The sun., 1918-12-30
japan at the Peace Table.

late IOS spent SeVerhl ear aHlonk
us on Manhattan now comes as his
nations delegate to the peace con-
gresS at Versailles. Being no stranger
to European courts and chancelleries
as envoy to London and Vienna. or
to the practical experiences OF id
ministratlon in Japan, a member OF
the House Of Peers, nominated by the
Emperor for merit and service, and
having served in several cabinets. as
Minister Of Foreign Affairs, he will
feel at home wherever he may go.
The career Of Baron MAKING Is
typical Of the new men in modern
japan. This is true. with an empha-
sis derived from the fact that the
poorest boy in the land may become
Prime Minister Of an empire which,
on Islands and continent, numbers
75,00O,0O0 souls. Nor is 1t mt all i'm
probable that to this high Office Baron
MAKING may yet be called. Even an
ancient pesslmist declared that what
hath been Is that which shall be"
Born In the far south. In Satsuma,
in the year of LINcoLN's election to
the Presidency. NoBUKAI MAKING cnme
north to Yedo in 1860. when this old
city. long the military stronghold of
the usurper, became Tokyo, the ma
tional capital. Then began the first
year Of Meiji, or enlightened gov
eminent, which ended with the death
OF the great MUTsUHIro, in 1912.
Every day things were happening in
the now cosmopolitan city. One OF
these events WIS the assassination Of
MAKINo's father by r~eactionaries, who
hated their victim because he was n
mn of progress. sIIe had visited our
country IN 1871 and he accepted
the best principles OF Occidental civil
zation. "without any mental reserva-
ton or evasion whatever"
A few surviving Americans then in
Tokyo remember the orphan lad Of
II thus bereft. His teachers recall
that. besides being diligent as a stu.
dent, he quite equalled his father in
keen dlscernment of what was perma-
nent for good and what were but feet
ing phenomena in the life Of the
western world. After his graduation
from the law school of the Imperial
University, followed by several years
Of study in America and Europe,
MAKING planted the ladder of his
career as Third Secretary in the For
eign Office. Hard work and alertness
to every opportunity Don placed his
feet on the middle rungs. After diplo-
matte experience abroad he became
private secretary to that exemplar of
pure ~action-the Roosevelt Of Japan
the Marquis ITo. Then followed two
years in active administration as
province governor.
Sent to Austria as Minister, his
services during the Russian war were
so notable that he received the dccora
ton of the first class in the Order Of
the Rising Sun. Very few. even of
eminent statesmen, win this bndge Of
achievement, and only n American
holds II, our own ex-president of Har-
ward University, CHARLES w. ELIOT.
MAKINo was then called into the cab
met of the Marquis SAIoNJI. now his
senior colleague, on mis- way by the
Suez Canal to Versailles.
As head of the Department of Edu-
cation MAKING did some wholesome
shaking up in his constructive activ-
ity. When the war broke out he held
the portfolio of Foreign Affairs, but
in June, 1917, was called to what,
considering the worlds condition, was
a more responsible post, that OF Dip.
lomAtic Adviser to the Emperor.
A warm friend of the United States,
even as his father before him was its
hearty Misunderstanding upon his fell
low statesmen LINCoLN's determine.
ton at all costs to maintain national
unity, because Japan's problem in
1868 WAS much the same as ours In
1S61-MAKINO may be depended upon
to uphold the highest ideals Of the
Allies at Versailles.
Everything cannot he settled at the
Peace Conference. but this Is certain,
that Japan will not reverse the record
she began to make fifty years ago.
1t was on New Years Day that the
new Government, in which MAKINo's
f0ther was prominent, surprised the
allied ENJOYS gathered at Osaka. BY
n messenger of no lower rank than
that OF an Imperial Prince n docu.
ment bearing In large letters the auto.
graph of the Mikado was borne as n
peace souvenir. The old treaties ever
from PFRRY's initiative had been mis-.
takenly addressed to n military vassal
in Yedo supposed to be the Emperor
though n mere power holder pro tenn
On the new copies of the treaties was
the true sovcreign's own sign manual,
To him was granted. by heavens
grace and his own wisdom. to rulC
the empire as active leader for forty.
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