The New York herald., 1922-01-01

supposed to think, but do not" would
probably be as good a title as that
selected by this brilliant and incisive
Japanese compiler But this book is
an exception. 1t really tells some
thing about the subject announced.
Mr.. Kawakami, born in Toxic,
studied at several American universi-
ties, is married to an American wife
and is, believe, an American citizen.
He has travelled widely in eastern
Asia and written several Illuminating
books. He interprets the East to the
West.
When I opened this volume / found
that l knew personally most of the
native" writer's (who for reasons
which seem silly to us but justifiable
to themselves despise and reject this
term); while of those whom I never
met in the flock / can truly say /
know their minds well. Perhaps this,
after all. is the main thing with which
a reviewer ought to be familiar
A work like this, for one who would
learn the true inwardness of the Japa-
nese heart and mind. is worth a score
of books filled with the impressions of
newspaper correspondents or tourists
1t outvalues at least twoscore of mis-
sionary reports or the outgushings of
fiatterers. 1t is to be heartily COM
mended to some of our brethren not of
yellow cuticle but of yellow minds.
The table of contents shows that
most of the articles were printed in
Japanese periodicals and addressed
originally to native readers. These
authors not only apply the scalpel of
criticism to aliens but to themselves
as represented by their Government.
Noting first the titles. / shall then
tell what know or think of their au-
thors and make comments further on.
To save space I shall use numbers
and refer to the articles in their
order.
G) A World Unsafe for Democ-
racy; (2) The Monroe Doctrine and
the League of Nations; CD Mikado-
ism; ca Japan's Defective Constitu-
tional Government; CD Liberalism in
Japan; (6) Japan's Navalism; Cd
Mlitarism and Navalism in America;
(S) Harmony Between East and West:
(9) The Wars Effect Upon the Japa.
nese Mind; (10) Illusions of the White
Race; (11) The white" Problem in
Asia; (12) The Japanese Question in
America; (t3) Can Japanese Be Chris
tianiZed?
An appendix treating of the Yap
controversy contains the editors note,
the note from Toxic to Washington
and the comments of the Japanese
press.
In A. d. 1921 there are, however
hotly the native jingoes and Chauvin-
lists may deny this assertion, two
Japans. One is archaic. insular and
pagan. and, should say. puerile. The
other is modern. cosmopolitan and
Christian. BY pagan" l mean no re-
ligious dogma. tradition, institution or
corporation. BY christian" l refer to
none of the organizations bearing that
name. Some of the best sons of Nip
pon, though Buddhist in social rela-
tions, are Christian to an extent that
robs the term "Christian"--as applied
to aliens. both persons and Govern
mcrts--of all distinction. The real
struggle in the coming nation of Japan
exceeds that of prenatal Jacob and
Esau-one to be the hunter and blood
spiller and the other the man of peace.
cunning supplanter though he be-
On the first page we have exactly
this sort of paganism exploited. The
Mikadoist, who stalwartly champions
his Government in the Seoul press
justifying Japan's conquest of and
pclicy in Corea, is a disciple of Ernest
Heinrich Haeckel. the German. He
tells us of evolution, "in which nothing
is palmer than that the individual
counts for almost nothing" Precisely
The archaic civilizations OF Asia are
communal. The Occidental civilizations
give scope to the individual and en-
courage initiative in the thoughtful.
Again he says: THE agitators who are
democracy and freedom in
various parts of the world to-day are
out of harmony with natures teach
ings and are themselves shackled men,"
In Hamlet" the Ghost out of the
grave echoes the word to Hordtius,
"Swear, swear!" How loudly Rameses,
Nebuchadnezzar Hobbies. Bernhard,
the whole Prussian gang and all the
ghosts of empires founded on force call
out in chorus, "Amen!" The sabre
rattles loudly in the sheath of this jour
nalistic justifier of Japan's policy in
Corea. Here Is absolutism, pure and
simple He quotes Balzac and Henry
Adams against democracy and individ-
ualism, and winds up by warning the
men of the new mind in Japan to be
ware of the snares and pitfalls that
are so cleverly set for them around the
clay feet of the Goddess of Liberty"
Angels and ministers OF grace. plus
Roger Williams, William Penn and
Thomas Jefferson, defend usl Yes. and
fokoi Heishiro and Itagaki and Takeno
ard Watanabe and the noble army of
freedoms martyrs in japan assist usl
In No. 2, Prof. Fujlsawa pleads for
a League of Nations. but one more
clearly defined In spirit and purpose
than the one now extant.
n Al.