The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-04
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

One or Amerlca most ulstliS uASit~N authors. lecturer and preacher, slipped quietly into Birmingham on Sunday afternoon and went away on Monday afternoon, having attracted little at tention.
 It's true he spoke at the High school. He is also a great educator and is fond of school children and college boys and girls.
 I suppose, without question, that Dr. William Elliott Griffis is the most voluminous writer in the east that America has ever produced, and what he writes is both interesting and au- thoritative.
 Dr. Griffis went to Japan, in 1870, 10 organize schools. He was professor of physics in the Imperial university of Emperor of Japan with the fourth or der of the Rising Sun. 1907.
 He Is one of the few living Ameri- cans who lived in Japan before it adopted twentieth century methods. He told me that during a four years resi- dence in Japan. he saw only one Flu ropean.
 His work on the Mikado's empire is a classic, for 1t preserves much that the average traveller overlooks. It gives one true idea of Japanese life as well as its history.
 I was greatly interested in his talk about the small chance of war with Japan on account of the California sit uauon He said if Japan fights us 1t will be because she wants to keep the up the great mineral deposits, richer by far than any deposits in America.
 He said that few people who had not lived in the east can form any idea of the prestige which America gained by its conduct in the Boxer war
 More than anything that could have happened, according to pr. Griffis, it showed the greed of the European na tions and the disinterestedness of America.
 The Rhodes scholarships are truly in bringing about a better understanding among the scholars who are brought together at Oxford.
 But according to the great oriental ist. whose life and labors were so pro- ductive in upholding in Japan the best American ideals, the fund used to bring to this country the young men and young women of China was going to revolutionize our international rela- tions
 He said: "We talk about the vel low peril but it's nothing as compared to what the white peril is going to be after the great European war is over.
 Dr. Griffis is also an authority on Korea, the Hermit Kingdom, which is fast losing its identity under Japan's con- Korean Tales" give sidelight on life and conditions that shows keen insight into native life.
 Dr. Griffis has also written delightfully."- about Holland. His volume, Brave Lit tie Holland and What She Taught Us," is a book that ought to be read by every man who wishes to better understand American history.
 His Belgium, the Land of Art reveals the artistic side of his nature. His heart has bled at the wanton destruction of the great cathedrals and other public build lngs, which for centuries had stood as witnesses of a civilization which had car ried architecture to high point as art
 
 This versatile man has also written de- lightfully of our early life. His Romance of American Colonization" is as fascinat- ing as the "best seller'' fresh from the press.
 pr. and Mrs. Griffis had been leisurely travelling through the south. The good doctor was greatly impressed with the national cemetery at vicksburg. which he was inclined to put ahead of Gettysburg. It is really wonderful spot
 He greatly enjoyed New Orleans with It's modern, bustling life joined onto the quaint, quiet regions of the fascinating French portion.
 Yes, he was impressed with Birming- ham, but the dear old missionary saint, traveller and author had reached the age when the older and. more historic cities appealed to him. He put in a week at Montgomery.
 I only had a little while to talk to Dr. Griffis. I wish I could have put in hours with him. He is still vigorous in body and In mind. My, how much he has seen and felt!
 feel sure that if he hadn't been already packed to catch the train for Atlanta that I could have persuaded him to remain over and made a talk before one of our civic bodies.
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