davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25
Recent Riots Show People Are Trying
to Leap Upon the Seats of the
Ancient Gods
By Adachi kinnosuke
in
the

own imperial dynasty. Prince Ito was
once the janitor of a small private
school, the famous Matsushita Bijiku,
taught by Yoshida Shoin. He travelled
all the distance between the bare-leg-
ged, penniless student to a prince Of
The empire, and was perhaps the most
trusted adviser Of unquestionably the
most remarkable sovereign who ever
sat upon the throne Of the Mikados.
But democracy, in the sense of gov
eminent by the people-that, also, the
people of Japan did have once But
that was in the misty days lost in the
twilight of history, when our august
ancestors were running about clothed
mostly in atmosphere and partly in ami
mails skins. Since then, with the in
PRODUCTION of culture and with social
and political progress, they have never
had it, until-until the present Count
1tagaki dramatically introduced it into
the fervid fancies of the young poll
ticians of the New Japan.
At Gifu, while Itagaki was delivering
his fiery speech on popular rights (po-
lltlcal), young man-not fanatic, as
any standard history would tell you
but sincere devotee of the imperial
house and the imperial system of gov
ernment-attacked him with dagger
and wounded him. 1t was before a
large audience, more or less excited
with this new doctrine Of popular
rights. 1t made a splendid scene, vivid
with the flow of blood. And as the
orator fell he cried "Itagaki may die,
but Liberty, never!"
The strange and eloquent thing about
the exclamation was that it was not
theatrical in any sense whatever. Count
ltagaki had formed a political party
of his own and christened it "Jiyu-to"
that is to say, "the party of liberty"
And the Japanese have always looked
upon 1tagaki as the father of popular
political rights in Japan.
Since the days of Count Itagaki's &C
Invites for the promotion of popular
political rights the history of political
Japan teens with facts which testify to
the growth, to a sensational and almost
scandalously rapid growth, of democ-
racy. Time was when the men of the
two powerful clans of the South, which
had more than any other influence
helped to bring the Emperor back to
the actual power of the government
the men of Satsuma and of Chosu-
held the power of the government in
their hands. But that is thing of the
past now Time was when the so-called
Elder Statesmen-mostly men of the
Satsuma and Choshu claus-used prac-
tlcally to dictate the major policies of
the government That time is also
gone. When the Yamamoto Cabinet
fell, in March, 1914, the political japan
thought that it heard the knell of the
so-cailed clan cabinets. It was not mis-
taken
One of the most sensational events in
the history of political Japan was the
coming of Okuma out of the classic
quletude of his Waseda estate and into
the Premiership following the downfall
OF the Yamamoto regime. When Count
Okuma retired, in 1898, from the Pre-
mlershlp he was sixty years of age. At
that time the prevailing opinion was
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25

drama and vaudeville world gladly con-
tribute their services.
Near the registration desk, where
SIX uniformed men sit before type-
writer's, on the dock where they have
been landed, are rows of sick and
wounded men. Some lie on stretchcrs.
others sit on benches just as they have
been carried or helped Off the ship.
visitors are not allowed to speak to
the patients, but now and then the
guide, friendly lieutenant, exchanges
a commonplace but kindly greeting.
In spite Of the visible appeal to
sympathy made by the surgical cases
tne men destined for the psychopathic
ward inspire TIE most pity. Eighty
mental cases had been brought in that
noon-enough to make necessary the
opening OF second psychopathic ward.
smell shock cases, manifested in va
rlous nervous ailments, are included in
this class.
When the patients have registered
and been classified they are led or car
rieo 10 their new quarters. The visitor
IS permitted to follow them. There
are various wards for surgical. general
medical, psychopathic and tubcrcular
patients.
In one ward alone $50 vacant beds
were awaiting occupants. No doubt
the mattresses, although Of the usual
hospital variety, will seem soft to -
weary sufferer who has been forced to
endure a hammock on his trip across
the ocean.
All the wards are cool and wind
swept. In those that were occupied
phonograpns were cheering the in
valids with gay and favorite tunes.
The hospital is provided with a mag
nificently equipped laboratory. Here
rows and rows Of bottles filled with
every conceivable drug needed in the
practice of modern medicine limo the
shelves. Here piles upon piles Of test
tubes line the drawers. Here tests
are made. Two steriizers arc the
special pride Of the department head,
Captain Clark.
Another feature Of the hospital il
the immense kitchen, where a small
army OF cooks was engaged in making
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25

