South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-09-16
VISIT OF PRINCE
OF WALES MAY SET
ROYALPRECEDENTS
Japanese Royal Family Faces
Problem to Return Crown
Princes Courtesy.

IluIC = 0ObA AEo1s
WASHINGTON. Sept. 15. - When
Pres't Harding wishes to visit the
theate1. az ne does from time 20
time. he mentions the fact 10 the
white house head usher a few hours
IN advance. and the head usher tele-
phones the manager OF the theater
10 make sure the presidential box Is
reserved. The secret service IL also
notified. in order that operatives may
be stationed in various parts OF the
audience. precauuOn never ne
elected since the fatal shooting Of
Abraham Lincoln in the old Ford
theater here
AT first sight this seems bit COM
plicated. but 81 reality II - as sim
pie. 80 far as the president himself
is concerned. as when Bill Jones or
John Doe go 20 the movies. There
IS no long-drawn-out discussion as
10 the propriety OF the visit or the
effect II may have upon the country
at large. and Pres't and Mrs. Hard
ing have been known 70 decide upon
"A theater party only a few hours in
advance Of the event.
In Japan matters are not so sim
pie. The mere suggestions that the
japanese crown prince might en-
terrain the Prince OF Wales when he
arrives in Japan next spring by tax
ing him 90 the theater has aroused
q controversy which Is spreading
throughout the empire. For a mem
Der OF the imperial household to
visit a theater frequented by Ordin-
airy human being is absolutely un-
precedented. and a not inconsiderable
portion OF the more conservativ
japanese are scandalized at the
thought Of such thing. according
10 diplomatic reports received in
Washington.
Favor Broken Barriers.
Nevertheless. there is undoubtedly
a large liberal element. including
some powerful liberal leaders and n
few Of the more conservative, who
are eager to see some Of the old bar
riers between the imperial household
and the people broken down. In
\ deed, according 10 a statement at
hold. one Of the motives for the Eu-
ropean tour Of he Crown Prince
HirOhlto was TO enable him to OBJ
serve the relations between the
royalty of Europe and their subjects.
SO far has the talk Of entertain
ment OF the Prince Of Wales in To-
kio proceeded that theatrical man
ayers I'm the Japanese capital are
already wing with each other as TO
whether they viii have the priv
ilege Of being the first 10 entertain
any member of the Japanese i'm
perial family. and at the same time
provide amusement for the future
king of England.
The plan 10 make a visit TO some
Toxic theater a part OF the Prince
Of Wales entertainment was sug-
gested partly because OF the fact
that the same sort OF entertainment
was provided for the Crown prince
q Japan I'm London. The influential
newspaper Yomiuri. commenting on
the decision of the department Of
the imperial household TO give con-
sideradon 10 such a program, recalls
the fact that several years ago. when
the National Literary society was
founded I'm Toxic. with Takejiro To-
konami. the home minister, a its
head 10 was planned to have some
imperial person visit the theater but
the widespread objections made the
scheme impossible
Precedent at Variance.
Under the Japanese theory a thea
ter where the emperor visits would
have TO be regarded as an extension
Of the imperial household. Sanitary
and police precautions must be taken
1on the responsibility OF the authori-
ties OF the imperial household de-
partment.
In addition there is the all-im-
portant matter Of precedent. No
imperial parsonage ever before in
the history Of Japan visited a theater
publicly Breaking this precedent is
regarded as "a most serious matter.
II the British heir should visit a
theater the Japanese crown prince
would have 20 company his guest.
Possibly the empress would also be
a member of the party. Widely rami-
flying complications are expected as
a result OF this record breaking in
novation I'm the AFFAIRS or the i'm
peral household.
When Prince Arthur OF Connaught
visited the Kahukize. 10000 ven or
more was spent in fitting up the
theater for his reception II the
British heir is 20 visit a japanese
theater. the consensus Of opinion
points 20 The Imperial theater as the
most likely 20 be selected on ac-
>|Count Of the competition among
theatrical managers for the honor.
the authorities are keeping all their
plans and preparations secret.