Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-02-06
Eliza r. Scidnlore Pays Tribute
to High Plan of Conduct Of
Nipp0neSe Operations

INoTE-Few articles on Japan's
/ part In the great world-War have at
traeted anything like the attention
given TO that Of Miss Eliza Ruhaniah
Scidmore in a recent issue of the Out
Hook. Several weeks ago the Star-Bul-
Ietin referred editorialIy 70 this arti-
Gle. A large part Of il 10 published
herewith. Miss Scidmore has lived in
Japan for many years and 10 acknowi-
edged to be an unusually accurate OBJ
server as well a. an interesting writer.
She recently passed through Honolulu
on her way to the states.
Japan joined very slowly and DELHI
erately, evidently reluctantly, in the
great war last summer; responded, as
bound by her alliance to do whenever
requested, and this time Ito protect
British commerce in the eastern seas. y
So quietly and so slowly did the wheels
| Of government move towards that end
that many hoped until the very last
moment that Japan would not be en-
broiied at all. 1t meant setback to
lall political plans and the breaking of
the promise TO reduce taxation by
which Count Okuma's party had come
to power, in opposition to the military
clique which had ruled so long unhin-
dered and continually demanded more
i million for more armament The 16..
0G0,00a yen surplus in the treasury,
which gave opportunity to reduce the
business tax under which the mercan-
tile classes were groaning. vanished
into the $4,000, 900 yen appropriated for
the Shantung expedition, and the mer-
/ chants stoicaIly accepted the situation.
! Throughout the whole affair Japan
has been calm, quiet, self.contained-a
splendid objeet-lesson of how to go to
war and not lose your head There
noisy "On to Tsingtau!" The troops
moved unseen, the expedition embark
ing from southern ports, and northern
troops moving down by night trains to
replace the departed garrisons in XIII
shiu Castle towns. All the rules of
| war on land and sea, all The Hague
/ conventions and all the etiquette of
slaughter on land, In the air, on and
under the sea, have been scrupuious-
| ly Observed war with velvet gloves
four platpnie war" with Germany,
as T. Miyaoka has so cleverly de.
scribed it. e -
i Disregarding the Austrian example
in ultimatums, Japan allowed Ger
many week to return an answer to
her advice, and a month for disarma-
ment and withdrawal should Germany
accept the advice. Upon receipt OF the
uitimatum in Berlin every Japanese in
Germany was clapped into prison, the
German government explaining that it
could not otherwise protect them. Jap
anese embassy officials could not see
or communicate with them; nor get
the list of their names. One hundred
land seventy-eight Japanese professors
and students, Wallets, acrobats, shop
keepers, and even children. were SO de-
tanned, with no definite charge against
any one of them Next the German
government seized 9250,000 of Japa-
nese government money deposited in
the Deutsche bank in Berlin, and grim
war was on without any answer being
returned to the ultimatum
Neither the ultimatum nor the dec
laration of war made any difference
whatever in the condition OF the Ger
man residents in Japan. No disturb
ance or demonstration was made, no
change occurred In their relations or
conditions. German reservists contin-
ued to leave for America and Using
tau-eyen by Japanese vessels-and
mo one was arrested or molested.
Il simultaneously with the declaration
4 Of war the minister of home affairs,
alarmed by the savage ways of war
l In Christian Europe, ISSUED ins.ruc-
4 lions concerning the protection Of Ger
man subjects in Japan, securing them
the same protection of person, prop
erty and honor as before If they con-
Educted themselves without prejudice
i to the interests of Japan and her al.
Hes. The minister of education warn
ed teachers not to make imprudent re
marks that might rouse the animosity
of young students, and urged them to
show every kindness and facility to
German teachers and students who
might be called to the colors. The
chief of police in Toxic reminded peo-