Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-11-05
STAB WOUND IS
FATAL To HARA;
YOUTH ARRESTED
Japanese Premier Stabbed
in the Breast at the Rail-
road Station in Toxic;
Dies Within an Hour.
(By The Associated Press. }

kDy ne AssOClnleu fFeBss1
Toxic. Nov (by the Associated
Press,-Premier Hara was fatally
stabbed In the breast today at the
railroad station in Toxic. He died
an hour later. The assassin, who
Is 10 years old and demented. was
arrested.
The assassination OF Premier
Hara comes at a dramatic moment
when the Japanese delegation is
assembling for the Washington
conference and when Japan is in
tensely interested in the interna-
tional issues in which Premier
Hara has until now taken such an
important part. He had been urged
to head the delegation to Washing
ton and. for a time, had the matter
under consideration, but finally de-
cided that his services would be
better employed at home during
the discussions at Washington.
Premier Hara frequently ad-
dressed the Japanese diet concern.
ing the serious work ahead for
Japan's chief aim would be to put
an end to race barriers. He later
conferred with the American am
bassador at Toxic and the premier
soon afterward announced at a
meeting of the government party
that Japan was willing to compro-
mise on the Shantung question
with China which had long been a
main subject of controversy.
Premier Hara declared in recent
statements that Japan was ready to
accept limitation of her naval
establishment along with the rest
Of the world. and always keeping
in mind the necessities of her ma
tional defense.
Takashi Hara has been premier
Of Japan since 1918, when he form
ed a cabinet after the fall of the
Terauchi ministry, the Sieyu- -Kai
party. of which he was a leader,
taking control
The position of the premier and
his party was confirmed by the
general election in May. 1920. that
party securing a great majority.
The premier has had a long and
distinguished political career. Born
in 1854, he was for some time in
the foreign office service both at
home and abroad and was vice
minister for a time in 1895. He
Joined the late Prince Ito in organ
izing the Seiyu-Kai party in 1900
and shortly afterward became min
lister of communication In the cab
met. Later he served as head of
that department of the government
in the Seiyu-Kai cabinet of 1906-oS.
resigning with the fall OF that min
istry and travelling in Europe and
America in the latter part of 1908
and In 1909.
On his visit TO this country he
was received by President Roose-
welt in Washington, in September,
1908.
M. Hara entered the cabinet
in 1918 as minister OF home affairs
and in 1918 formed the cabinet
now in office. .
When a youth NJ. Hara studied
law for a time but early foresook
it for journalism. through which
work came his introduction into
the foreign office service. During
n later interval in his political ca
reer in 1857 he was chief editor
of the Osaka Mainichi and took
M again the chief membership OF
that paper for time before enter
ing the Saionji cabinet as minister
of the interior in 1906.
In May, 1920, plot was DIS
covered to assassinate Premier
Hara. the details coming out in
November last by publication of
the findings of the preliminary
court, which tried a former artil-
leryman named Ito, charged with
planning an attempt against the
premier's person. Seven bombs
were to have been employed in the
attempted assassination, which
was to have taken place on May
s, 1920. the court findings showed.
It was asserted that Ito came to
Toxic and purchased a revolver
and explosives. making his bombs
out of bottles and boxes. On taxi
ing them into the streets, however.
he was knocked down accidentally
by an automobile and the police
discovered the internal machines
he had devised, and unraveled the
plot.
The assassination Of Premier
Hara recalls a similar dramatic in
cident when Premier Clemenceau
of France was shot and danger
ously wounded at a time when the
peace conference, of which he was
presiding officer, was at it's height
This occurred February 10. 1919,
while Clemenceau was going from
his home to the American head