Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-11-02
GAY FETE IN JAPAN
TO HONOR EMPEROR
People Forget California Is
sue While Celebrating
Leaders Birthday.
BY JUNIUS b. WOOD.


Copyright, 1870.
TOXIC. November Japan is gay
with red and white flags of the rising
sun by day. Flags and lanterns
are in front of every residence and
place of business, until the streets
present continuous vistas of bunting
and transparencies The occasion of
the celebration is the birthday ami
vcrsary of the present emperor,
though he was born August 81, 1879,
and the opening day of the Meijo
shrine here Il memorial to a for
mer emperor.
Though the newspapers are trying
to arouse interest in the California
dispute and elections. the common
people of Japan are attending strictly
to their own affairs and enjoying the
celebration. Despite the belligerent
editorials. few of the rank and file
are Interested in happenings on the
other side Of the Pacific.
Count Gives Garden Party.
One of the features of the birthday
celebration was a garden party given
by Count tchida. minister Of foreign
affairs. and Countess Uchida. in the
beautiful kaSumigaSeki detached pal
ace. 1t was a formal affair, with the
men in silk hats and frock coats. and
the women displaying both western
gowns and native costumes. including
rich silk kimonos and similar gor
geous articles of dress. The dedica-
ton of the shrine. which cost several
million dollars. is to be popular af-
fair. Today has been declared ma
tional holiday.
The demonstration continues three
days. the royal family visiting the shrine
of it's ancestors on Tuesday.
The newspapers forecast that the
California referendum will go against
! hn 10 no hnt In
ing will be elected President. No par
ticular anti-American demonstration
is expected on Wednesday even, if the
predictions as to the California vote
are verified. unless one is organized
for political purposes.
Aroused by Haiti Charges.
In one respect the American political
campaign has given the United States
a black mark which may never be
completely removed. The efforts of
the politicians to besmirch the Ameri-
can record in Haiti have greater
weight in distant lands than at home.
People in the orient are unable to
understand why any American should
make charges of that nature against
his own country unless unspeakable
atrocities have been committed.
Though the Japanese do not know the
nature of the charges against the
American record in Haiti. in their
minds the United States is effectually
barred from protesting hereafter
against the cruelty of any other ma
tions to it's colonies.
Gay Scene In Toxic.
TOXIC. November 1 (by the Asso-
ciated Press) -Tokio was the scene
today of remarkable spontaneous
manifestations of loytlty. when
shrine in memory of the late Emperor
Mutsuhito was opened from morning
until midnight Enormous crowds
streamed to the shrine to worship the
spirit of the deified Mutsuhito.
The broad two-mile approaches to
the shrine presented an extraordinary
spectacle as the double column of
pilgrims. ten to fifteen abreast.
marched to and from the shrine. With
simple and semi-private ceremonies.
the chief priest received from the
hands Of the representative of En-
peror Yoshihito the name tablet of
the deceased emperor and installed
1t in the innermost sanctuary of
the shrine. Tomorrow Emperor
Yoshihito and the empress will wor-
ship at the shrine.
Tonight the entire city was deco
rated and Illuminated. Public the
atricals and geisha dances were given
on open-air stages erected in all the
wards of the city. Visitors from the
country districts to the number of
100000 arrived to take part in the