The Columbia evening Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1920-1923, 1921-08-17
FORMER JAPAN
PREMIER SEES
WORLD PEACE
Marquis Okuma in Letter TO
Dean Williams Praises
Americas Effort to
End Strife.
SAYS WAR is ABSURD
Predicted Ten Years Ago That
International Jealousy viii
Be Superseded by
Good Will.


Recent national discussion Of diff
cuhies between the United States and
Japan make of interest an extract from
letter written by Marquis 0kuma tc
Dean Walter Williams of the School Of
Journalism of the University of Mis-.
souri,. Marquis Okuma, former Premier
of Japan, founder of Waseda University,
one Of the Genro Of elder statesmen, is
one of the Oldest and most Influential
OF japanese statesmen. He writes:
Il am always looking upon the won
dcrful development of national life of
The United States of America with great
admiration and respect. 1t is moi simply
because Of her marvellous progress in
material side. though il is indeed in
itself worthy of high admiration. In
my view, such great progress is simply
an external sign of something deeper
implanted in American life ever since
the national independence. The real
foundation of American life seems TO
me 10 lie in her traditional spirit based
on the lofty religious and moral ideals
of liberty, justice and humanity. When
anything which affects humanity hap
pens, the old traditional spirit never
fails 10 reveal itself to lead the nation
in the righteous way. This is why ]
always look upon the American nation
with sincere respect.
American participation in the World
War was undoubtedly moved by the
same old spirit and the effort TO make
the way for endurable peace now SO
sirenuously led by America mus, be the
outcome of the noble craftsmanship
based on the same spirit. About ten
years ago | had expressed my hope for
future world peace in the concluding
paragraph of my Fifty Years of New
Japan with the following words:
The spirit of intcrna-
tional Jealousy will gradually disappear;
petty questions Of race will no longer
find room 10 exist; the evils of ami.
alienism, which live on misguided tradi-
lions or sentiments, will vanish; inter
national relations. hitherto heterogeneous
and militant. will be harmonious and
peaceful; and then, even though enlight-
eminent may not go SO far as to make
possible the realization Of Plato's ideal
stage when the statesman should be a
philosopher and the philosopher states.
man, il may cease to be mere dread
TO look for the day when the nations oI
The world will federaie under one code
of International law and form one or.
ganic system. creating new era Of fel
lowship and good will wherein distinc.
tions Of native and alien, near and re.
mote, will disappear, and all will be
linked together by one uniform bond Of
harmonious cooperation and coalition
10 the glory Of real civilization
Il am exceedingly glad TO see my long
cherished idea approaching TO realiza
iion by the earnest endeavor Of Ameri
can craftsmanship. In settling the pres
end worlds trouble, have no doubt
Americans will endeavor TO usher in q
new International order based on the
principles of Justice and equality.
presume real fairness and equality ir
every respect will be expected from higt
American craftsmanship.
Il hardly need 10 say that Japan. a,
a neighbor Of America across the Pacific
and also as a country which owes muci
10 America for her progress, il
always deeply appreciating the gooc
will OF America and is sincerely wishin;
10 maintain and promote ever close
friendship between the two nations.
have often expressed my view of tn,
absurdness Of talking of the conflic
between America and Japan, as | firm
ly believe that there is no serious ressor
for such conflict, while there is ever,
need for the cooperation Of the tw,
nations. For many years | have beer
talking and writing Of the necessity o
harmonizing the civilizations Of the Eas
and the West. | earnestly desire I,
have il realized between America an,
Japan. For this purpose We must max
i every cffcrt 10 cultivate real mutua
understanding between the two nations
{. Economic or political cooperation ma
be one way but the most important wi
be spiritual understanding. For il I
cultivate the sentiment Of the mutur
study Of national characters and ideal
on both sides will be most helpfuI. $