The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-11-09
PREMIER HARA
KILLED BY
CRAZY YOUTH
Assassination Of Japa
nese Leader Causes
international Sen
sation

international Sen
sation
Tokyo, Nov. (By the Associated
Press) s).-Takashi Hara, premier Of
Japan, who was stabbed in the
breast today at the railroad sta-
ton on Tokyo, died an hour later
The assassin, who is 19 years old
and demented. was arrested.
The premier was on his way to
Kioto to attend political meet
ing. He died in the station where
he was attacked.
viscount Yasuya Uchida, foreign
minister, is acting as premier.
Washington. Nov (By the AS
sociated Press)-The japanese del
egation to the armament confer
ence was thrown into sorrow and
confusion, and official Washington,
including the delegates from other
lands to the conference, was pro-
foundly shocked today by the an
nouncement from Tokyo that
Takashi Hara, the japanese pre-
mier, had been assassinated.
Admiral Baron Kato, the ranking
member Of the japanese delega
ton. and Mr.. Hara's most intimate
friend, so affected by the an
nouncement that he burst into.
tears-something most unusual for
japanese, who is trained from
childhood to conceal his emotions.
. President Harding expressed his
sorrow at the outrage. It was an
unhappy discoidant note, he said.
in a formal statement, at a ktime
when all were seeking to come to-
gether around the conference table
and add to the good understanding
and good Will throughout the
world. Secretary Hughes went I'M
mediately to the japanese embassy
and expressed his condolences to-
Baron Shidehara, the japanese am
bassador. Later he cabied to-
Ambassador Warren at Tokyo to-
express to Count Uchida, the for
eign minister, his profound dis
tress, and to say how much the
news had caused a feeling of deep
sorrow throughout the United
States.
The death of Premier Hara,
who had attained a dominating po-
ltical influence in the Japanese
empire, and who was expecsed per-
sonany to shape from Togo the
japanese polsy at the fo2tilco coTasngs
conference, is a very seriea.S loss to
Japan atAa time when tha e5 ,ntTy
is passing through a per- i IF iH-2
tense transition. The en- sror,
Yoshihfto, is incurably i'll inen
tally and physically, ana is no..
longer able to carry on hiS GS!tiss.
1t is understood that plals aave
been under consideration t. tab
Esh regency under OWE
prince, Hirohito, who rec-aliy re-
turned from tour Of Ess.ep Mr..
Hara and Viscount Masiao, the
household minister. ha been
trying to solve the problem Of mod
ernizing the japanese court and
seeking means to bring it ..ea-ar to-
the people of Japan who a-e clam
oring for a development II their
country along the lines OF dvTnoc-
cacy.
New social ideas, even Bolshevis-
tic, have been coming in, intlaenc-
ing the thought of the people
Mr.. Hara frequently referred in
public addresses to the dangers Of
too rapid absorption Of Western
social ideas into japanese life, be-
lieving that his country could not
quickly digest successfully Western
concepts of society. Gradually his
influence grew until the Jananese
began to look upon him as !, pop
uiar leader at a rather critical mo-
nent of their history. It was q COM
mon saying at Tokyo that Hara
alone was running Japan ana
that it was his decision alone that
always obtained. He succeeded in
inducing General Tanaka, until re-
Gently minister Of war; to bring
about a more straightforward co..
operation between the military ele-
ments and the civic brar eaes Of
the government 1t was Hara who
framed the policy of accommoda- ~
ton and conciliation which the
Japanese plenipotentiaries an
nounced as their conference. policy
when they entered this country.
Important public personages in
Japan are never announced as
dead. although actually SO, unti! the
emperor has been notified Of the
demise. and it is possible this an
cient custom may account for the
fact that the japanese delegation
tonight was still without official an-
nouncement Of the premier,s
death.
All japanese official dinners hare
been suspended
SennosUko Yokota. chief of the
legislative bureau of the japanese
cabinet and a personal represent
tative of Premier Hara at the con-
ference. decided to return to Ja-
pan Immediately.