The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-09-28
POLITICAL CRISIS
 IN JAPAN PASSES Premier Wanted to Resign, But Could Not Find Suit
 able Successor

Tollo, August Correspondence of the Associated Press.) )-Japan has just passed through an unusual political crisis which threatened to bring about
 change of ministry and yet resulted in nothing. The curious situation arose after repeated utterances of Premier Okuma that he intended to withdraw from political life, utterances which were followed by the insistent report that the premier actually placed his resignation in the hands of the Emperor conditional on hls capability of finding a suitable suc- cessor
 At once the political forces of the
 Japanese empire were set in motion. Two
 candidates at once appeared in promi-
 hence. They were Marshal Terauchi, the
 governor general of Korea, and Viscount
 hato, ex-minister of foreign affairs and
 leader of the Doshikai party, the prin-
 clpal of the political units which make
 up the government majority in the House
 of Representatives. Terauchi was con-
 ceived to be the candidate of the bu-
 reaucratic element of Japan which is
 constantly striving for official political
 power; Kato was the representative of
 the constitutional forces who are te- naclously struggling for the rigid main
 tenance, and even development, of a re- gime where the constitutional majority and not the forces of clan and bureau cracy shall have the guiding voice in the affairs of the nation.
 After Premier Okuma's notice to the Emperor, which public opinion accepts as an actuality, Marshal Terauchi was sum- moned to Tolkio and there ensued a num- Der of conferences between the genro, Premier Okuma and Marshal Terauchi. It is affirmed that the premier submitted
 certain condition to Marshal Terauchi which were to be accepted if Premier Okuma was to transfer the government to his care. Chief among these was the condition that a Terauchi government must follow the same lines of policy as those of the present ministry. Up to now the negotiations have had no re- suit. The general opinion is that they failed, first, because Marshal Terauchi has no important political support in the Diet, and, secondly. because the gov- ernor of Korea found it difficult to bind himself to conditions as to~policy.
 Suddenly, after long negotiations, Dr. Takata, the minister of education made statement that as Premier Okuma could find no suitable successor he had decided to remain at his post The inn pression exists that Premier Okuma s friends urged him insstently to remain in office and that the members of his cabinet were among those to recommend this decision.
 The announcement by Dr. Takta created a lively discussion in the press and was followed by a meeting of the Seiyukai opposition party which con- demned the stand taken by the premier. Resolutions were adopted charging the premier with improperly submitting a conditional resignation and of interfering with the power of choosing a successor which the Seiyukai declared rested solely with the Emperor. The resolution ac- cused the premier of contravening the principles of the constitution. In al speech, MT. K. Hara, the leader of the party, said: Tn withdrawing his intended resignation Marquis Olsuma may almost be charged with having deceived the throne. Morality and the principles of right politics demand that the cabinet be visited with severe retribution. The pa- triotism of the country and it's spirit of loyalty to the throne make it in- 1 tolerable for Marquis Okuma to remain | longer in power.''
 Friends of the premier and the cabi- 1 net have risen to their support and main l tain that it was legitimate for the pre- mier to retract his resignation If he could l rot find a suitable successor. They | point out that precedent exists for one | premier handing over the government to a successor chosen by himself. They 1 point to the case of the transfer of 1 power from the late Prince Katsura to | Count Yamamoto three years ago.