New-York tribune., 1918-02-17
Through Arts and Sciences Seeks Mental Fellowship Decide

In other words the first Japanese con-
tributon to the international yocabu-
larry of applied electricity.
On the 10th of December, 1917, Or.
Matsuji ll'r@yama, head of the gov
ernmcntai hSgienic experimental sta
ton at Osaka, called together reporters
at the Osaka Hotel and told them of
his discovery. 1t caused what was
nothing shcrt OF national sensation.
For the doctor discovered the sccn-
tihc method of extracting iron from a
certain kind of yellow, reddish volcanic
clay which is very plentiful in Japan.
Japan had been working herself into a
national hysteria over the American
ban OH steel exports. If the doctors
discovery could be made commercial
success (Which the learned doctor took
Il deal of pains to demonstrate to his
sudlence Is entirely possblc), thcn the
United States may do whatever she
pleases with her steel.
And Dr.. lIirayama's S discovery needs
no Interpreter 10 speak TO the under.
standings of any European or Amer
lean people. Moreover they will be
rather curious, even ANXIOUS, to listen
with an understanding car because
they have gained the idea that the peo-
pic of Japan arc more or less brothers
and sisters to tho monkey excellent
at imitation, but rather poor in orig
inal work.
In December last year young Jap
ancsc musician named kosaku Yamada
left Japan for the United States He
is said by certain newspapers Of
Toxic to have q touch, a spark, th at
is not supposed to be always found in
ordinary, common clay. He is to in
wade musical America heavily helmet
cd with an inmodcst aspiration OF
staging an opera Of his own COMPOST
tion-"Daishchi no Onna' ("Thc Sov-
, cnth Woman"l. He is also to introduce
some other compositions. such as
"Mandara no Hama" ("Fowers OF
White Datura") and "Ioki to Hclwa,
which is highly timely now, because III
means "War Shouts and Peace"
The names of Ganjiro and Koshirc
have been familiar to almost any ole
nobody in Toxic for years; they arc
the headliners of Iokio's Stage star
dom. And according to the latest re
port from Toxic they are to make a
tour through the United States this
yet unnamed, and Mrs j. n. Penlins.
Pennington is an American student o.
the Japanese stage of many years stand
ing. Whether in Toxic or Osaka, o.
in the ancient capital Of the Mikado
called kloto, she has a free pass to al
the leading theatres, so we'll is she
known to the theatre folks and mana
gers in Japan. Once she had been q
dramatic critic on New York paper
and after that she crossed over I,
Europe 70 study the stage there. One
is therefore rather tempted to take he,
as competent judge. And she pro.
nounces GanJiro the greatest actor she
has secu anywhere in The wide world
The Art of Nippon
On Our Stage
That is tremendous statement, but
the Toxic theatregoers take it with
out a smile. All of which shows jus;
what hold Ganjiro has on the under.
standing and heart beats OF his owl
TOXIC folks. Can he speak as con
vlncingly to the American audience
That is to be seen. lf he does, it will
mark brand new day for the histri.
onc art of Nippon. And his appear.
ancc will be doubly interesting be.
cause he and his company are going te
present here the classic things -amos'
as old as the Yeddo Castle of the Sho
guh-SucN as "ChuShln gura" anC
"kwanjin cho." "Chushin gura" is tht
dlramatlzation of the classic story o,
the famous Forty seven Ronin. II
GanJlro and his fellow artists succeed
IN bringing mist to American eyes over
this twice ten thousand times told tale
OF Japan, then they will have achieved
something that is infinitely more pre-.
clous than anything Japanese diploma.
fists have ever been able to do in this
country. AS for the "Kwanjin cho." 3
scene out of it was presented rather
successfully to q New York audience
by the Washington Square Players las,
year. But, of course, it was very ia,
from the real Japanese rendition OF
the piece.
The artistic expression, particular
ly, Is the real language of Japan. The
characteristics of race arc exhibited
at two museums; the toy shop of 8
country is one of them; the other is
its popular novel. There they are ex-
4, hibited in the nude.
In the toy shops Of Toxic there arc
tin soldiers. bamboo sabres, make
believe cannons. But beside an Amer