Evening star., 1921-03-20
SCANDALS MENACE
MINISTRY IN JAPAN
Peers Attacks on Hara Are
Vigorous, But They Fear
Appeal to Voters.
BY JUNIUS b. WOOD.
By Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News
Copyright, 1921.


Copyright, 1921.
TOXIC. Japan, March Tide
layed)-With the adjournment Of the
diet approaching, crisis in the Hara
ministry is due next week, according
to observers.
Whether the attacks of the peers,
which are redoubled daily, will be able
to overthrow the cabinet is seriously
doubted
So far. while criticising Premier
Hara's domestic and foreign policy
and almost every act he has per-
formed or failed to perform, they
have been unable to propose any one
else acceptable to the public as bis
successor.
The atmosphere is surcharged with
scandal. Charges of graft in building
roads to the sacred Meiji shrine have
spread until the heads of most of the
municipal departments in Toxic have
been involved.
A member Of the diet suggested that
to enable all the assemblymen to attend
the sessions of the Tokyo municipal
council be held lin the Jail instead of
the city ball.
Fraud Charges Investigated.
The customs frauds in Yokohama
nave landed the harbor superintendent
and various minor officials in Jail. The
investigation. which Is not yet COM
pleted, has already involved one jap
anese steamship company and several
big importers. Opium smuggling in
Dairen has involved other high officials
OF the government, steamship and rail-
road companies. including former gov.
ernor OF Saghalien. There are local
scandals on all sides concerning embex-
elements by officials. the stealing Of
mail by postmen and blackmailinE by
policemen. All Of this adds to the bad
odor in which the ministry is held.
Whether the railroad investigation will
naval scandal and wreck the ministry is
as yet uncertain. -
Despite the general dissatisfaction
of the public with the present minis
try, the people do not support, the
peers. believing that their opposition
mostly to the party form Of govern
ment. of which Takashi Hara is the
highest exponent, than by disinterest-
ed motives of the public veal.
The peers also hesitate to overthrow
the ministry. knowing that Hara's
program in such contingency will
be TO appeal to the voters, and that,
as he is practically certain through
his control of the election machinery,
to return to power. the upper house
will be discredited.
Hard Times Foreseen.
Japan foresees hard times during
the coming year. and the premier is
assured OF having a thankless task
Mr.. Hara intends to avoid this and
resign after the diet adjourns, accord
ing to the general understanding.
That he will not resign under fire is
equally obvious.
Though scandal-reports are flying
about like scavenger birds. only one
Of them has any chance of wrecking
the ministry. This involves the South
Manchurian RAILROADS. purchase of
steamship and coal mines at fancy
prices prior to the last election. The
opposition charges that the purchase
price included 100000 yen ($5O0. .OO0).
to be used for the campaign expenses
OF the Seiyu-kai party. of which Hara
is the head. and that the officials of
the railroad. which is a government
institution. acted under the orders Of
the cabinet.
\. The cabinet defends the purchases
and counters with the charge that the
steamship owners also contributed
literally to the kensei-Kai or oppose
tion party.
school Controversy.
The governments educational pol
icy was attacked from two angles
but the majority of the peers finally
refused to overthrow the ministry on
such trivial pretext. The pupils Of
the intermediate schools demand a
university status for the purpose of
securing higher wages when they go
to work. or the same as IL they were
university graduates.
The conservative peers charged that
the public school authorities were too
liberal in permitting dangerous
thoughts among the pupils. For ex-
ample. one school for girls was al
lowed to give an amateur drama in
Hara. on being questioned, said that
the ministry was giving much at
tention to the schools. urging them
to encourage the spirit Of revering
the. gods and worshiping their an
The two contrasting dangers con-
fronting the ministry indicate the
queer mixture Of present sins and
past prejudices involved in Japanese
public affairs: