The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-05-26

Inc Korean National association, with headquarters in San
francisco IS sending out appeals for recognition of Koreas
kians by the peace conference. An article written bv an
american born in Korea is included in the literature sent OH.
and II THIS is to be given eredence these people have claims
upon public sympathy equal to those OF the Belgians. Under
Pretense d protecting Korea against the aggressions of China
On the one side and Russia on the other. Japan took over CON
1rol OF the country from an imbecie ruler some years ago, and
since that time has been practicing Prussian miltarism in it's
most atrocious forms. The Turks in Armenia have nothing on
Che Japs in Korea, The best lands have been taken by the lap
anrese; the schools have been Nipponzed; Korean language and
history cannot be taught. Everything is Japanese. The people
are harassed, jailed and murdered, and every indication Of
nationality is Vigorously suppressed. Even the mission schools
paNe been invaded and the Bible thrown out and not allowed to
Pc taught The purpose of the Japs is to crush>the Korean
spirit and exterminate the people, as the Turks tried to do in
armenia and the Germans in Belgium. Young women who had
the temcrity to carry Korean flags had their hands cut off by
Japanese soldiers, and male prisoners have been tortured and
murdered in the jais without mercy.
The Koreans are a Turanian race, ethnoogicaly allied to the
Fnns and Laplanders. They have a history dating back 5000
years, and the fact that they could not maintain a government
when they had it shows that their political genius is not of a
very high order If after 5000 years experimenting the Koreans
gould not carry on their government there is little hope fer them
IN the future, and the peace conference. unless it places a man
datory over them, cannot do much for them. They are chill
dren and must be led or driven as the Japanese are driving
them at the present time. For national autonomy they do not
seem ripe.
Nevertheless they seem, or, at least, their leaders seem to
realize that they must bestr themselves il they wish to escape
national extinction. They have issued a declaration of indie
pendence, which reads well enough if the signers could live up
to it il given a chance, and if the 100000 people would follow
their leaders and sustain them, Japan will hagge long before
she takes her hands away from the throat Of this nation of rich
children, who are as weak as water in the hands Of a military
and unscrupulous power, The peace conference has been deal
ing with big questions, and it may not have the time TO settle
all the neighborhood and domestic quarres in the world.
Twenty millions Of human beings in Korea are worth looking
after, and they should be given opportunity to live their own
lives and develop according to their national aspirations, Their
propaganda in this country is no doubt duplicated in other
countries, unless, indeed, as seems not impossible, they look
upon Uncle Sam as the ruler of things sublunary.
Korea has done one good thing which may be taken as an
evidence OF her capacity to do other things she has gotten rid Of
the old dynasty, which was effete, weak, corrupt and incapable,
She has come into contact to some extent with western civiiza-
ton, and her eyes are being opened, Her former subservient
pusillanirity, that permitted her to pay tribute to China for a
shadowy suzerainty, has been shaken off, and while she cannot
drive out the Japanese she is showing a desire to govern her
own household. Christianity is making some Roadway in Korea,
but as Japan looks upon Christianity as a form OF democracy, it
is thwarted at every turn, and the people are made to bow
down before the icon of the Japanese emperor, to whom all
honor and glory must be paid. Korea will receive American
sympathy, but direct assistance must be withheld because it
would bring about a conflict with Japan, which we must by all
means avoid.