Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-10-27
THE MOST PERFECT
GENTLEMAN
By DIR. Frank Crane


TN HE most perfect gentlemen I ever saw,
to date. are the Japanese men of Gull
ture and standing.
All races and nations produce fine samples,
but in my opinion the nearest approach to
what we mean by good breeding" is found
among the high class Japanese.
There are some splendid English aristo-
Gratis, but no Englishman entirely escapes a
certain superciliousness. [ have had a noble
lord rudely turn his back to me in the midst
of conversation.
The best Americans can not escape an air
Of hardness. In fact, egotism sticks out of
the English-speaking gentleman or lady in
spite of any amount of effort to be agreeable.
The Japanese know how to manifest per-
feet consideration. They are humble, yet
with dignity; agreeable, but not too much;
know when to talk interestingly, and when
to listen interestedly; in short, they are past
masters at the art Of aking one feel at ease.
In the first place, their skill arises from a
profound racial source, the practice of self
control for generations. All good manners
are rooted in self-discipline.
Western people who are used to the child
ish habit of yielding to every impulse and
Boosting of it as a virtue, do not understand
the excellency of perfect inhibition, and call
it hypocrisy.
To do SO is to manifest the inferiority
complex, to throw mud at perfection We
can not reach, to cry sour grapes.
The Japanese are a sensitive, passionate
race, but they are masters of themselves.
They not whining all the while, perking
up little gment of wit into bitter cyni-
cisms, cleverly fishing for sympathy or fat
terry, nor preening their culture in an air OF
supercilious superiority.
The Japanese gentleman is cheerful to-
ward you, even if his heart is breaking. He
is thoughtful and courteous toward you
whether you be poor school teacher a
rich banker
You can not feel awkward in his presence
because you sense that bis earnest purpose
is to relieve you of any embarrassment.
He does not bludgeon you with his posi-
tivities, like cocky commercial traveller; he
is not obseQuious, as a head waiter; he is
not pompous and strutty, as are too many In
the west who are in some position OF a lit
tie brief authority.
He does not rudely break into your SEN
tence while you are talking.
He does not smile in hopeless pity at you
when he disagrees with you.
He does not ignore or brush aside your
expressed opinion, as though he wished you
hadn't uttered it. but under the circum-
stances he supposes he'll have to endure it.
He has none of those preciosities of vul-
garity which the gentry of Europe have been
cult1vating steadily for so many generations,
and none of that infantile desire to shock
which seems to characterize so many Ameri-
cans.
The japanese gentleman puts you at your
ease. Whatever you do is right. II you want
to stand on your head, Or put your feet on
the table, you will meet from him no frown
of disapproval.
When have said this to some people they
have replied: "But it's all On the surface.
They don't mean it. They are not sincere"
To which the complete answer is that sur
faces are all we are talking about.
We are like the young man who told his
father that he had fallen in love with the
most beautiful girl in the world and wanted
to marry her.
f'But, my son." cautioned the father, "you
must remember. beauty is only skin deep"
'Sure, dad. But then-Fm no cannibal."