The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-07

Washington, D. c., Feb. 6.-That
art can be the means OF bringing
the nations together in peace is the
belief of Michio Itow, Japanese
dancer in this country.
Mr. Itow believes that a 10 year
naval holiday would be simply
that and nothing more il no at
tempt was made to promote q spirit
OF fellowship between nations dur
ing the 10 year experiment. Art,
he says, is the International Ian
guage through which men OF all
nations express themselves. There
fore, to use another figure, art is
the common field on which they
can best meet.
To-day the world is divided into
three parts-America, Europe and
ASIA" he said, speaking in rapid
English and making eloquent ges-
lures. Europe and America have
much in common since America Is
an offshoot of Europe. They under
stand each other to some extent.
But Asia is not so allied. Yet We
must have understanding. How
can east and west talk Of peaceful
settlement in Shantung and zap
until they understand each other ?''
Mr.. Itow finds one reason for
misunderstanding in the different
types of culture in different parts
of the world
To-day We discover that there is
such a thing as spiritual civiliza-
ton and a material civilization. We
have in the east 5000 years Of art
and philosophy from a spiritual
standpoint In western countries
there is much material develop
ment. But there is no balance in
east or west. East is three-fourths
spiritual; west, three-fourths ma
terial. Each has something that
the other lacks, and each needs the
other"
Mr.. Itow, we understand, does
not mean by this that the philoso-
plies of the Orient should be trans
ferred to the west for our higher
development 1t is rather the in
born serenity with which the east
regards the world that the turbu-
lent west lacks. The Orient, which
for centuries made so little pro
gress in science and trade, is now
rapidly learning from US. The
balance between the spiritual and
the material is tending to right
itself there. So far, however, the
west has scarcely given any thought
to the possibility of deriving prac-
teal benefit from eastern culture.
Whole World Understands Dancing.
Mr.. Itow regards art as the link
to bring the two sides Of the world
together.
Whether I dance in Moscow,
Seville, or Toxic, 1 am understood, .
he says. 81 speak to- the people in
a language that they can read.
Hate, love, fear, are expressed
physiologicaIly by more Or less the
same muscles everywhere. The
difference is mainly in degree The
Italian is emotional. The English
type is more repressed."
Other arts also speak from ma
ton to nation, but the dancer is
naturally most interested in his
own medium OF expression. Dane
ing, he says, is the newest of the
arts-to be recognized as such. Yet
He explains this claim of the su-
pregnancy Of the dance by the ex-
ample of temple dancing.
I'm Japan l have seen in the
temples priests holding ceremonies.
While they chant, a circle of dane
ers sit on floor, motionleSs.
When priests reach climax, when no
more words of praise or supplica-
ton can be found, they stop" Mr..
Itow's expressive hands that had
been suggesting the motions of the
priest fell. Then with Sinuous ges-
ture he showed the temple girls
beginning to rouse into life and
sway into figures Of the dance.
When dancers begin to move,
the service rises to its highest