Evening journal., 1917-10-15

What inspires wonder or admiration,
because OF some sudden transforma-
ton, is called q miracle. Things equal
ly marvellous in their change, but
slower in operation. win less atten-
ton. After the recent japanese Special
Mission In which Emperor and Gov
eminent. diplomacy, army and navy
were represented, with rank, uniforms,
decoration and medals. what is there
besides2
OF the sixty-nve million souls in the
Empire OF Japan, all, except the little
folks in bright colors. and a frac-
tlonal number OF adults, wear plain
clothes. It is the men Of this sort that
are now among us. They represent
trade. school, railways and the daily
needs and interests not Of the classes,
but OF the masses The entire popu-
lation Of the most progressive country
OF Asia, the mother continent Is in
terested i'm their quest. They are here
for business and TO seek the mutual
advantage Of Americans and Japanese
Of producer and customer, OF buyer
and seller. They are ready to launch
and man whole fleets on the Pacific to
ply between our ports and their own.
For what purpose2
The heated dreams In the dellrium
OF racial prejudice and artilcially GRE
ated ignorance coniure up armadas Of
steel warshlps, loaded with hostile In
a a n
The reality is TO seek easy routes be-
tween the ports Of Demand and sup
ply. Theirs are not as the wind borne
and oar driven boats, with their raven
pilots, Of our Morse ancestors who
sailed out TO kill burn and de iHoy.
Their true emblem is rather the pic
ture which every aspiring boy In old
Japan put under his pillow on New
Years eve-the ship Of good luck on
which the seven gods Of happiness
were passengers.
Cunning and tricky are the Japa-
nese2 Yes Their knowledge and their
practice Of the necessity Of hard work
mixed with brains are almost uncan-
ny. Indeed, in this they arc quite equal
to Yankees in what we call "shrewd-
ness" and enterprise Even from
nursery days their idea Of a good time
coming is embodied in the jolly pa
tron Of wealth, Daikoku. Fat and mer-
ry is he, as he bestrides his bags OF
grain and piles Of gold coin. He holds
in his right hand a hammer. With
this he raps the brains Of the dull
fellows to hint that fortune comes
only after hard knocks.
There is in this latest mission no
trace Of that literary fiction Of "Ori-
entalism," or "inscrutabighy,' that
some Occdentals attribute to all Ash
atlcs. Their purpose suggests rather
real Yankee wit and capacity. II is as
well based on the fixed laws Of reality
in trade, finance and mutual good will
Of buyer and seller as an Amoskeae
| mill. or a Wall Street deal in shares
or the selling Of a Liberty bond. Net
their slogan favors adaptability anC
alertness. They are plastic in respons,
TO new needs.
On this we can "bank'-that thi
voluntary mission In behalf Of trad
is in no whit inferior to that heade'
by Ishn. While dollars for American
and yen for Japanese are the chic
ends in view, this popular embass
recalls a miracle greater than diplo
macy can show. OF other potent trans
formations making for human uplii
this Is the historic index. The cleanse
skin in place OF leprosy, the SCUM
limb instead Of palsy, sight for IN
blind, were tokens for the indvldua
Now. the loaves and tlshes-food 70
the hungry-form the more appropr
ate symbol To make trade honorable
to oxalt the merchant, means mutui