The Washington herald., 1919-09-22

out America against an insidious in
fuence which Japan is alleged to be
attempting TO exercise through Amer
can mission boards, was sounded in an
official statement given out at the
American headquarters Of the Repub-
lie Of Korea here today The state
ment IS made by Kiusic Kimm, chair
man OF the Korean Commission at the
Paris Peace Conference.
American missionaries insKorea
who are acquainted with Japan's atro-
cities" says Mr.. kinm. are resent
ing japanese propaganda in America
eXcusing these atrocities in A covert
manner. Some OF this propa Canda, il
is alleged. has found its way 10 the
public through the Commission on Re
lations with the Orient OF which Rev.
Sydney L Gulick is secretary"
Mr.. Kimm, on behalf OF the Korean
people, calls on all Christians TO be on
the lookout for japanese propaganda
There is a tendency among certain
officials of some church organizations
in this country" says Mr.. KimIn to
profess openly their impartiality or
neutrality toward Kores and Japan.
and yet pursue a policy decidedly pro
japanese.
A Political Question.
There has always been a policy
among foreign mission boa rds Of
Ametica to observe very proper neu-
trslity regarding any political Ques-
ton affecting the various foreign coun-
| tries where their missionaries are
working. Any other course would be
obviously wrong. And yet in regard
to the Independence OF Korea, which
| is a purely political question. some
secretaries OF foreign mission boards
have ventured 10 make statements
which cannot be considered otherwise
than a distinct departure from this
/ rule
( When the missionaries in Korea re-
ported TO their respective boards the
atrocities perpetrated by the japanese
upon the Koreans. they did IL, not for
political reasons. but for humanitys
sake They were sen out there to
teach the Christian religion and Chris
tisn humanity. When that religion is
at stake and that humanity outraged.
/ it is the duty OF every missionary 10
raise his voice against il. The same
American sentiment that wes aroused
/ by the German atrocities in Belgium
! has prompted the missionaries in
Korea to protest against the inhumsn
! conduct OF Japan in Korea
Compelled TO Speak.
/ But the determination OF the mis-
/ sionares 20 make known the facts
| concerning Korea was not solely al
truLstic and humanitarian They did
/ 1t also in defense OF the organizations
that had sent them TO Korea and 10
preserve the influence OF thos" socie-
:
pans policy was, and is, to stamp
| out the Christian religion in that
/ country. They had seen Japan bring
under her control all the mission
schools OF the peninsula, and then Ge-
I creed TO take swav the Bible from
these schools in ten years. dating
I from 1918 They had seen how. in
1872 the japanese had made a direct
and violent attack not only on KO-
| rean Christians. hut upon the insti-
/ tuition OF Christianity itself, in the
| notorious Conspiracy Case In each
| case they refrained from public com
/ ment under advice from their re
| spective boards But now the thing
has gone so far that they have been
compelled by conscience and by com
mon sense to make known the actual
/ situation in Korea to the American
people. not at the request Of the mis-
SION boards. but OF their motion. We
have been panied to see that some
Of the board secretaries fear that
the misguided, helpless Koreans
will suffer II the facts OF the case
are disclosed TO the American people.
However, these reports were finally
issued by the Commission on Rela-
tions with the Orient in a pamphlet
published about the first OF August.
On the first page OF this pamphlet
appears the cablegram OF the COM
mission. urging the Japanese Premier
TO publish oficial statements that
abuses have ceased and reasonable
administrative reforms proceeding.
This was evidently intended to be
used In this pamphlet to mitigate
indignant sentiment that may gener-
ate among the rearers Of these re-
ports.
Ash Neutrality.
The Koreans do not share this
fear. On the contrary they fear si-
lence on the part of the Christian
people Of America, because that will
constitute a tscit sanction Of Japan's
actions in that distracted country.
Public protest will do more to rectify
those wrongs than anything else can
do. The reader will. perhaps, remem-
Der that II was the instant and loud
protest Of the Christian missionaries