Haass, who had graduated from her LSE course, took over as head of the Chinese Industrial Department from Mary Dingman.

Lily Haass led the combined efforts of the YWCA and the NCC in industrial reform.

Lily Haass argued unsuccessfully with Ding Shujing in late 1927 over the direction of the YWCA industrial program.

Lily Haass wrote to the World YWCA headquarters to argue her case.

Lily Haass thought the YWCA had to start to work with the "masses" or else go home.

In 1930 Lily Haass was replaced as head of the Industrial Department by Deng Yuzhi, who had completed a year of study at the LSE.

Lily Haass returned to the US in 1936 to study at Columbia University for a year.

When Soong Mei-ling, wife of Chiang Kai-shek, tried to recruit Deng to work with the Kuomintang, Lily Haass headed off the danger by helping Deng go to the US in 1939 to study at New York University and to publicize the Chinese war effort.

Lily Haass returned to the US on 2 August 1945 on the repatriation ship Gripsholm.

Lily Haass became a supporter of the Committee for a Democratic Far Eastern Policy.