The Washington times., 1923-05-22
JAPAN ASSURED
Of PRINCE s
ABILITY
People of Empire Look to Hiro-
hito for Safe and Helpful
Reign.
BY DUKE n. PARRY.
International News Service.

1OhlO, Japan, MAY ZA.--Iu CoH
sidering the attitude which the
Japanese as a people have toward
their future Emperor. the Prince Re
gent Hirohito, it must be remem-
bered that there are two distinct
divisions of ideas on the Japanese
ruler. The first group, who may be
considered the older type of Japan
csc, will probably to the end OF time
consider any member OF the reign
ing house as a god, and let 1t so at
that; there is the other group, Wnlcn
consists of those who have rubbed
up against Western civilization, nave
travelled abroad, end the members OF
which see that their Emperor ana
his family are more or less human:
and a great deal like the Prince OF
Wales, who visited Japan during the
year 1922, and the British royal
family.
Shows Democratic Tendencies.
In many ways the Imperial bride
groom of 1923 has shown character
istics not unlike those exhibited by
that highly successful ruler of mod
ern Japan, his grandfather, the En-
peror Meiji. The Prince Regent OF
Japan exhibited democratic tenden-
cies in abundance during his trip
abroad, and when His Highness en-
terfained the Prince of Wales there
was time after time that the strain
of court conventionality lrked him
just as much as it Ibid his royal
visitor from London 1t was on the
hikes that the two princes had to-
gether at the golf matches where
they played golf together, and in the
various trips throughout Japan that
the real personality of the Prince
rrrrac OF n hTOIle
out.
No foreign or Japanese newspaper
man has secured an interview from
the Prince Regent, although many
have been presented to him, ana
some have been received to be hand
ed formal statement, although this
latter happened while the Prince
Regent was outside the Empire OF
Japan. 1t is an open secret, though,
that if ii were not for the aged-old
customs of Japan, which 1t 10
dangerous to break right now the
Prince Regent himself would like TO
receive newspapermen, as he is be.
lieved to feel that he could gain
something by contact with them.
Limits Wedding Costs.
1t is not too much to say that the
progressives among the japanese
and that class is growing in mum.
bers every day-look to their future
ruler as a man who viii undertake
to understand and aid in the solu-
ton of all the problems of the
modern Japan; they do not consider
him as a god if such consideration
means that they feel he will hold
himself aloof from the problems Of
his Empire 1t was not a gesture
VwyH7k 10 nh " nj
ed the Imperial Household Depart
ment that despite the advance in
prices the Imperial wedding must
not cost VI 900 900, in the actual
wedding itself. He expressed the
opinion that Y200 900, the sum spent
at the wedding of his Imperial
father, would be sufficient for the
wedding this year. This is only one
OF many incidents which go to show
that the Prince Regent has inherited
some of the characteristics of the
great Emperor Meiji. and that his
rule may be looked to as an era Of
progress in the Japanese Empire.
His keen desire to learn of the
West, his close personal attention
during the regency TO matters ar
fecting the external relations of
Japan, and his frequently expressed
desire that he know at once Of
troubles that may come to his people
within the nation-all these add to
the opinion held by liberals among
the press and the statesmen of
Japan that the Prince Regent
Hirohito will make it his object not
10 enjoy the work of being Emperor
but to make his rule go down in
history as one for which the Japan
csc people are better off.
Plans Welfare Hall.
The Imperial wedding ceremony
gift--that is, the gift of the people
of Japan, which is a part of every
big Imperial function-wilI be,
Y1,00O, 900, and it will be used for
social welfare work. IT is not an
nounced whether or not the Prince
Regent has had part in determin-
ing what the money shall be spent
for, but those who have followed his
career thus far have expressed the
belief that the building of A social
welfare work is a project which is
quite in line with the internal i'm.
provements His Highness has been
most interested in.
II is understood that improved
public lodging houses, public mar
kets, day nurseries, homes for for
mer conVicts and other civic i'm.
provements which forward thinking
nations are providing for today will
be part of the means for which
the big Imperial gift will he spent.
The progressive element Of the
Japanese nation feels that In the
Prince Regent they have a ruler-to-
be who Is sportsman, a non-drink.
er, modern type ruler who is al
ready taking over the actual worl;
OF ruling country which is still
emerging from it's hermit state of
tess than century ago. Prince
Regent Hirohito as Regent has
proven himself capable OF the lob.
end his adherents throughout tho
Empire predict more successes after