Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-11
ECSTASY OF GIVING
All Japan is Contributing to
the War Funds.
BOTH RICH AND POOR
ARE sTINTING THEMSELVES IN
EVERY POSSIBLE WAY
For the Sake Of the Men at the Front
and Their Families
Left Behind.
special correspondence Of rhe Evening Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
TOKYO, March 10. 1904.
Japan is stinting itself as America
did during the civil war, and for the
same double purpose-that the armies
may be kept in the field and the bur-
dens of those dependent on the nations
defenders lessened. If not altogether re-
moved. There is pressing need Of national
and individual self-sacrifice at this time.
Already over 2.OOO families Of soldiers in
this city alone are dependent upon the ma
tion's charity for their daily bread-or rice,
rather; and what is true in the capital is
true throughout Nippon, just as similar
conditions prevailed in city and hamlet,
north and south, during the civil war.
Japan is stinting from top to bottom.
The high officials, peers and aristocrats
have declared off all social engagements.
The geisha houses are deserted, and many
of them have closed from lack of patronage.
So it is with the restaurants. Feasts there
and in private houses-the Japanese are
ordinarily great fhdulgers in feasts-are
now the uncommon happening. Indeed
there has been no public feast of any sort
and, dare say, scarcely a private one
since the second day after the first battle at
Port Arthur, when the emperor entertained
the high officials in celebration of the VIC
tory. That has been the single indulgence
of the war.
The public school teachers have voluntar-
lily agreed to give over to the various sol
diers' aid societies one-tenth of their Sala-
ries as long as the war lasts. The house.
wives in many precincts of the city are
giving their pin money. In one precinct
they contributed POO yen last week. Every
actor is giving so sen month. The mes
senger boys have banded together and so
IA a
so sen a month apiece, for caring for
wounded soldiers. The carpenters wives
are forming associations in every precinct
and giving according to their means cutting
down ON the family table that they may
do so.
Among All Glasses.
In Shtaya precinct precinct CORE
spends to an American ward-the janitors
in the Office buildings have agreed to cut
down on their living expenses and give 20
sen 40 cents) per head week till peace
comes again. In the precinct of Shimbashi
the Geisha Association of 40 odd houses is
contributing 20O yen a month, most of this
coming from savings, for the income OF
these houses, as already remarked, has
fallen off greatly.
economizing in all directions. The Ladies'
One Heart Society-the Fujiu Isshiukai-is
representative of their organizations. This
society embraces the women of the middle
food and their hair dressing and bath
money. They visit the baths only once a
week now instead of daily. Indeed, every
member must make it point to save some
thing daily for "a bandage for a soldiers
leg or rice for his mothers mouth
Those who cannot pare their expenses be-,
cause they are down to the bone already
are stinting themselves of their leisure time.
The errand boys of the wholesale and retail
districts have formed boys association
to make straw sandals for the soldiers after
working hours. Each boy manufactures
about fifty pairs week. Some of the boys,
not content with this sacrifice, beg waste
paper from the stores and go around ped
ding it, getting cents for every ten POUNDS
of paper and turning the proceeds into
common fund.
Free of Charge.
The DOCTORS masseurs and mdwives are
giving their services. free of charge, to the
families of soldiers; and the rickshaw man,
Mukubata Jisaburo who saved the cars
life when the latter, as cZarevitch was
travelling in Japan is contributing the pen
sion which the Russian government granted
him for his act. He says 1t is the only
way by which he can ease his conscience
for receiving money from the nation S
eremy at such time.
Indeed, Nippon is so imbued with the
spirit of self-sacrifice that it gets well nigh
hysterical at times to give.
This was illustrated day or so ago when
Sonoda Kokichi, formerly president of the
Yokohama Specie Bank of Japan. during
the course of a lecture before the Kokumin
Kouyenkai (the Mutual Aid Society tor
Citizens), called upon the assembled nobles
merchants and bankers to give their Jew
elry for the amelioration of the conditions
among the poor.
Instantly the audience was in an uproar
gold watches rings, pins, all sorts of per-
sonal ornaments were literally being torn
from their fasteningS and thrown at the
speaker. Several hundred pieces of jew
elry valued at good many thousand yen
were contributed in a few minutes, and
when the meeting was over hardly person
left the hall with bit of jewelry showing
about him. Since then. as one of the news
papers quantity puts 1t. "even the officials
are afraid to wear rings for fear of beng
called the models of FOOLS
Heavy Contributors.
Mr.. Sonoda has been one of the nea ,lest
ir divdual contributors to the aid societies
The day after the demonstration at his
lecture he gave seven gold watches, cham
and $4,000 yen in money. Mr. Sonoda's
liberality has made him one of the most
popular citizens of Tokyo today.
The banking, mining and dry goods house
of Mitsu & Co., which has American and
Lar gest single contribution-1OO,OOO yen, or
$4,000. Each member of the Mitsu family
it is not small-gave according to his per-
sonal wealth.
d
have been made largely to the Red Cross
Society, the foreigners are universally ac-
claimed. Miss Ethel Howard, the English
governess in the family of Marquis SHIN
adzu, feudal lord, is being blessed by the
soldiers families, who have somehow heard
of her letter to her employers attorney, in
which she states that she declines to accept
her salary for six months, wishing it to be
used to succor soldiers families.
But the man who has given his all for the
succor of his fellow-countrymen is Kline
buchi Sei-ichiro, head of the Yamato Com
pany, doing business in Manchuria and ST.
IBERIA. He was worth 10000 roubles when
the war broke out. He saw the distress of
his countrymen who were in Hardin with
him, and he knew of their suffering else
where in the enemy's country. So he took
his money, gave enough to each Jap to get
him out of the country, and arranged with
German steamers to pick up the refugees
at the different ports and carry them to
Nagasaki.
Will Be Hero.
In this way hundreds of Jams reached