New-York tribune., 1918-02-17

And shall wager my bottom dollar
that you will never guess it.
DO you suppose that the hero of the
book was some sublimated Japanese
Caesar or an Oriental Alexander with
tin halo about his wreathed head, or
Far Eastern Little Corporal with a
pair of paper wings pasted upon him ;?
Hold fast to your chair Gt would not
surprise me particle if you would tar
country for the most brazen of liars
unhanged), for am going to tell 1t
right out:
The theme Of Mr.. Yano's historical
novcl-the most popular piece OF fiction
in Japan for a hundred years past
was bit of sophomore, rather over
dressed story of Epaminondas and his
fellow ~heban patriots. 1t was that.
And the Chinese text which ended up
every chapter of the book was the eX-
tracts from the Chinese classic trans
lation Of Grotc's "History Of Greece.
AS all the world knows, there is
loud trumpctcd parade Of gilt uni
forms in the rt-gripping struggle
of the Theban patriots.
In all their heroic and persistent
efforts for the restoration of their
beloved Thebes there is DO place for
the glory of conquest. There is no
militant. aggressive spread -caglcsm
anywhere about their story.
Key to Peoples
Sacrifice in War
1t was the pathos OF the Thcbans
patriotic struggle which took the
reading public of Japan by storm.
And here is the key to the history
of the New Nippon. This should
throw much light upon the wcllnigh
superhuman sacrifices the people OF
Nippon have made to build up tho
army and navy. This explains why
VIC fought China, when every chan
celery in Europe was betting On
in the Far East. This explains The
reason Why Japan did not hesitate
much to stand right up to Russia
when nobody denied the Northern
power tho position of the greatest
military autocracy on Garth. This
explains why Nippon has como out
of the struggles the way she did
| There is little use denying the fact
that the people OF Nippon love their
own land
But that does not mean aggressive
milltarlsm.
The late Lafcadio Hearn was one OF
the most marvellously near GIFTED
men of his time. And perhaps he was
not the best of witnesses. But Amer
leans would consider him much bet.
ter qualified critic than any Of our
own heathen people. no doubt. lie
was in Japan when we fought China
He saw our victorious army come
home from China at the close or the
war. And this is what he says ot
what he saw;
"The crowd thickened about us, but
there was no cheering, not even speak
ing-a hush broken only by the meas.
ured tramp of the passing troops
The features (of the victori
GUS soldiers home from war; showed
neither Joy nor pride"
No brass bands, no deiirious cyclone
Just solemn funeral procession; thai
was all. And why. in the name of al
! the gods and men, should it have beer
aught else--the return of the victori
Gus army from the performance of ar
imperative but bloody. heartbreakinf
duty? All this was at the time o1
the Chinese war. Our people shou
row; we have brass bands and all, to-
day. We, too, are getting civilized.
Much, too much, petrifed moonshint
o1 the militant samurai has been i'm
ported into this and other Occidental
countries in carload lots since TIL,
Russian war. Mr.. Nitobe's "Bushido'
received a few million dollars worti
{ free advertising. AS matter O
fact. it is scholarly book, smelling ;
good deal of the midnight lamp, more
remarkable for the Young collcgian':
enthusiasm over Tho fusc and feathprs
Of book learning than as a penctrat
ing or original exposition of tn,
ideals, dreams and life of the samurai
! Moreover. it was more remarkable fol
Occidental scholarship therein dis
played than for that of the Elder Nip
pom. But the chief trouble was no
in the book itself or anything tina
was in it.
The Trouble With
Telling the Truth