Evening star., 1912-09-01
THE NEED OF JAPAN
Spiritual Evolution of Country
Declared Essential.
TOXIC WRITER'S VIEWS
Great Material Development, It Is
Thought, Will Continue.
POWER OF THE LATE EMPEROR
Link That Connected Modern and
Ancient Nation-May Have to
Relax Discipline.
TOXIC WRITER'S VIEWS
POWER OF THE LATE EMPEROR
ncciaI Cablegram to The Star.

necal Cablegram to The Star.
LONDON, August 31-Wonderful as
mas been the transformation of Japan
in the last half century in a ma
terial sense. changes even more re-
markable in spiritual sense are
necessary if the work of political
construction accomplished during the
reign of Mutsuhito is not to become
barren of results in the time of his
immediate successors.
This is the substance of a remark
able dispatch received from a Toxic
correspondent:
Japan has solved many surface prob
lens. and, during the past fifty years
has been born anew. but has she found
her own soul?"
According to the correspondent, the
material evolution of the past will con-
tinue into the future. but the spiritual
evolution which is accompanying the
material Transformation of old into
new Japan will form the problem of
the new era.
Hitherto Japan has been to the world
the example par excellence of a dis
ciplined nation. With this idea the
educational system was laid down.
With this idea the religion of Shin
toism has been steadily fostered by
the government, a religion at the head
of which stands the emperor, and the
only vital inspiration of which is
loyalty.
Rescript Has Failed.
yet it is evident to all observers"
says the writer, that the famous re-
virtues OF benevolence. righteousness,
Nd l;a1 iatxy oh 10
sued more than twenty years ago, and
read in all the schools throughout
the country and committed to memory
by most pupils. has failed to be a
bulwark of national morality, as the
authors intended.
the death of Mutsuhito, the emperor was
the pivot of the discipline which charac-
terized the old Japan. But even that
pivot is now removed. The new en-
peror Yosilihito) is of very different
stamp.
In brief. the new emperor does not
constitute that link between modern and
ancient Japan which was one of the
secrets of his fathers extraordinary hold
upon the veneration of his people, a fact
which is widely, if tacitly. recognized by
the nation. 1t is doubtful whether even
if he wished to play the part of a demi-
god he could do so.
Thus with the death of the Emperor
name. 1t is no longer that of 'Meiji' or
enlightment, but that of 'Taisho' or
righteousness.
Discipline Is Wonderful.
1.-The discipline of the nation is still
wonderful, but it may be doubted whether
any modern nation can be disciplined into
religion, and, moreover, from the Geo.
nomic standpoint, it may be questioned
whether, if Japan is to keep pace with
the leading powers of the world, she. wiki
not have to relax her discipline in order
that more scope may be given to in.
dividual initiative.
Japan has surprised the world already
by her material TRANSPORTATION. 1t may
be that in the coming era she will sur
prise it by spiritual TRANSPORTATION no
less swift and complete. But that there
is a bigger task before her than she ever
yet attempted and that she cannot shirk
it needs no demonstration