Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-12-10
Histellansu,ls 8eading.
SCHOOL FOR SPIES.
Training Young Japanese at Tun-Wen
COLLEGE as investigators"

Training Young Japanese at Tun-Wen
College as investigators"
| About four miles from the Bund of
Shanghai, along the road toward the
great sprawling arsenal Of Kiangyang,
lies the little squalid village Of Tun-
Wen. The narrow mucky street, closely
populated with elementary human be-
ings, meanders hither until gateway
with some pretensions Of modernity
and with large gilt kilograms on its
facia opens on to the grounds Of the
Tun-Wen college. Armed with a card
from the Japanese consul general, up
on which a number of weird charac-
ters were scrawled writes correspon-
dent of the London Daily Graphic,
presented myself to ex-Commander
Nedzu, late of the Japanese navy and
now Of one Of the most curious seats
of learning in the world.
Founded Immediately after the Chi
lno-Japanese war-provision having
been made therefor in the capitulations
the Tun-Wen college has for its OBJ
ject-when all frills are stripped away
the training Of young japanese In
everything necessary to secure Japan's
preponderance in the Chinese empire.
No better evidence Of China's helpless
ness and hopelessness could be forth
coming than that afforded by this fact.
It was voiced by a Chinese official in
conversation with me while discussing
this institution. He said: 1T Is the
Franco -Prussion war over again.
Then the Germans knew more about
France than the French did themselves.
These Japs are doing the same here,
and we can't stop them. They have
their treaty rights"
The students are selected and sent
from every prefecture in Japan, each
Of which supports its own nominees.
They are chosen for their intelligence
and adaptability and they afford very
excellent and comprehensive sample Of
people who, despite their antithesis
in appearance to all that Is intellectual
and gallant from the westener's point
If view have those qualities In con-
junction with other and less desirable
ones very highly developed. 1 arrived
at the college shortly before midday
and was thus able to see the young
men not only at their work, but at their
food and recreation also. The course
Of study is comprehensive, the curri-
culum including thorough political
and commercial training, as disclosed
| by the syllabus or announcement"
Each course Of study terminates with
tour "of investigation" the signifi-
canoe of which may be disclosed by
what follows.
The buildings Of the college are es-
sentially Japanese, simple and cheap
as regards their appearance and con-
struction and with total absence Of
ostentation in their architecture. They
were built solely for use and not for
show, After had seen one room full
of students in the midst Of severe ex-
animation in the English language and
another lot studying. Chinese under a
professor of Asiatic reputation, big
gong having sounded I saw them at
their midday meal. They ate it stand
ing. It was rice, with slight season.
ing. Each youth had bowl full
about a pint-and he used split new
chopsticks, which last him for three
meals and are then burned. Then, as
they passed a water tap and tank ar
rangement on their way out Of the
eating room each diner took bowl
full of water and after washing his
mouth and teeth swallowed enough to
auench his thirst. The time occupied
by the meal may have been ten min
utes.
In one study sat round faced, close
cropped youngster reading. The entire
kit and equipment of the room might
have cost thirty shillings. The reader
was in the commercial department pre-
pairing to take up one Of those fat bill
lets which now go to the Japanese eV-
cry day at tithe Of the remuneration
hitherto paid to foreigners"
Other students wore their hair In diff
ferent stages Of length; they were on
the political side, and the hair Is
worn long with an object. On first en-
tering the college the political-and
some Of the mmercial-students cul-
tivate the growth Of their hair by every
possible means. Then, toward the con-
clusion Of their term, they adopt the
queue Of the Chinese, shaving their
heads in the accepted manner and
plating into their own property-if re-
uuired-the easily bought tails Of hu-
man hair, with their silk combinations
necessary to make a proper pigtail.
The |. ansformation is perfect and COM
plete. The hair and eyes Of the ia
panese are identical in every way with
those of the Chinese; both races have
black hair and brown eyes. The eye
lids Of both slant inward, and the
prominent cheekbones and other racial
characteristics are Identical among all
these myriads.
The Jap student of today strips
off his simple uniform of kimono-
dons the dungaree garments OF
John Chinaman, strolls out to the fur
thest corner of the Celestial empire
notebook in sleeve and eyes open for
anything useful to his country-in ap-
pearance a Chinese, in fact, the Japan
ese investigator" Of tomorrow. 1t was
from this college that the japanese
spies, who did such great work for
their country during the recent war,
were drawn. 1t is from this college that
the Japanese government recruits Its
Intelligence department in its campaign
of political and commercial conquest Of
the Chinese empire. Indistinguishable
from any Chinaman, equipped with
every necessity and unhampered by
any superfluity, the ex-student Of Tun-
Wen penetrates yamen (official resi-
dence) and hong merchants oftice) on
his tour of investigation. Rice and
water Is his only commissariat, the
clothes of day are his bed at night.