New-York tribune., 1907-05-20
KUR0KI A PEACE HERO.
HOST At LUNCHEON.
Society for Strengthening Ties Be-
t1ceen PEOPLES Launched.


try has been extensively entertained by the United
States government and by private citizens.
the order of things yesterday by acting host
a luncheon given at the Hotel Astor to about
enty American and japanese men and women. 1t
was distinguished gathering, including many
Americans prominent either in army life the field
Of education the world of finance.
Aside from General KurOks choice 10 recprocate e
in this way for the hospitality shown him. there
was attached to the function further and deeper
lmport-t was the announcement of the formation
of an organization which SHALL have for its object
the promotion of fren9,y relations between the
United States and Japan. This organization. be
known as the Japan Society of New York.
its birth TO the visit here of General Kuroki and
his encouragement of this plan 70 place
intimate terms the people of the great empire OF
the East with those of the great republic of the
Western Continent. 1t is the first great victory
peace for the man who has many Victories
of war.
The luncheon was served in the small ballroom
on the eighth floor. and the elaborate decorative
scheme, with its hundreds of American Beauties.
hydrangeas. smIlax and palms. the glttering gold
service used only at state functions which reflect
ed the light that shone from artisticaly covered
ana softened incandescent bulbs made setting
seldom surpassed in this metropolis OF wealth and
elegance. In end the room was II stage
arranged to represent Japanese garden. and from
this bower of plants hoated the strains dreamy
waltzes and martial two-steps. rendered by red
silk jacketed orchestra of Hungarian musicians.
Before entering the dining hall General Kurok
assisted by the members of his staff received the
guests in the Yachting Room that ad Joins it
For each the general had n warm handshake
smile and a pleasant word Of greeting. He dis
played remarkable memory for names. consider
ing the number of he has met here lie
was particularly gracious the women The
Yachting Room, too wss handsomely decorated
hf3ir reaching pelns Htrost completely covering
the walls.
1t was about o'clock when the guests and their
losi We're seated FheHal- sat At table whose
unusually large dimensions were twelve feet broad
by sixty feet long American Beauty roses and
smaN were laid out in artistic figures on the table
General kuroki wearing his frock coat n deco
ration presented TO him by his sovereign the EN-
peror. sat In the middle of the eastern side of the
table. on his right and LETT. respectively were
Mrs Frederick Dent Grant and Mrs Alfred e
huck' Next on the right sat Captain Tanaba the
seheTals secretary and interpreter and then I'm
inc order named Colonel Hugh l.. Scott E. II
Hartman, Dr J. Takamine r A C. Smith and
president Finley of the College of the CITY Of New
YORK Others 10 the left the host were General
stewart l. Woodford Mrs. Chozo KoIke wife of the
japanese Consul General: Harry ST George Tucker
Colonel ota. Cornelius y. Bliss and Angus, Bel
mont.
Directly the table from f:areral Iy,,r,L,
sat General Kigoshi. with Mrs Stewart l. Wood
FORD on his right and his left Mrs O r, Wood
wife of General Wood, who is acting as escort for
General kuToki. To the right OF Mrs WoodforI
y ono. Major l.. l. Seaman and Major Charles
lynch another Of the japanese warriors escorts
10 the left on this side Consul General C'hozo
hoike' Mrs Waragai. niece Of General Kuroki;
General tmezawa. colonel Nagayama ex-Mayor
Low and +. :. A De lima
WIN the luncheon ended there came the more
'aI' iea'ure OF the gathering-the Launching
of the Japan Society In New York First how
ever General Grant proposed the health OF General
hurok Captain Tanaka Interpreted tn. toas, for
iiS chief. who arose smiling All the diners fol-
lowed and with subdued cheer drank 20 the
neAI'h OF The host. Then Lindsay Russell one Of
''e organizers or the Japan Society. arose ana
presented 10 General kuroki the following address.
to announce that. as one Of the results ~ Vm,Ir
f fISm TO America and ia order that We may renew
Tneh Gne s y mas prompted, there has been formed
~ nHcaety OF New York. having for it, object
me cultivation Of friendly relations between his
nernory aHa a x3, yours We shall always cherish the
as t he ' vst GGD Of become par Of our history
Japan Tor more than half century.
Captain Tanaka translated the manor for ,,ero-.,
huroki The latter then spoke briefly. being In
terpreted follows:
i am very much pleased with the reception Of
the people Of New York and drink TO the success
OF ule new association. which with all nv heart
! wish it,"
Ihe luncheon then came 10 an end General
kuroh Offering his TO Mrs Grant and leading
,e way oAck 70 the reception room. After General
-N'''Hl i'at oiu ms guests, with execution NJ
General Grant. Mrs. Grant and a few friends "A
warm goodby. those remaining accompanied hin, IN
waiting automobiles and were driven "a Crant-s
ioilo' All along the route people stopped In the
street to cheer the general or salute him
good sized crowd had gathered y, Grants
Tomb. having heard Of General Kurokfs coming
here, too, he was enthusiastically greeted ,rha
general was the first to aight. lie carried a large
Moral wreath. The party entered the tomb the
men with their heads barred. They advanced to the
sarcophagus with the general in the lead He then
bowed several times and placed the wreath on the
bier OF the great soldier. whom lie had known and
admired. Then for several minutes he stood In
silence looking the bier. In those few minutes
IL one may be permitted to guess Of his thoughts
there probably his minds eye picture
Of man sturdy of frame. a man mounted on a
charger, wearing his resolute face a close
cropped beard: the shoulders of his blue uni
form the stars Indicative of his rank as general:
armed with sword but holding out an olive
branch TO the enemy he had conquered and utter
Appomattox itself:
Let us have peace"
Turning from this revere. during which not =
word spoken. General Kuroki led the way,
out of the tomb Words from him were unneces-
sary 10 tell the satisfaction he felt TO be able 10
come from over the Pacific. from the other side of
the world. to pay this homage to his friend. who
life to the cause of his country.
The following list OF officers for the Japan So
luncheon:
Honorary president, viscount Aoki japanese Am.
bsssador: m president Dr John II. Finley. president
vic vice. presidents General F d Grant and Or. j
ono e%d1 es
Jacob II. Schlf Colonel John j. MeCook Cornelius
n. Bliss. August Belmont. E. S. A. De Lima.
Hamilton Holt, Lindsay Russell. ]. Takamne. T.
Mural, foiliro ono, Chozo Koike japanese Consul
General: X. Arai ii. Okura X. Fukui and r.
lshinemiya.
Both and women eligible to member
ship. The dues will be So a year Lindsay Russell