Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-08
PREMIER THEIR HOST
Marquis Katzura Gives Din
ner to Newspaper Men.
PRINCE ITO AMONG GUESTS
Late japanese Statesman Was in
Happiest Mood.
EXCHANGE OF KEEN WITTICISM
Function Regarded as Most Re.
markable Ever Given in Japan.
Delightful Hour"
PRINCE ITO AMONG GUESTS
EXCHANGE OF KEEN WITTIC1SM

Correspondence of the Associated Press.
TOXIC, October IA dinner given
by the premier. Marquis Katzura. to the
members of the International Press AS
ISOLATION of Japan the evening of October
IL, was perhaps the most remarka..e
function ever given in Japan. Hitherto
the newspapers and representatives OF
newspapers have moved entirely In
cliques. There has been no alignment or
bringing together of newspapermen and
no interchange of ideas.
The International Press Association OF
Japan was organized last spring with
members made up mostly from the edl-
torial staff and foreign departments or
the leading papers, together with the
correspondents for foreign newspapers
and the foreign correspondents resident
I'm Japan. The inaugural dinner OF this
association was In honor of former vice
President Fairbanks Of the United States.
On that occasion the other guests OF the
new association were Marquis katsura,
Prince Ito and Count Okuma.
Return Courtesy.
The premiers dinner was a return for
this hospitality. The dining room In the
premier's official residence was beauu-
fully decorated and the table magnificent
in its display of flowers and plate. The
premier sat at the center of the table
with Prince Ito as his viS-a-vis. On the
hosts right hand sat the veteran editor
of the Hochi. On the left OF the premier
was seated Count Okuma, sometimes
called the Sage of Waseda." but, in
fact the most active Of the doctrinaire
pOliticanS of today.
The interesting feature of the evening
came when the premier, after having
made a felicitous speech on the value
of press association, proposed the
health Of Prince Ito.
Keen TESTS and Quips.
Prince Ito was in his happiest mood.
He tested and threw quips at the news
papermen. with now and then a thrust
at his old political opponent, Count
Okuma, who sat with his eyes covered
with the lids and face immobile as
marble. But Prince Ito became a little
sharper and stirred the enemy up. At
one OF these harder thrusts Okuma 8
rather heavy lips quivered; he raised his
head, opened his eyes wide, threw back
his head and laughed.
This delighted Ito. katsura, komura
and the older newspaper men, who I'M
derstood. They knew the fight was on
In earnest, ana tnat OkuInd Iidu accept
ed the challenge, but Ito was not afraid.
He went on and dug the noble Roman
in the ribs; he chaffed him mercilessly.
Aside from this attack the notable ut
terance made by Prince Ito was In re-
gard to his proposed trip to Manchuria.
He said that the trip he was about to
take was entirely upon his own initiative:
that II was not prompted by any one
in particular, but that he was going to
investigate conditions to satisfy himself
and no one else. He appreciated the i'm
pOrtance of Manchuria and the impOr
lance of relations between China and
Japan with Manchuria as a ground over
which possible squabbles might arise.
Sage Of Waseda Responds.
Prince Ito closed his speech with a
pleasant allusion to his host and friend.
and tried to smooth things over with
Count Okuma, SO as to ease up the
avalanche he had reason to expect.
, Prince Ito was not disappointed. When
the president of the privy council was
seated all eyes were turned upon the
Sage Of Waseda, who sprang from an
almost lifeless attitude into the most
active expression of face and of tongue
Count Okuma poured forth his attack,
his chaff and his suggestions to the
newspapermen. He was even more elo-
quent than usual; he was less didactic
and more keen in his tnrusts at his old
antagonist and little digs at the premier
and the foreign minister. He, too, kept
the table going, and in this way a most
delightful hour was spent.