The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-11-05
TWO PARTIES ARE
FORMING IN JAPAN
Island Kingdom May Soon
Have Real Political Divi-
siOns in Government

Toxic, October 1.-(Correspondenee of
the Associated Press.)-A movement
which has as its goal the foundation of
two great political parties is quietly TAX
ing place in Japan, and leading japanese
believe it has a significant and historical
bearing on the future political develop
ment of the japanese empire. The in
sprer and leader of the movement Is
Marquis Okuma recently succeeded a.
premier by Count TerauchD, who has
from the beginning of his long career
championed the cause of representative
government. The question is absorbing
leaders of thought throughout the realm,
for the evolution OF government BY
political groups into one of two great
parties as in Great Britain or the United
States is recognized as step of great mo-
ment and fraught with many difficulties.
For one thing the bureaucratic elements,
represented in a measure by the House
of Peers and by the powerful clans Of
Choshu and Satsuma, will not easily
favor the birth of a regime which threat
ems to revolutonize the form of govern
ment. One of the stoutest opponents of
the idea is Count Terauchi, whose avow-
ed political slogan is "a no-party form
the power of Choshu, which is the ancient
clan from which the power of the
japanese army sprung On the other
hand the Satsuma or naval influence, is
DESTROYS of keeping it's friends together
under the flag of the navy. When the
| naval cabinet of Count Yamamoto fell
a few years ago because of the naval
bribery scandal it passively permitted the
coming of Okuma as one means of pre-
venting the advent of a military ministry.
Interest complications and jealouses
tend to act against the formation of two
big parties which would WELD a great
influence, as against the influence of nu-
merous small groups and clans who have
no broad political platform and who strug-
gle for the coming into office of men,
or representatives of clans, rather than
of men as representing policies
Marquis Okuma frankly set forth the
situation at a recent meeting of his per-
sonal supporters in the House of Repre-
sentatives. He declared that notwith-
standing that Japan's position mas peen
| considerably elevated in recent years. i'm
portant questions relating to national de-
| tense, finance economics and diplomacy
| have been comparatively neglected. He
| added: Political groups, in collision
with the bureaucrats, have been busy
continuing the advancement of selfish in
terests, unregardful of the urgent needs
rangement of finance, dislocation of eco
| nomc machinery, corruption of the adj
ministration, and destruction of local self
government The evil has been carried
so far that we have even seen ques-
ton SO important as that of national
defense made an object of political
strife"
AS he conceived the situation there were
two distinctive schools among Japanese
politicians. One was English and the
other German. The former favored the
establishment of a. party cabinet but I'M
perfectly digested political knowledge pre-
vented the creation of desirable party
government. These politicians he said,
do not hesitate to call a party cabi-
net AS for the German school-it merely
dreamed of bureaucratic government,
pure and simple, under the name of a
stand aloof' or unity cabinet" He said
these men forgot that the constitutional
system of government in Japan was
founded neither on the English or Ger
man plan. He commended that the powers
vested in the Japanese Diet are much
more extensive than those of the Ger
man Reichstag IF a government wishes
to carry out a weIl-balanced policy for
the administration of the country" he
continued lit will be necessary for it
to enjoy the support of the majority OF
the people. In other words a govern
ment that enjoys the confidence of the
throne and the support of the nation will
alone be able to carry out a policy call
culated to promote the prosperity and
happiness of the people.
One reason, he insisted. why the ex-
listing political groups had been brought
into dsrepute was that Japanese of
wealth and good social standing and in
fuence had ignored them, with the re-
suit that professional politicians had ma
nipulated them unchecked for their own
selfish purposes. He believed that his
own cabinet, which contained more DEM
ocratic elements than the previous, had
partially rectified the erroneous ideas of
the people regarding political parties and
he was firmly convinced that the ANAL
gamatien of the three governmental
groups into one party would be a great
step toward progress.
The amalgamation recommended by
Marquis Oxuma would mean that the
political forces of Japan would be di-
vided into the present governmental fac
lions, united under a name not yet Sc
lected, and the Seiyukai party, which
has long existed as powerful unit I'M
der the leadership Of Kei Hara, former
journalist and thrice minister for home
affairs.
The House of Peers remains the enigma
of the future. Many of it's members have
tenure for life and prefer to remain in
dependent. 1t is doubtful if any great
number would openly join the two parties,
and the peers possess powerful polit-
ical arm in their right to reject bud
get. The case of the peers will doubtless
be similar to the situation that existed
in England.
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Throughout the month it is in very I'M
favorable position for observation.
Jupiter is now high in the southern