The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1920-07-08
NIPPON is AN EYESORE IN
WORLD AND LIVING MOCK
cry OF JUSTICE
(By Federated Press }

New York-"Japan is an imperial
istic, militaristic, aggressive, selfish,
autocratic power-a menace to the
peace of the world and a living mock
cry of justice and righteousness and
world fraternity"
This is the assertion of the leading
article Of The World for June. The ar
ticle, which bears the title "What of
JAPAN" is contributed by a keen stu
dent and observer Of oriental affairs
whose name for obvious reasons must
be withheld, but for whose integrity
the editor, DR.. Norman Thomas,
vouched.
The author does not limit himself to
but one aspect Of the picture. He con-
tiuues:
"But in the next breath one must
say that Japan is being thrilled to it's
foundations by a powerful, though un-
spectacular movement towards de-
mocracy. The question for the rest of
the world resolves itself into some
thing like this: will Japan gain the
mastery over herself and become a
world blessing before the military ele-
ments have made her another great
scourge Of mankind?"
The militarist control in Japan, ac-
cording to this authority, is peculiar
ly sinister and powerful for several
reasons. In the first place the militar-
istic clique in Japan, seeing the on
coming wave of democracy, made
themselves responsible to the Emper-
or rather than to the premier, the cab
met orto any legislative bodies. In
this way the emperor has become the
spokesman and figurehead of the mill
itary. The Japanese love their emper-
OF. But today in order to love their
emperor they find themselves also
loving the military. The military pow
ers have forced the revision of his
tories, the control of publications and
the installing of shrines galore to en-
nance the position of the emperor in
the eyes of the people. The control of
the militarists over the sources of pop
ular information is their chief instru-
ment and Japan's educational system
fits remarkably well into their
scheme. The author says:
"Perhaps no other nation furnishes
such a fertile field for false education
of the public as Japan does. Japan's
language and writing are a barrier
between herself and other nations
that is not lightly crossed. Japanese
newspapers and magazines may say
what they wish, and the rest of the
world will know only what some
charitably Cor maliciously) inclined
person translates for them. As at
present Japanese abroad may make a
tremendous bid for American Favor,
while newspapers at home carry on
a virulent and utterly false anti
American campaign-which the peo-
pie believe because it is all they get.
Il - * snow add to this situation the
way in which much of the outside
world is like a closed book to the mass
of Japanese and you see what the con-
troll Of the press and publications
means to the militarists. It is widely
circulated by Japanese propagandists
that Japan is a well-educated nation,
with one of the highest ~literacy per-
centages in the world, and with nine
ty-eight per cent Of the children of
Of school age in school. Next time
you meet the man who recites that
tale ask him some questions and see
if he says it deliberately or Innocent
ly. $50 Unregistered children can
not attend school. Of course not,
things not on police record in Japan
simply do not exist. And the poorer
classes often dispensing with formal
marriage, do not regularly register
their children. This creates class, that
being non-existant, needs no educa-
tion and still is useful in industry.
But those who are registered and do
not 60 to school: what. Of them ?
First, in some mysterious manner, ap-
prentices are everywhere. The child
rem are all in school Of course, but
there is no shortage Of apprentices.
B The six years Of compulsory school