Colonel James l.. Kennedy, distin-
gulshed medical officer Of the OCULAR
army, IS the head of the great medical
receiving and clearing station of this
port a little ever a year ago an Of
ticer and two men were ordered to
New York TO set in motion the huge
machine which is now in operation.
Since then there mas been hard work
to do. To-day Colonel Kennedy from
his headQuar Oers at OS and 20 Hudson
Street, Hoboken, directs the activities
Of force that has grown to a total OF
S,3o4 officers. enlisted men, nurses and
civilian employees
Nv hen the wounded and sick arrive
from overseas" said Colonel Kennedy
one day last week, in describing the
method of procedure instituted By
him. they viii be taken to ore OF the
debarkation hospitals From there they
Will be transferred to one of the TWEEN
ty-seven general hospitals Throughout
the country. Whenever possible the
hospital nearest the patients home
Will be selected
Relatives and friends OF the wound
ed soldiers should remember that the
government is doing everything IN Us
power for the comfort Of their dear
ones In view OF this il is the earnest
desire Of the Medical Corps that no
attempts 10 see wounded soldiers %
made during the period OF Their s'a!
at the dc3arkation hospitals. until the
extent of their injuries has been sats'
factorily determined and their con;
dluon permits them TO be Transferred
TO the general hospitals
The Ellis Island Hospital is caIieo
by the Medical Corps Debarkation hos.
pltal No. !. The Fox HIS instltutio"
on Staten Island is No. .; Greenhut;;
old store. No. 5. The respective PEI
capacity of each is 1919, l,5'o anu
5000
In addition to the hospitals tor 10
care of overseas patients. Coionei ~ NJ,
nedy is also in charge Of three gre.
embarkation hospitals for the re- snr
ment of men who are under orders w. w.
overseas service. These are al IA
boken, n. j.; Secaucus, \. j, a~f
Hoffman Island, n. y. The capaells =.
these embarkation hospitals is, resps>
lively, 1853. S14 and 694. 80, st
Then there are the base t;,is
Camp Merritt, n. j., and camp ms
l.. l. These are for the care ana We
ment of soldiers training at nome
The normal bed capacity OF hosp. .;on
now ready or soon to be IN opeia he
is 90. 095. In an emergency ms c. nads
increased to a capacity OF '3'-f' oe-sl
The normal capacity Of the Gents
hospitals to receive overseas p,ane,
is IA 7SS beds. and the eme,s IN.
capacity l7.aa7. other Hospital ne;
struction now going on wili s"u
beds.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25

ner. descended on Broadway
picked Its way to movie theatre Tbs
men paid the extravagant sum Of CO.,.
thing like 60 cents each for the soa.
And from the rearnlost end 80 =,
theatre the prince and his party visuos
with more or less pathetic humor ~.
moving picture reproduction Of IN.
ception given to Prince Tokucava .,a
his party at the White House at Was,
ington by the President OF the un;tsa
States.
Even more significant and certai,,,.
much more picturesque than this inn;
dent was an event which took place IN
Japan not so many weeks ago Thu
Nlscountess kano IS personally con.
Quoting wives of the farmers and arti.
sans of Ichino Miya, in the prefect,r.
of Chiba, about the country to eniov
hrst-hand study and observation Of .bo
various industrial activities and enter
prises of the empire. 1t is one of rho
most effective and extensive metbods
of liberal education employed in tbot
land of people wellnigh crazed with
the fever Of education and investjga-
ton. And in that there is no PARTON
lar significance.
What is shockingly startling about
this incident is this fact:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25
Three Base Units Here Will Distribute
Men to Twenty-Seven Institutions
Throughout Country
TINE glorious and tragic back
wash of the great Allied victory
- of the Narna h., ha,. ,

