Evening star., 1921-12-02
SUSPICION AROUSED
IS VIEW Of YOK0TA
Says He Realizes Course at
ParIey Should Be Changed
to Get Good Will.
SOON TO STATE PROGRAM
Adviser Declares Countrymen
Have Blundered in Thus Far
Ignoring Public Opinion.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS

Premier Hara'S probable successor
as head of the seiyukai, or liberal
party, Mr.. Sennosuke Yokota, dis
cussed freely the Japanese policy of
secrecy at the conference and the
dissensions that exist in the Japanese
group here concerning 1t. He declares
that the Japanese delegation, to
which he is an adviser, has had all
along. ever since before leaving ia
pan. a definite program, including the
possible limits to which it can yield.
and that ere long this platform will
be announced. He himself is of the
party which contended from the first
for a magnificent gesture" that
would win his country the plaudits of
the world.
Possibly the fact that he is leaving
been recalled to Japan by political
duties. is one explanation Of the can
dor and force with which this high
official-he has represented with the
delegation the diplomatic advisory
council to the cabinet, and also bears
the title of president of the Japa-
uese bureau Of Observation-Disclosures
his views for publication.
In all the undercurrent of confer
ence discussions the ever-recurring
japanese declare themselves? Why
are they permitting the delegation to
be forced from point to point, always
on the defensive? Where is the broad
statement of policy that they at first
intimated would be forthcoming?"
Mr.. Yokota makes answer.
Oriental Atmosphere.
The setting Of our interview repre-
sents the modern Japanese state of
mind a curious commingling Of the
old and the new. I was received in
the drawing room of a hotel suite,
amid the familiar Japanese odors,
and with the graciousnesS of old ia
pan, his excellency escorting me all
the way to the elevator after our long
talk. Japanese incense clung to the
modern hangings of the room. The
Inevitable tea kettle. instead Of
being on a charcoal brazier. was at
tached to an electric fixture.
On a little table had been built a
Shinto shrine. before which two candles
and a stand of incense were burning
The center of the shrine was a portrait
of Premier Hara, whose spirit, present
In the room, according to Japanese be-
lief. was being worshiped. Two silver
trays Of cakes were on the shrine. as
emblematic Of food for the spirit. Above
the Shinto emblems-such is religious
eclecticism In Japan-was Buddhist
image. Plainly. Mr.. Yokota is not an
agnostic. and shares the religious faith
Of his fathers.
Appreciative Of Visit.
While from several incidental evi-
dences am sure that my host under
stands English, yet we talked through
an interpreter. This is not an uncom-
mon practice Of oriental public men,
as 1t gives them opportunity to con-
slider what reply they shall make. Since
the Views were expressed in Japanese.
verbatim quotation would be meaning
less. so sum-Larize, as the interpre-
ter did, the opinion expressed.
After warm words of appreciation Of
his visit to America, Mr.. Yokota said
that he thought the conference would
attain a degree of success that would
satisfy the world, though he implied
that it is unlikely to come up to many
ardent expectations. He quickly got to
the point of thanking America and