The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-18
IN
RURAL JAPAN
THE WAR SPIRIT Is THE STRONG.
EST IN THE INTERIOR.
Stories That Show the Fervor Of the
People-They Even Go Without Lux
uries In Order to Care for the Rela-
tives Of Those at the Front-New
Shrines Dedicated-A Tinge Of su-
nerstttfon


shrines Dedicated-A Tinge Of su-
perstitton.
Yone Naguchi In Boston Transcript.
Tsushima, Owari-The real condition
of Japan IN war time-her fighting ca
pacity and burning patriotism-is not
apparent in Toxic or In the other cities;
it is found in the country towns and
villages. The men who are the famous
fighters are the country men, the land
owners and the sons Of the landowners,
and the land tillers. 1t Is they who
produce our Japanese soldier, hard like
iron, clever like a snake. It is they
who are imbued with the spirit to pro-
tect their own. The town people, all
the men of the cities, have not the
same samurai spirit.
That | might observe more clearly
kio last fall for Tsushima, in the prov
ince of Dwarf, town which, small as
it is, gave forty soldiers for Japan.
I took the famous Tokaido train to-
ward Dwarf. The mountains are high
and the water is clear. In the old, an
clent days many warrior was born
from the Tokaido provinces. Such
greenness in the trees! What a luxu-
rious yellow in the tasselss of the rice
plantsi What beautiful and mystic
Japanese autumn! And 10! A hum
bred national flags peep out. And here
is. what is left Of triumph arch, many
Of them on the way, with which the
country people celebrated the Liao-yang
victory, and still are celebrating!
Groups OF children running to see
the train pass shout: "Banzai! Ban
zai!'' But for the most part Japan
t,,,1Yv 1>n
sources. Warrior g spirit under the
mask of peace. The most quiet man is
the most wonderful fighter, SO our prov
erb says. Japan is fighting for the sake
Of peace, for liberty, civilization and
the "open door, = -
The farmers are the backbone Of the
country. What determined faces I see
among the country folki
. After traversing 300 miles I arrived
which sent boy to the front, and that
boy had been killed at the battle Of
.Liao-yang.. He was a lieutenant. His
old mother showed me his last letter
from the front, which was wonderful in
spirit and patriotism. The last words
in this letter were: eff I die, mother.
raise the national flag at our house en-
trance and shout Banzai!' because your
son died for defending your own coun-
try. And send out my younger brother
immediately to the front, and make our
family live up to the reputation! .
From the house next door to this a
boy had also gone forth, and he had re-
turned wounded from Liao-yang. (By
the way, what a tremendous number of
wounded from Liao-yang battle! A
heart-rending-a CHASTITY affair." Their
boy was then at Nagoya hospital and
they said he was counting the days
when he could return upon the battle
field. 49,.
Then =! heard this story of very
poor family of the village, the family Of
Of the Imperial Guards. While he was
away on a business trip the order came
for him to join the colors. His mother
went to the district office and obtained
some hours Of grace for her son. She
raised forty eight cents by the sale of a
few kitchen utensils and started off to
search for Masaki, whose business was
in selling something from village to vii.
lage, and thus no letter could reach him.
She kept on with her search, pawning
some clothes, and at last, after long toll,
she found him at a remote village and
told him of the order. And she cut of
her, gray hair and gave it to her son
and said, ''This is my soul, my boy.
It will protect you. Fight bravely fol-
your country's sake,
Then there are other stories not 50
pathetic, perhaps, but showing the ten
denotes. The master carpenter Of the
village, Kichizo, a man very good-heart.
ed, honest, but too fond Of sake in his
entire lifetime, was much liked and pa
tronized by Major General Oda, father
of the junior captain who SO distin-
guished himself during the attack on
Port Arthur. This is related of General
Oda and Kichfzo. The general offered
him of his favorite sake.
sIDrink, my dear fellow he said.
Ny lord, I have given up drink
Ing, replied Kichizo.
What! You have given up drink,
Eyes, my lord"
would have expected Of you'll Take a
cup and drink to Japan IS victory"
nMy lord, have stopped drinking -
ttDo you mean ita'
eyes, my lord, but let me pour out a
hWelI, then, give me a cup. It i.
well for such a rough and simple fellow
as you to wait on an old soldier like me-
My good fellow, you remember when
you were threatened with death fol
your habit Of drinking, and even when
4 % pt"bo, was PotnGOo al. your :DISdSt
you said you would not give it up even
to save your life. What is there in the
world. then, that has made you give il
4'You know, nv lord,'' replied
Kichizo; "thirteen of the lads who
were apprenticed to me and who are
under my patronage. have been called
away to the front. Of these eight have
wives and children, and it is my duty
that I look after these helpless4ones
so how, my lord, can I spend my time
and money in drinking nows'
A hundred incidents and stories
some grave, some gay, some with laugh
ter and some with grief-but all brave
however, they be-fy like strong
WINGED birds over the country fields Of
Japan.
q | went to the Tenno shrfne-the vii
lage god--to pay my homage, as it j!
the country's custom. I observed :
hundred lanterns lighted, many holy
fire built. There were here the mother!
and sisters of the soldiers praying to the
god for their country's victory. Thu
sight thrilled me with awe and respect
There is no question about the heroisn
of the Japanese soldier, but I dare say
the Japanese women are far greater II
bravery and endurance. 1t is they who
at heart, are the wonderful fighters.
I Returning from the shrine I passed
bv teahouse where [ heard hand clap
ping and singing. 1t was a farewell
party to send soldiers to the front;