Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-03-20
KOREA IS BETTER
OFF UNDER RULE
OF JAPS-- sOPER
Minister Born in Orient Says
Revolution Is "WiIdfire Out
break" by People Unfit for
Self Government.


Madison, N. j., March 19.-The rev.
olution in Korea was described today
as "wild-fire agitation by Il people
as. yet unfit for self government, by
the Rev. DR.. r. D. Soper a professor
in Drew Theological seminary here,
who has just returned fsom seven
months tour of the far east, part of
which he spent in Korea. DR.. Soper
was himself born in the orient, the
son of a Methodist missionary.
He was of the opinion that notwith =
Standing mistakes in japanese rule
and abuses of power by some Of the
japanese in the country, the Koreans
were better off morally, physically
and economically under japanese con-
troll than when they wera independ-
ent. He said the Koreans We're yet
children while the japanese were
"adolescents."
What the Koreans complained of rs
misrule he attributed to the jnapti-
tude of the Japanese in handling a
big and delicate problem ana not to
any wilful desire TO injure or exploit
the Koreans. Many influential 10
reans, he sud, favor japanese control,
but they are not in the majority.
One of the chief causes of the up
rising, according to Dr.. Soper, rs the
widespread talk of "self -Jetermina-
ton for small nations fostered by
agitators. Severity of japanese rule
backwardness of the Koreans IN ac-
cepting modern customs, introduction
of the japanese language III the Ko-
rean schools, death OF former EmpGr-
or vi Heui, the system of espionage
adopted by the Japanese all over Ko-
rea, and the nal administration and
venality of some of the Japanese
judges sent to Korea in 1910 at the
time of the occupation, were mention
ed by DR.. Soper as other causes
These judges, he said. faiied to curb
the activities of man. japanese free
booters,' who went % the hermit
kingdom when the Toxic government
assumed eontrcl. Many Of the early
day evils were remedied, however, and
the Koreans were becoming reconc,led
to the new sovereignty when the wal
| broke out. The coming OF peace and
the talk of agitators, he said, made
them FESTIVE. particularly in northern
| Korea where discomfort and the
clamor for independence became lrost
pronounced.
Korea is potential dagger
pointing at the heart of Japan. said
DR.. Soper IF Japan hal not occupied
Korea in 1910 Russia would have
done SO and that would have meant .
severe blow to Japan's trade and in
| dustry. 1t would have Cut off "A large
| part of the iron ore upon which the
| empire SO greatly depends. The Oc
| cupation of Korea by Japan was in
| evitable, but it has actually lifted thu
| country from ignorance and poveit!
| to civilization and prosperity.
1.-The idea of self differentiation fol
| small nations, combined with the re
| cent death of vi Heui, the former EN-
! peror, who was made Japanes,
| prince, when he was deposed, is wha
| Is causing the chief trouble. When tn,
ex-emperor died on January % last
| Korean women waited for days at thu
| palace gates. This was aggravated b,
report that vi Heui had committed
| suicide in disgrace over the betrotha
| of his son to a Japanese princess
| Political agitators took ad 'antage o
the occasion to stir up the people an,
remind them that they might Obtain
independence for Korea by appealing
to the peace conference at Paris
Money was raised and two emissarie
were sent overseas. One of them, sal,
to be perona non grata to the Japan
csc government was detained in tn
United States / have heard, unable t
obtain passports and is still here"
/ Severity of Japanese rule could no
help but create resentment and re
bellion in Korea. Cases of cruelt
were common and Japanese soldie
police were spying everywhere. The
even watched a religious service
conducted in a chapel at Seul to as
certain If there were any inflamma
tory utterances. Christian Korean
Sunday schools stopped singing sue
hymns as onward, Christian soldiers
and The Son of God Goes Forth I
| War because the ignorant Japares
| gendarn1es regarded them as nicer
diary" -.-. .....e.. s.5,.,-...-,44 s-s