The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-11-05
NEWS OF KILLING IS RECEIVED HERE WITH MUCH SORROW
President Expresses Horror at Outrage and Secretary Hughes Declares Whole
 Nation Mourns
By AssoeIated Press

Washington, November 4.-1he Japanese delegation to the arma- ment conference was thrown into sorrow and confusion, and official Washington, including the delegates from other lands to the conference, was profoundly shocked today by the announcement from Tokio that Takashi Hara, the Japanese pre- mier, had been assassinated.
 Admiral Baron Kato. the ranking member of the Japanese delegation' and MT. Hara's most intimate friend, that he burst into tears-somethins most unusual for Japanese who is trained from childhood to conceal his emotions.
 President Harding expressed his horror at the outrage. It was an un- happy. discordant note, he said in a formal statement, at q time when all were seeking to come together around the conference table and add to the good understanding and good will throughout tho world. Secretary Hughes went immediately 10 the Jap anese embassy and expressed his con- dolences to Baron Shidehara, the Jap anese ambassador. Later he called 
 express to Count uchlda. the foreign minister, his profound distress, and to say how much the news had caused feeling of deep sorrow throughout the United States.
 Serious Loss to Japan
 The death of Premier Hara. who had attained dominating political influence in the Japanese empire, and who was expected personally to shape from Tokio the Japanese policy at the forthcoming conference. is q very serious loss to Japan at time when that country is passing through a period of Intense transition. The Elm peror, Yoshihito. is ineurably i'll. mentally and physically. and Is no longer able to carry on his duties.
 It is understood that plans have been under consideration to estab- fish a regency under the crown prince. Hlrchito who recently re- turned from a tour of Europe. Mir. Hara and Viscount Malino. the household minister. have been trying to solve the problem of modefnizing the Japanese court and seeking means i to bring 1t nearer to the people Of Japan who are clamoring for de- velopment of their country along the lines of democracy. New social ideas. even bolshevistic. have been coming In, influencing the thought of the people, 95 per cent of whom are able to read and write.
 Framed NntIon'r Policies
 MT. Hara frequently referred in public addresses 10 the dangers of a too rapid absorption of western SO cial ideas into Japanese life, believ- ing that his country could not quick ly digest successfully western con cepts of society. Gradually his in- fluence grew until the Japanese be- gan to look upon him as a popular leader at rather critical moment of their history. II was a common say Ing at Tokio that Hara alone was running Japan and that it was his decision alone that always obtained. He succeeded in inducing General Tanaka. until recently minister of war. to bring about a more straight forward cooperation between the military elements and the civic branches of the government. It was Hara who framed the policy of ac commodation and coneiliatlon which the Japanese plenipotentiaries an nounced as their conference policy when they entered this country.
 Important public personages in Ja- pan are never announced as dead. al- though actually so, until the Emper- or has been notified of the demise. and it Is possible that this ancient Japanese custom may account for the fact that the Japanese embassy to- night was still without official an- nouncement of the assassination of the premier. It was, however, de- cided in view of an official message received by the state department s.n- nounclng the death to cancel the of ficial reception which the delegation had arranged for tomorrow evening All Japanese official dinners also have been suspended.
 Sennosuke Yokota. chief of the leg islative buerau of the Japanese cab inet and a personal representative Of Premier Hara at the conference. de cided to return to Japan immediately.
 Before the Japanese delegation left Japan threatening letters were re- ceived by it's members, including Prince Toku.sawa, to whom were for warded suggestions and sinister drawings of the assassination of Minister Mori in 1889 and the recent murder of Yasuda. a millionaire banker.