Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1904-10-07
THE JAPANESE ARE HUMAN
WAR TO THEM Is As FRi0HTFUL
As TO OTHER NATIONS.
Extracts from 4 Letter from Miss A..
N. Colby Who Has Lived In Japan
for rs Years and 10 Thoroughly in
Touch With the People.


N. Colby Who Has Lived In Japan
for rs Years and 10 Thoroughly in
Touch With the People.
In view Of the many stories that
have come from war correspondents
as to the tranquility Of Japan in spite
of the fearful contest il Is waging
with Russia, the following extracts
from a letter from Miss Abbie M. Col
by teacher in the Bai-kwa plum
blossom) girls school at Osaka, may
prove interesting to many Miss Col
by, who was formerly student in the
Glenwood Classical seminary at West
Brattleboro, has lived In Japan for 25
years, knows the language thoroughly
and Is fully in touch with the Japan
csc people,
While in another city not many
weeks ago an American woman said
to me, IF it were not for the news
papers l should not know that Japan
was at war" l could not believe her
at first, then l meditated that she
lived in a suburb far back from a
quiet street, surrounded by gardens
facing an immense park; that there
were no soldiers drilling in the city
while the railway station through
which the soldiers pass but do not
at the other side of the towns and
that she would not tell lie.
For the past six months it has been
war, war; war, here. Before hostil-
tiles began there was great scare
that the Russians were known to be
planning to put an army in Tsuruga
on the north of the narrow part be-
tween East and West Japan, strike
across if possible to Osaka and cut
off communication between the east
and west. There was tremendous ex-
element among the Japanese and
some of the schools were much dis
turbed. The head of our school was
excited but he urged the necessity of
keeping calm and told the girls not to
be afraid until the Russians were
actually near Osaka. Nothing of this
got into the English newspapers In
deed, the newspapers were then nav
ing a hard time as the censorship
was frightfully rigorous, and those
who depended upon the English Ian
guage for news had little to disturb
them.
Miss Case and live a mile from the
nearest Europeans or Americans IN
the heart of this immense Japanese
city, with three corners to catch all
that is going, work daily with the
al
their unimpaired patriotism, Gas the
Christians have been holly accused OF
being unpatriotic) with 200 girls hav-
ing brothers, relatives, friends, or
friends friends soldiers or liable TO be
called at any moment trooplng In
from excited homes every morning
eager to exchange the latest thing OF
interest each one possesses, not TO
mention that my bedroom and dining
room where / have my writing uesh
are on one of the corners not far from
the Asa-hi (Morning SUM printing
office. the paper having the largest
circulation of any daily in Japan, and
not much farther from the Mai-nlchl
(Every Day., a rival daily, and that
whenever a telegram that can be used
is received, whether at midnight or
midday or just following a FORMER
one. numberless bare legged mercu-
ries. with dinner bells that ring con-
tinually tied to their belts, shouting
above other noises, "Gogai' (special
extra) are sent flying from the oHlces
TO get the latest news into the hanus
of the subscribers. OF course both
papers are taken mere anu we SCI On
of the "gogais."
Then there are the soldiers; but
soldiers are no novelty in Osaka Whlch
is second only to Tokyo in military
importance, although they DO not an
sorb the attention as they DO IN some
Snaller cities. Yet our pupils ana
Young men are continually serving
their terms in the army and there IS
ALWAYS deep interest among lhe
Japanese Christians and US mlssioll-
aries in Christian work near the par
racks: but now the interest," Is ~
tense as the soldiers have become
,,,nre than common men. At times
thousands of them have to be taken
;nto homes where the people do their
hest TO entertain Them giving them
FOOD far in excess of the money re-
caived from the government. l. snouiu
tbinl, This severe heat would Kill the
soldiers who have been used to drop
ning off layer after layer of their gar
rnants as warm weather came on iio n
encased in the uniform OF clVlilZeu ~
armies with heavy burdens ana sh 10,
They do suffer intensely put ;,
country must be saved at any 80 o,,ar-
Tba larger part of the troops quar-
+arad here leave by boat. All VINO are
,,,oyed from the north and east stop
l,are to eat at a station not far from
nc Thev receive really no pay from
the government, only rev sen loI
tnhocco and their families are olteh
,eft in most pitiable conditions. ram
lilies are supposed to rally 10 we su 9e
n r,ar Of their relatives whose husoaii 1rs
pr fathers are called into service. ~
ba deaf on our corner is not all III; uIo
mixed evil because OF the noi NV
stories that fall into ones ears.
am convinced that the soia anva
are afraid of any approach 10 a aif-
fling that may weaken their sen
o e,,,,1 A few days ago a voice pc
hind me said in English on m,sS
r l1i,l and l turned to see young
fe Iloy from Kyoto, who had peen s
student in one of my Bible clasS ;aI
While he was in the Osaka colnmerr ,hn
College a few years ago ana W TIiS
talked to me of his ambltlohs' i,a
voice told me he was glad 10 SEE me to
and and he Jumped from his bicycle 70
sneak to me, but l unWlses He
Claimed. ''Why, you solder na .S
i ,,nan Mis- his wheel screaming, ut is my
G dpt Goodbye Happily l saw NaI nun
o auof time and had a few pleasathh am
Words with him but he was on rne
alert. Another said, DO NOT t tul,v
when I go off. 1 hope no one l KIM"
will be there"