TIME glorious and tragic back
wash of the great Allied victory
of the Marne has begun to reach
America. The great debarkation
hospitals in New York, built to care for
thousands of our wounded soldiers, are
beginning 70 have real work to do. The
thln stream Of returning fighters which
has been trickling back over our "br;dpe
OF shlps' mas swollen suddenly, though
quietly and without attracting the at
tention of the public.
The first of the vessels carry
ing sick and wounded Americans from
the trenches has arrived. Others are
on their way. Sometimes patients
are received day after day, where thew
nave been coming at intervals of one.
two and three weeks
On a certain day recently 1903 pa
tients from overseas had arrived at
Ellis Island shortly after noon. and
more were expected that evening.
Aboard the little government boat
mat plies between the Battery and the
island are officers, soldiers, sailors,
friends or relatives who have been fort
innate enough to obtain a pass to visit
an inmate of the hospital, and one or
two smartly but simply dressed society
women, workers in the Red Cross tent
or pene on some GRAND of cheer to the
hospital
Major Haig is in charge Of the island.
and it is he who puts the visitor in
charge Of guide, some officer stationed
at the hospital.
Inc general impression made by the
hospital, formerly the immigration
station, ~ one Of we'll planned space
and coolness. II is divided into
Islands /, and 3, the long
strips Of land where the buildings
stand being connected by narrow
strip. The space between islands | and
z. now occupied by water, will soon be
converted into park. The admins
tratIve Offices and tho Bureau Of In
formation are on Island / On bland
. IL the Red Cross tent and the motion
picture apparatus. Here entertain
ments are gwen nearly every Tuesday
evening, and many celebrities Of the
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25

toward it. More especially in the senti-
ments OF the men and women who com
pose the nobility of the realm toward
class distinctions and oldtimc usages
connected with them.
Early in the summer of 1917 new
naval attache to the Japanese Embassy
at Washington was appointed. When
he landed at San Francisco in fact
before he mad the chance to land an
enterprlsing reporter from japanese
paper published there nabbcd him
aboard the steamship Tcnyo -MAru, one
OF the crack trans pacific liners, which
had brought the attache over.
The reason for this prompt and un-
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25

upon as the leader Of the people. For
elsn reporters invariably style him the
one democrat of Japan And there is
no gainsaying the fact that he has said
a good deal on the subject of popular
government and the rights Of the
people. At any rate, his return to power
was interpreted as distinct triumph
of democratic ideas by all the poll
ticians in Japan.
But, after all, the most significant
triumph of democratic ideals among
the people Of Japan is not in the realm
of politics. 1t is in more permanent,
a more vital realm of social structure
Of the people and their sentiment
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25
Aforetime They Would
Have Kissed the Dust

Viscountess Kano is the wife of Wis
count kano. who was the daimyo, or
the lord, of the Ichlno Miya Clan. In
the good old days of the Samurai and
the sword-not so many years aro
elther-these farmers and workmen's
wives would have behaved somewhat
differently from the way they are
carrying themselves to-day. II they
had met the palanquin of our noble
Lady kano on public highway--in the
days of the Old Nippon these farm
ers' wives would not have dared to lift
their eyes to the palanquin of the
noble lady, let alone to her person
More than that, those women would
have taken off their wooden clogs or
straw sandals, knelt dpon them right
there on the dusty road, and. what is
more, wiped the road with their fore
heads as the palanquin passed them By.
There are foreign visitors to Japan
who look upon the super dreadnouGht
y
their breaths in a fit of wonder, re-
calling the wooden junks with spears
and streamers and with no guns what
soever which tried to stop Commodore
Perry's feet at Uraga. They are silly,
those visitors, and wasting their won
der like a spendthrift.
They should open their eyes to this
miracle of democratic evolution in
Japan presented here through The sim
pie fact Of Viscountess Kano and her
party of farmers wives of Ichno
Miya. There is nothing as crude and
noisy about these ladies as the rice
riots reported to be nationwide in
Japan at present But il is quite as
emphatic and illuminating testimony
as the other Of the vital presence Of
the spirit of democracy in Japan Of
which America has had but the most
shadowy suspicion.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25
Ellis Island, Staten Island and Manhat.
tan Stations Ready-Central Pal
ace Will Have 1900 Beds

