New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-01-16

to HE friends at home furnished the
author with several volumes of kindly.
light-spirited comedy.
Whether Togo made Wallace Irwin
or Irwin made Togo makes nice point
for discussion. At any rate, it seems
fairly certain that the Japanese school
boy deserves more than he is getting
at the present rate of exchange.
Fiction or Propaganda?
When propaganda Of any kind is
mixed freely with romance and ad-
venture there is always the chance
of confusing the issues. We cannot
point our finger at one paragraph and
say This is propaganda" and at an
other paragraph and say "This is
fiction" There are no such definite
lines. So if the authors motives are
misinterpreted, he has no righteous
reason for resentment.
Still, we do not hesitate to insist
that Seed of the Sun holds, among
other things, serious discussion of
the Japanese problem in America, with
special reference to the invasion of
the agricultural fields of California.
Mr., Irwin proposes no remedies; he
merely states the case and lets it go
at that
The story leads pair Of young city
bred American girls, one war widow
with two children and the other 90
ciety flapper, out to California to COM
te with the Japs in the prune-r raising
industry. Even when the girls fail
miserably and sell out to a Japanese
syndicate we are not sure that any
thing has been proved. Prune raising
at best can hardly be considered one
of the higher arts. We might even
claim moral victory for the American
girls in submitting to the Japs as bet
ter prune raisers.
In Dialogue Form
Most of the propaganda comes in dia-
logue form.
Japan has learned how to wear
dress suit and to say hello over the
telephone and shake hands American
fashion," comments the philosopher of
the story. Therefore, it makes no
difference that she gets down on all
tours before the picture of the Mikado
and teaches her children in the public
schools that Jimnu, her first Emperor,
was grandson of the sun goddess, and
that the Mikados are sun gods STILL"
There is no such thing as Japa-
nese laborer in this country" speaks
another character. "A lot Of calcu-
lating little business men temporarily
embarrassed for capital. In a year
your Jap will have saved stake out of
his skyscraping wages, provided the
fan-tan dealer doesn't get it. He'll
take his stake round to the beneficent
society, and the beneficent society will
see Japanese banker and the Japa-
nese banker will interview the Mikado's
government. Anyhow, that's my per-
sonal dope on the matter. Nobody
knows. The next you know your hum
Bile worker Of the field will be bossing
plantation in the name of a minor
child backed by some highfalutinc
stock company.
GAS matter of fact, there's a lot
of bunk about Japanese low standards
Of living. What we call economy and
self-control in ourselves we're too apt
to call low standards in the Japanese
If man wants to live poor and save
money, it's nobody's business but his
own. That was Ben Franklin's theory.
But, just the same, don't see why we
should 60 around calling the Japanese
elaborers.'
Mr.. Irwin approaches the possibility
of war from a new angle.
War on Now
"The war is on right now" said
Artie. 81 don't mean machine guns
and battleships and tin kelleys. The
hard-thinking, intellectual old gentle
men running the Japanese government
don't want any more of that rough
stuff. They'll never run amuck the way
the Kaiser did and bleed themselves
to death with fool military program.
All this newspaper talk is merely a
smoke barrage to keep our minds off
what Japan is really putting over"
"Well, what are they putting over?"
asked Anna, beating us to the interro-
cation point by less than a length.
Peaceful war;" Artie explained.
"The conquest of the world by agri-
culture, commerce, immigration, secret
treaties, counterfeit labels, soft words,
hard bargains and the Japanese genius
for teamwork. . They took Shan
tung for. the good of humanity and
they're keeping it for the good Of
Japan. There's standing room only In
Japan, and the race is suffocating."
We hadn't realized there was any
problem Of intermarr1age connected
with the Japanese invasion until the
obliging Anna asked:
"Why do the japanese want to marry
into other races?"
"They want to borrow your stature"