The Washington herald., 1914-09-27
War Ends Tourney.

After his sensational billiard games in
New York last spring, Yamada went to
Berlin. where he had been educated. to
take part in an international tourna-
ment in the German capital. All went
well until the big war began and this
put an end to the tournament and can
celled all contracts which the cue expert
had in that country.
Then Japan became a party to the great
conflict and Yamada was WARNED secret
ly by the Japanese Embassy OF Berlin
to leave the country at once and the
embassy advanced the funds for the
cape, for Yamada was unable to realize
anything on his contracts or collect for
the exhibition games he had already
played.
He left Berlin at night, leaving his bag
gage behind. all except a suit case and
his billiard cue. He had not crossed the
border when his best friend. a physi-
clan, and twenty other japanese in Ber-
lin had been made prisoners Of war.
The three-day journey from Berlin to
Amsterdam were filled with uncertainty,
not unlike the horrors Of g. nightmare.
Shifted from train to train, held up at
wayside stations. arrested by soldiers and
searched many times. in the midst OF
militarism which knew no other law
than the law of war, at times forced to
walk many miles surrounded by a hos
| tile people, Yamada, with the aid OF an
American passport finally arrived at Am
sterdam, there to find that more troubles
awaited him. This was on August %.
Purchases Second Class.
| With his remaining funds he purchased
a second-class ticket to New York and
then was told that he would not be al
lowed to sail. Almost daily until Septem-
Der demands were made on him to re-
| turn the ticket Upon the advice of the
| Japanese Embassy at The Hague this
he refused to do. He was then threaten
ed that he would be deported even should
he reach the United States.
Il would never want to know anything
| like IT again" says Yamada. Those
weeks waiting for the day for the boat
to sail were the most miserable. Every
/ where was disorder, everywhere was war
/ Nothing seemed safe. A japanese was a
! special object of enmity, and I began to
fear that / would not be allowed to
| leave. To have attempted to reach Eng
I land would have meant my detention
/ Ny only hope was in convincing the all
I thorities of the truth, that my billiard
! engagements in America were important
and that I was really going to America
! for that purpose"
It was with fear and trembling that
/, morning of September 5. He was really
! surprised that he was not stopped 1t
/ can't be explained even now why he was
not, except that unusual efforts were be-
/ ing made in this country for his return.
! He was assigned to a comfortable room
! in the second cabin according to his ticket
| of passage, but no sooner had the boat
started on its long journey than he was
! deprived of his quarters and assigned to
/ the steerage. But the steerage Of any
4 ship was preferable TO Europe in a state
| of war, and America a paradise compared
I TO the rest of all the world.
Would I wish to go back to Ger
4 many? Perhaps. sometime, maybe, but
1 think not"
! Yamada is member Of the Champion
! Billiard Players League, and II was 10
! fill his engagements IN this new organiza-
4 ton that he was anxious to return, not
more anxious, however, than he was to
\ place himself beyond the horrors and
dangers Of the most destructive war the
! world has yet known.