Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-15
yapanese Giue Pledge :,
Across Liberty BeH

far from causing severance OF Booe e.a.s,
| ing between Japan and the on''eu
had but strengthened II. ,,
"Japan and America" he said, nav
been the victims of q vicious campaign VI
German slander and intrigue put We S,,nre
awake to the danger now and In the Iu'uro
we will be linked closer because OIL INC On
periences of tho past" A..
Ishii then paid warm tribute 10 .ne
late American Ambassador 10 japan
George Guthrie. and expressed MS pleas
ure at the appointment of another fenh-
sylvanian.
In response, Mr.. Morris expressed his sat
isfaction at being able TO be present III
Philadelphia to help receive the representa-
tives of the nation to whose country ne is
on the eve of departure.
MY hope is," he said in part. that the
bond between the two nations made py
the world war will develop a mutual under
standing and knit us closer even than the
Industrial enterprises of peace have.
pledge the best efforts of which I am
capable"
Mr.. Trixg, who presided. told the visitors
with pride of Philadelphia's other name,
the Workshop of the World" and ex-
pressed the hope that after the war the
bonds of peace and commerce would bind
still tighter the tie between the two
countries.
other speakers were Fridtjof Nansen,
minister plenipotentlary from Norway. and
the Japanese Ambassador to the United
States, Mr.. Sato.
CORDIAL PUBLIC WELCOME
Despite the persistent rain, a three-deep
crowd turned out along the line of the
procession which led down Chestnut street
II the Joyous exuberance of the creating
that marked the coming of Joffre and
Viviani was absent, 1t was perhaps be-
cause the impassivity and solemnity of the
Japanese bearing seemed to call for a
similar return.
But 'Kimigayo," the japanese national
anthem, with its minor haunting notes
caught the spectators and made the hats fly
off.
Ishii. tho white of his mustache In vidid
contrast to the leathern immobility of his
face and the intense black of his short
bristling hair, responded to the welcomes
extended by the Mayor and Mr.. Morris
In English which was fluent and compre-
hensible, X somewhat heavily accented, and
when he outlined the purpose Of the mis-
sion in cementing the friendship between
the Mikado's island empire and the land
OF the Stars and Stripes his words brought
forth round Of applause from those as
sembled in Independence Room.
JAPAN's PLEDGE OF LOYALTY.
"The purpose of my mission was and ls "
he said after felicitating Mr.. Morris on his
appointment. ITO tell you this and only this
that we stand with you and will stand
| with you throughout the struggle for lib
| erty and for freedom and that we will
| rejoice with you when this bell shall again
| ring the proclamation of a righteous peace
as 1t rang 134 years ago
| Il have tried to impress upon you
! through your representatives in the halls
| of Congress-" he said, "the fact that in
Japan the true spirit Of individual liberty
| and of freedom for the nation burns as
| brightly as 1t does in America. II seems
| to me that there could be no more fitting
| opportunity than this to assure you that
our ideals and our hopes run alongside OF
| yours The whole world answers the sum-
mons to uphold freedom and liberty from
| oppression and from wrong. The force that
| moved this great bell of yours to sound
the alarm In 1875 Is the same human force
that brings the call to us today"
| AMBASSADOR MORRIS SPEAKS
| Greeting the guests. Mr.. Morris said thai
| in view of his recent appointment the occa
sion was Of peculiar significance to him.
"The men who here declared this people.
| independence and here wrought out the
| fabric of more stable government hat
no narrow or no selfish purposes" he said
| addressing Ishli. THE notes Of the bel
| above us which was cast that It nigh
| proclaim liberty throughout the world found
responsive echo in the aspirations which
they nourished. They were struggling t.
| realize not rights for themselves, but
heritage for the world Il heritage which
| should assure for all peoples the rights
| which they claimed for themselves - tn,
right of Independent national existence. tn,
| right to develop their institutions as the
national spirit and traditions should die
| tate and safe from aggressive interference
of ambitious nations.
IsHII AN INTERESTING FIGURE
Chief interest in the mission centers o.
course, I'm its chairman. Ishii is another O.
the young men that the war has brough
into prominence His fluent English to
| gether with the reputation that he Is sait
| deservedly to hold of being an excellen
mixer" las made him the ideal spokes
man Of an embassy which arrived in tn
United States at a critical period in th
relations Of this and the Far East country
"our message is tnat in this day, through
its hours of shadow or of sunshine. you
| purpose Is our purpose, your road ou
| road and your goal our goal 1t Is tina
America and Japan will march together ant
| fight together as comrades until the end ha
| been reached and the victory won in tn
struggle which involves our rights and ou
| liberty" is the assuring answer that h
gave when questioned as to the possiblit,
| of his country joining Mexico in a confic
with the United States.
lshii. the son of a farmer, is regarded a
one OF the few men in the island empir
who has had the ability to bridge the dis
tance between the lower and the uppe
classes He is credited with having the con
fidence of men in all, walks of life an
was elevated to the peerage as a rewar
for distinguished diplomatic services h
rendered to his country, the most notabl
being his investigation of the condition
Of the Japanese in this country and Canada
He was trained under the veteran states
man, Komura. known as the father Of Jap
anese diplomacy" and his capabilities frs
received marked attention when the For
eign Office at Toxic was revising old trea
ties. He Is said to be one of the frs
Japanese who showed himself able to appre
Ciato the 'Amercan nnint of NiaW In tn