The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-09-12
FIGHT To SAVE KOREA
FROM JAP MASTERS
barous is The Huns In
Belgium.

belgium.
Nashville. Tenn The board Of
missions Of the Methodist Episcopal
church. South, in session here, has
adopted resolution calling upon the
other Protestant churches of the
United States TO join with them in
making united representation to the
Japanese governments and to the state
department concerning the Korean
situation. 1t WAS the conCensus Of
opinion among the members Of the
board that Japan has adopted a tyran-
niCai and cruel method Of dealing with
the Koreans, and has entered upon
syste matte persecution of the native
Christian population.
In the long discussion which pre-
ceded the adoption OF the resolution
various members of the board gave
/ expression to their conviction that
the Korean people are being perse-
cuted by their Japanese masters. and
/ that under japanese rule during the
past few months events have trans
! PRED in Korea which rival the out
RACES connected with the German oc-
cupation OF Belgium
Authentic Documents Received.
| The action of the board was based
upon documents which have been sent
/ here from the Korean missionaries
/ OF the Methodist Episcopal church.
/ South, These documents consist Of
! letters copies OF reports. editorials,
! proclamations. official reports. and
/ statements from missionaries, physi-
clans, eye witnesses, and persons who
have suffered from the Japanese
! tyranny
These reports are the result of long
! investigation and accurate informa-
/ tion on the part OF the missionaries
/ The names of those making the
: sthtcfn&6t4 ana securing the infor-
liaAt ban ln8ss-a~ bean withheld. because
OF the fact that their publication
would involve the missionaries in diff
ficulty with the japanese government
| Korean Independence Movement.
According to these reports and
documents the independent move
ment in Korea has been brewing
since January 20. 1919, on which date
occurred the death of Prince vi. the
1 ex-omperor OF Korea
/ Although the official report stated
that the cause of his death was due
to I he rupture Of a blood vessel in the
/ brain. this statement is generally
doubted by the Koreans, Most of the
| people believe that the cx-emperor
was poisoned because he would not
J aiiiX his seal to paper Witnessing to
the satisfaction of his people under
Japanese rule. which paper WAS to be
fused AT the peace conference.
! others believe that the emperor
| committed suicide because of his dis
| satisfaction with koroa's relation to
I Japan. and that his death was In
/ tended os protest against Japanese
rule. His death was. therefore. in
! torpret"d by tho people as being an
effort on his part To save his country
men from the state Of subsection in
which he had involved them by his
abdication IN favor of Japan.
ON March two days before the
funeral of the eX- emperor, n procla-
nation was issued by thrty-three
leading men declaring Korea an in
dependent state. This was followed
| by celebrations all over the Korean
| peninsular, such demonstrations being
| held in practically all of the cities
| and small towns of the country
These demonstrations were entire
| ~ peaceful in all cases Tho Koreans
declaration Of independence specid-
cally states that no force would be
employed. and tho Koreans possess no
arms OF any kind whatever
| Cruel Tactics Used by Japanese
In breaking up these peaceful dem
Japanese soldiers and police use tao
ties OF the utmost cruelty,
More than 1900 people were sub
jected to beatings, a form OF punish
ment so cruel and unnatural that the
Japanese will not allow it To be prac-
lticed on their own nationals. 1t con-
sists in beating the bare body of the
victim with a bamboo rod. made by
! tightly tteing together q number of
bamboo strips with hemp Irvine. The
victims are given ninety severe strokes
with this instrument, thirty strokes
each day for three consecutive days,
while dashed To rude cross and lying
prone on tire ground. ....-....
The information in the possession
OF the board of missions contains writ
ten statements by a number OF nurses
and physicians in various Korean
hospitals. testifying to the severity of
such punishment, These reports show
that large number of the Koreans
suffered peritonitis and gangrene and
died In the great agony.