The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-05
JAPANESE PREMIER
APPEALS TO HISTORY
Country's Long Record 81
Peace Pointed Out by an
Admirer Of Hara's
RECALLS PERRY's VISIT
American and British Ideals
Supplant German With
Change in Government.

IN mythology and imperialistic bum
combe Japan as an organized State IS
over $500 years old. Was not the official
date thus fixed in 1868? In the sylla-
bles of recorded time. however, the Japa-
nese people are no older than the Eng
lish. their writing and records dating
from A. ID. 562. II is to this unchallenged
record that the Premier of Nippon
makes appeal. With all the faults.
Japan has all the promise, also, of a
young nation.
This appeal is both reasonable and
convincing. Those who know best In
detail the annals of Dali Nippon know
that no Japanese need be ashamed OF
ms country's history when he makes
comparison with that of any Occidental
nation. On the whole. it is a story of
human nature struggling to actualize its
hopes and ideals. Four strains of blood
-Aryan, Malay, Semitic and Tartar
have struggled in evolution to form the
blend which we caIl the Japanese. Nor
were these race struggles over until the
twelfth century. Then a nation with
one political, social and religious organi-
cation began its career. Before this time
there were only the court and the
Mikado to represent civilization.
Perry's Peaceful Reception.
1t Is to the literature Of his country
that Premier Hara makes appeal, and
that like a man of science and not as
a partisan. The literature Of a nation
is its mirror. 1t is the photograph OF
mind In its development. If from tho
seventh to the twelfth century there Is
one outstanding feature in the native
writings of the Land of Great Peace
de- hot % oil 70 FAM
ninity. Prof. Chamberlain in his "Clas-
steal Poetry of the Japanese" even
complains of this 1t is true that when
the wars against the aborigines were
over epic prose became the Characters
tic and virile acts were celebrated. Yet
what other nation, like Japan, had
nearly three centuries of internal peace
without a thought of either foreign war
or conquest beyond the sea? One reason
why Commodore Perry's peaceful arma-
da of 1852, sent out by President Fill
more, was received in SO friendly
manner was the Japanese Governments
inherent love OF peace.
Premier Hara's further appeal Is to
art, and truly deserved is his generous
tribute to our American Fenollosa, its
interchangeable and noblest Interpreter.
What is best and most winsome in Jap
anese art is of Buddhist origin. Now.
Buddhism, with its grand inspirations
and its vast consultations, Is the very
embodiment OF peace and the nurse OF
all its attendant virtues.
Those Americans who know Hara aS
a student in the Imperial University of
Toxic are not in the least surprised at
his appeal or his championship of meas
ures that make for peace, such as the
development of the national resources,
commerce., education and literature and
the full understanding of western peo-
pies and civilization. This policy he has
pursued in the face Of fiercest opposition
from the military clique that has had
Japan in it's grip since 1889. He and his
Companions of the Ink Stone early
adopted the principles upon which ne
has consistently acted. Fukuzawa. in
1869, while the lazy crowd went out and
too many students left their books TO
witness, as idle spectators, battle at
Uyeno, gathered young men of Ike mind
to study our own Waylands Moral
Science"
First Commoner to Rule.
Yet few men during fifty years have
so helped to recreate Japan as Japan's
grand old man. -Four million copies OF
his books were sold. He founded a uni
versity which rivals that called Imperial
and he is named as the intellectual
father of half the leading men OF Japan.
In like manner Hara went steadily on
to make the New Japan of his Ideals
through industry, trade and Journalism
on high plane. Down to 1890 Amer
lean models were chosen and Anglo
Saxon influences ruled. Then Ito and
his Prusslanism in policy and education
prevailed. and after this the Corean
atrocity, and Japan steadily lost friends.
No sooner did Hara become Premier
he was the first commoner and business
man to hold the office the first Premier
born north of the region OF the long
dominant Southern clans--than he or
dered TO be DOTTED at once all military
uniforms except those on sailors and
soldiers actually in service. In Corea
the monstrosity OF Japanese scnool
teachers wearing swords in the class
rooms became as dead In history as the
sabre toothed tiger or the woolly rhi-
noceros.
These facts are to be taken In connec-
ton with the recent creation in the
Toxic University of q chair OF American
history and Jurisprudence, and In Ha-
wall Of one of Japanese history and lit
erature. The latter Is to be filled by no
less a parsonage than Tasuku Harada,
ID, D., LII D., who was capped ana
gowned by the University of Edinburgh
and who visited us in New York last
week These modern instances are Sig
nincant. Already a score OF Americans
in Honolulu have applied for instruction
under Or. Harada. Possibly 1t may pe
q disgrace to us that professorships or
lectureships Ia Oriental civilization
scarcely exist In our American universe
ties. Nevertheless. that page In LIE
NEW YoRH HERALD devoted weekly 70
China and Japan has won high praise
from those critically acquainted with mo
far yast. IL Is as true now as In Mil
TOMS time that peace hath her victories
no less renowned than those OF war;
WILLIAM ELLIOT GRIFTrs.