After looking over the wards, the
quarters for the staff and the officers
next invited inspection. These fare no
less we'll than the other inmates of
the institution, and the quarters are
both comfortable and airy
The Red Cross tent occupies a con-
spicuous place on Island 3. One or
two workers are ALWAYS on duty, and
these visit the wards to obtain details
about certain cases. Some of the
wounded men have not received any
pay for seven or eight months. 1t is
assumed the pay check is following the
wounded men from company to base
hospital, and will finally overtake them
here. Others want to communicate
with relatives or friends. Still others
want some little comfort which can be
procured for them through this
channel
In spite of the changed objective of
tho institution about half dozen i'm
migrants remain. The most attractive
among them is little Spanish girl.
some six years of age. who is recover
ing from contagious disease.
Two hospitals in New York where
patients are now being cared for are
at Ellis Island and at Fox Hills. Staten
Island. Within a few weeks the alter
ations at the former Greenhut depart
ment store building, at Eighteenth
Street and Sixth Avenue, will be COM
pleted. Then the Grand Central Palace
into the largest war hospital in the
country with accomm odatjons for near
ly 1000 men. The Yale Club in this
city and the Hotel Nassau at Long
Beach will be added to the chain.
In New York 529 officers of the med
cal, sanitary and dental arms of tho
Medical Corps. 2,649 trained hospital
attendants, ambulance drivers and othel
enlisted men of the medical service. 342
graduate army nurses and 65 civilian
helpers represent forces ready for ser
vice.
A feet of six hospital boats, manned
by picked men and with nurses sup
piled by the American Red Cross. be
sides two hospital trains, Nos. and 4
with convalescent capacity of $50
patients IN addition to thirty bed
patients, are also ready to be called up
on. Boats and trains are finely cquippe 4
and every comfort for the patient has
been Installed. The trains are in ten
cars Captnin Reitz. Medical Corps, il
IN charge OF train |. and Captain Cor
win ). Mayes in charge of train A.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25

ccrcmonious attack on the newcomer
was that he bore the title of viscount.
But, of course, a mere viscount is moth
ing at all whatever in these days, even
in Japan. But the particular title in
connection with the particular naval
attache meant something more The
young gentleman was to the manner
born, and the title in his case meant
that he was the present head of the
House Of Hottie, the ex-Daimyo of the
famous Clan of Sano. At the first men
ton Of his title the nobleman fired this
shaft at the reporter and felled him
to the floor sense!ess with amaze
mcnt:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25
oh, to Feel What
Wretches Feell'

In Japan democracy, in the sense of
government for the people, existed
in the days of the ancient Mikados. who
were wont to walk out into wintry
snowy nights bare to the skin in order
that they might remind themselves of
the hardships their beloved people
we're enduring. 1t has been the boast
Of the chronicles of Elder Nippon that
her sovereigns from ages eternal
have always built their governmental
policies upon the principle called
"Mimpon Shugi." And the mimpon
sItugi means, if it does mean anything
at all, that the people are the whole
thing and the state is all for the
people.
In democracy, in the sense of So
ciety which offers equal opportunity for
successes and achievements to all the
people of every standing and station,
Asian states have been a good deal
more advanced than Europe, and quite
as much so as the United States of
North America. To one Napoleon who
Jared as the one sensation Of Ave CEN
turtles of European history Asia can
name quite a number -Tamerlane, At
tia. Ghengiz Khan, Runjeet Singh, Shi-
Hwangti, Hideyoshi.
The last named gentleman lived in
Japan in the latter half of the sixteenth
century. He was the son of a
humble peasant and sandal bearer;
ne attained the position of Shotgun
under the proud title of Taiko, the mill
itary chieftaln of the country and the
de facto sovereign of the empire.
One need not go so far back into his
tory If he does not wish to. There is
Yuan Shih-kai in China; there is Prince
Ito in Japan. Yuan was low-caste Ho-
nanese adventurer. When he died he was
the dictator of China. although he did
not quite succeed in establishing his
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25

IediIy tHS eIcCLTIC ulSpldy du-
Il vertising board, literally a,
broad as the empire, of more or less
sensational leap which democracy has
taken in that sacred moss-coated land
of the gods. That is about the only
meaning worth while bothering about
in connection with the riot.
1t was not the advertisement of the
birth of democracy in the land, as some
good American friends of ours believe.
Asia is an old, old home of democracy
although this must be scandalous
news to the American who has come to
believe that democracy is the one sacred
commodity on which the white race
has always had permanent patent and
exclusive manufacturing rights.
AS a matter of sober historic fact
therefore colored-prince who
sat upon the throne of Delhi es5aycd
to establish an Indian Empire "broad-
based upon the peoples WILL" as
Achmed Abdullah once told the Amer
lean reading public. And that Hindu
prince had lived ages before Voltaire,
Rousseau, Robespierre or Beaumar-
chais became acquainted with their
own mothers or one Mr.. Benjamin
Franklin could set line of type.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25
Annihilating
Class Distinction

Which, as all my American readers
can see for themselves, is at once the
most deadly as we'll as the most humor-
Gus anathema on any such anachronlsm
as aristocracy that ever came from
pair of human lips. Only thing about
the expression is that it is so finely
favored with the magic of Japanese
words that it cannot be translated into
any other foreign tongue. And be-
cause it cannot be, shall not be guilty
of attempting it here. But it simply
annihilates the very sense OF class
distinction. 1t does more than that; it
laughs it out of existence. And the
reporter devotes a good part of the
interview to the description of the sack
which so beautifully and scandalously
tuned with his ultra democratic senti-
ment and behavior
But an incident which points out and
demonstrates this tremendous and pro-
found growth of democracy among the
people of Japan in, perhaps, the most
extreme and dramatic and positive
manner took place but few weeks ago
in this very City of New York.
Prince Yoshihisa Tokugawa was here
then, heading the Red Cross mission.
One night the Prince had an entirely
informal and quiet dinner with two
others on the roof of the Astor Hotel.
One of the two while waiting for the
appearance of the Prince said to the
other:
GLOW tremendously the old world has
changedl | would like to see how my
august grandfather would have acted
had he heard that his grandson was to
dine with the head of the Tokugawa
family-of the Shogun's family-vis- "a
Wis in a close intimacy of a small table.
He would have expired on the spot with
the shock, or if not that he would have
committed hara-kiri right off to apollo
gizc for the sacrilege of the very init
nation of any such outrageous thing
For all | know the ghost of my august
ancestor may be performing the sacred
rite Of the Samurai in the shadow world
at this very minute. Why, my ances-
tors could not have approached the dais
of the Shotgun on their hands and knees
And here is their degenerate posterity
actually invited to sit with the present
head of the Shogun's family, talk with
him, eat with him on an absolute
equality.'
The dinner was good, but by no
means pretentious. 1t did not take
much more than an hour-qute long
enough, however, to convince the two
dinner companions of the prince that
they were enjoying the rare fortune
of being in the presence of man who
was at one and the same time the
hluest of all Nippon's bluebloods and
as we'll the greatest democrat out of
that ancient realm
AS though to nail this impression
! for all eternity, the party, after din
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25

that the political career of the count
was closed. More than anybody else
the count himself thought so. lie re-
tired to Waseda and devoted himself to
his two big hobbies the Waseda Uni
verslty, one of the greatest universities
IN the empire, and to trees and garden
making. Sixteen years he spent in the
scholarly atmosphere of his library
and Of his university, which he had
founded with his own private funds.
Then, at the age Of scventy-sx. he was
summoned to form the ministry Blu,
that was not the thing which impressed
his country and his people.
Count Okuma has always been looked
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25
Old Princes Practised Brotherhood az
Aesthetics but Made Their Slaves
Kiss Their Feet Just the Same

) "Ivamo, k7pasoku no sanzohu no
shishaku no goshaku no TO yuyond
hanashizca doko yamenishite kure-
idmaeF'