The New York herald., 1921-10-14
Destruction of Corean Arts
and Literature Said to Be Sought
BY LOUIS sEIDoLD.
staff Correspondent OF THE New YoEH

On tho surface Corea Is wholly Japa-
ncse. BY characteristic and subtle pa
tience Japan is trying to destroy the
arts and literature Of the old kingdom
that sleeps with one eye open. BY
the processes Of education Japan is
making the official language of the
country Japanese instead OF Corean.
BY the introduction Of railroads as
well equipped and operated as some in
America she is opening up the coun-
try to the commerce OF the world
BY the substitution OF its financial
system, the encouragement OF scien-
fific agricultural methods. the oondi-
zion OF the people Is being gradually
Improved BY the application Of scsen-
tific sanitary measures Japan Is i-pk
Z proving the health q o-e &C me Zost
picturesque peoples o ,ne race Of the
earth.
by~assisting 4 the promotion OF
alien religious doctrines Japan is at
= tempting to wean the Corean away
from the dogmas OF Confucius and
the Chinese Buddha and substitute
ihe Japanese version of Buddhism for
81. BY providing employment 10 such
OF the few Coreans who viii accept It
Japan is trying TO win the favor OF
the inept and guilelsss people of the
Hermit Kingdom.
Despite all these advantages which
lent Despotism, the one thing that the
q Japanese have not succeeded in doipS
IS in making Japanese out of the
Coreans. Helpless and shiftless as he
Is In material development, the CO.
,ean has made up his mind in regard
20 Japan as the invader OF the country
which is rightfully his own.
He cannot openly fight the japanese
soldiers and drive them from his coun-
try for two very excellent reasons.
The first is that he doesn't know how
10 fight. The second. scarcely less i'm
portant, IS that he is forbidden even 20
POSSESS the devices with which to
fight. for there Is no greater crime in
Corea than to be found with gun or
\ Jomb or a man sized knife that might
so used In upsetting the Japanese
clicy of peaceful penetration.
Nevertheless. the Corean has a gov
rrnment of his own. and one to which
ie pays devout homage and swears
answering allegiance. 1t is sort
OF rurp affair UP 10 date. fashioned
something after the order OF the Irish
enterprise. though far less disturbing
20 the peace Of the world. The head
quarters of II is at Shanghai anI the
y'rcsider { OF 1t is Shing Han Rhee.
VIII Appeal TO America.
The Japanese rulers OF Corea re-
gard the go-cailed Provisional Govern
Snent' as a good deal of a joke. The
roreans look upon IL as a very serious
undertaking that will ultimately pro-
vide the foundation for a republic.
Borne OF the leaders of the Corean
movement have told mo that they
intend to direct the attention Of the
delegates TO the Pacific conference at
washington TO the merits OF their
cause and to urge the application of
she Wilson policy OF self-determina-
lion 10 save them from the permanent
clutches OF Japan. A number Of the
leading Democrats Of Corea, headed
by Hueh Hueng-Wo Gym. are now
in America, with Washington as their
cpJectivc.
A great mystery that has always
puzzled the Japanese rulers Of Corea
is the financing Of the democratic
movement" among the Coreans. The
Japanese spies and military. who grip
a. hos
very good reason to know that the
Corean provisional Government" Is
well supplied with money and other
means for conducting an elaborate