The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-12-13
JAPS MAY CURE
FAKE EXPLORERS
Harakirl Recommended to Their
Own Dr.. Cook.
LIEUTENANT SHIRASE TARGET.

OT1CSF WIN 1GlSSA OlAOS -
otto Countrymen to Outfit Antartic
- Expedition That Was to Beat Eng
land to Goal Finds Himself In Pre-
dicament.
They have a new remedy in Japan
for the cure of polar explorers who
are suspected Of taking. 1t is haraki-
ri, which the discredited discoverer is
urged to perform upon himself with
the aid of a short sword.
The Yamato, Tokyo newspaper,
| makes this recommendation to Lieu
tenant Shirase Of the imperial navy,
the Japanese DR.. Cook. The ieuten-
ants case is even sadder than that Of
the Brooklyn explorer, for, far from
plodding over purple snow fields and
feeding gumdrops to the little children
Of the frozen world, Lieutenant Shi-
rase has not even left Japan on the
antarctic expedition which he had
| planned.
/ Now his eountrymen have begun to
| believe that he never intended to leave
Japan and certainly that he never will.
The situation which Lieutenant Shi-
| rase faces is embarrassing.
Japanese Patriotism Aroused.
/ About a year ago this officer an
nounced that he was going to head a
| quick dash to the south pole by way
of New Zealand and the Auckland is
lands and that he intended getting
/ 4; in
Scott, at the head Of the British ant
arctic expedition, had made a start.
The lieutenant's scheme found wide
favor. The patriotism Of Japan was
stirred, and everybody began to figure
on the citation that would be theirs
after Lieutenant Shirase had nailed
the sun flag to the neither pole.
AS matter of course contributions to
equip the lieutenant's expedition began
to come In to him plentifully. The
Asahi, one of the influential papers of
Tokyo, placed itself at the head of the
Expedition Supporting society, of
which the fiery Count Okuma was
made president. Benefit wrestling
matches and theatrical performances
were given in Tokyo, Osaka and Yoke
hama, and everything seemed to be
running fairly.
/ But recently enthusiasm began to
wane when 1t was seen that though
the head Of the expedition had all of
the funds necessary he was making no
move to be off, The lieutenant on his
| part said that he could not find the
proper ship. Every time he tried to
buy boat its owners conspired to
beat him on the price.
Sake an Obstacle.
Then disorder broke out in the pick
ed crew which had been selected
against the time when a boat would
be purchased and the expedition would
be in readiness to start. 1t was said
that Captain Nomura, the navigator,
was inclined to court the sake jug too
often and that discipline fell to pieces
i So the Asahi withdrew its support
from the project and repudiated Lieu
tenant Shirase Then Count Okuma al
lowed that he had been betrayed into
false position, and he, too, withdrew
bis support. The count is now trying
| to refund the contributions which had
been put In his hands, and some of
the refunding will probably have to be
done out of that wise statesman's own
| pocket.
Therefore, the Yamato gravely says:
Lieutenant Shirase has made an ig-
noble failure and held Japan up as
a laughingstock to the world. He is
| more a traitor than the American, Dr.
Cook, for at least DIR. Cook did some
thing, even though not all he claimed
to have done. Lieutenant Shirase
should apologize to the people he has
i thus misled by committing harakirk"