New-York tribune., 1921-10-16
)lings of Democracy Are Heard at Last in Japan
Incident Seen |
As Birth Crv of
Era of History
Precedents of Imperialism
Shattered Daily: Labor
Element and Students
Leaders in Ne,v Though


more and more emphatic on the sWfs
turning pages o. the Nippon History.
At tie time o. the Rasso-Jaraness
War the student body OF the Imperial
University ss Toxic stood solidly-
yes, almost withou. single dissenting
voice among them-behind the imperi-
alisnl OF Professor Tomizu ard yelled
It's head of for the Japanese occupa~
ton OF Siberia east OF Lake baikai.
Professor Tomizu ana the other wordv
militarists ave Been OF the shelf o5
political curios for some years ROW.
After the World War, in fact rot so
many moons AGO, there happened lit
tie incident which brought out the
radical change in the political views OF
the students Of the same Imperial Uni
versity Of Toxic. It was exceedingly
dramatic, this incident.
Toxic newspapers n,.te big feature
of The thing in type ar inch high and
called it the Norito case. Mr.. Morito
Tas an assistant professor Of econont-
ics in the Imperial University at the
time He was dismissed from the uni-
versity; tried and sentenced to two
months mprisonment--for what? For
no other reason or offense, whatso-
ever, than that the professor wrote
q review or Prince Kropotkin's work
advocating & typo Of anarchists com
munism and published II IN magazine
called "Keizai gakn Kenkyu," or Study
in Economics" An interesting feature
is that the professor was not sentenced
by an ignorant bigot or silly sensa-
tionalist of a judge. The judgment
pronounced, the sense and very wori-
ing of it conclusiveiy showed that 'he
professor was judged By one of the
most scholarly and clear visioned
among the guardians Of lay in japan
to-day:
at is quite proper" 80 runs pors
ton of the judgment. chat in cons
menting upon national and eco
nomic organizations ! scholar should
point out the merits and dement's OF
various systems; should set forth his
ideals regarding organizations OF diff
ferent forms and should criticize the
prevailing systems and organizations,
but it is matter of course that In
giving publicity TO his views in the
press he should not be allowed 10 deal
with matters in manner that Is derri-
mental to public peace and order
Il deals with abolition OF sovereignty,
which forms the pivot of the national
system OF this country, and with the
removal Of the private property sys-
tenn guaranteed by tire Constitution
Now, how did the student body take
this incident? Did they cry: Down
with Morto!"? Did they bury Kim
under scorn and a shower Of aged eggs
as the enemy os the imperial sta e.
Quite the contrary. The warmth, ehe
enthusiasm, even the hysteria with
which they espoused the cause q me
professor was the talk OF the e; Con
slider now the incident, more especially
consider the contrast Of the attitude
OF the students OF 80 university tox-
ard the Imperialism Of Professor No
tito il his exposition q radical doc
trines OF the Russian anarch!s:-and
then consider them in the Light Of this
Historical fact: that FOR ages, in fact,
ever since its very foundation the In
perial University OF Toxic mas always
been the cradle Of new thoughts, rev
political and social tendencies in Japan.
This has been so well known and es-
tablished in the minds OF the people
OF Japan that a large section Of con-
servative Nippon looks upon II con-
stantiy with unustered suspicion, Il
rot positive misgivings-