Evening star., 1923-11-23
QUAKE RETARDS
CHnST|AN.WORK
y ViunO'"" "Ss
Destruction of Bibles and
Plates During, Disaster
Proves Severe Blow.
BY f.. II. EGGER.

Correspondence Of The Star and Chicago Daily
News.
TOXIC. October 26.-The prog
! ress of Christianity in Japan suffered
a severe blow in the recent disaster.
| Not only were churches and religious
/ education institutions demolished. but
. the organized forces working for the
! spread of the gospel We're disrupted
! resulting in serious delay TO the
advancement of the work. .
! Another deplorable result is the
| destruction of millions of copies OF
the Bible printed in the native
tongue. While this is merely a ma
terial loss which can be replaced in
time. the retarding effect of the loss
Is considerable. The stock Of the
! American Bible Society was COM
completely destroyed.
| One of the most serious losses
! the kukuin tGospeD Printing, Com
pany of Yokohama. with the attend
ing death Of the proprietor, his son
ana several employees. The loss Of
many copies of the Bible in stock
IS not so serious. but this concern
had been printing the gospel not only
/ IN Japanese. but also in Siamese,
chinese and one of the Philippine
ciaiects. In this work large collec-
| ton of valuable plates in these vari
Gus languages had been accumulated
| ana IL is through the loss OF these
piates that one OF the most serious
seloacks FOR religious progress in the
Tar east was sustained
Years OF Work Needed.
1t Will require years OF hard work
there most likely will be a dearth o!
BIBLES for those mission fields.
The officials of the imperial house
noiu department are reported 10 be
IN a quandry as TO the home OF the
prince regent and Princess Nasako
Kuni. following their marriage. IA
sumigaseki Palace, the home OF his
/ imperial highneSs at the time Of the
recent disaster. was so badly dam
! aged that II is declared unit for the
ImPeriaI mn residence as was first plan.
where the prince regent Is now living,
Is also declared 70 be unsuitsd for
The home Of the future rulers OF the
japanese empire.
Both the prince regent and his
younger brother. Prince chichibu. re-
Gently rejected plans OF the imperial
household department for erecting
new palaces as their future homes
1t is anticipated that in view of the
era or economy proclaimed by tie
emperor following the earthquakes
and fire the imperial sons will re-
iterate their rejection of expendi-
lures Tor their personal comfort.
Japanese Miss Beer.
Not only was the output of the ne
cessities of life in Japan greatly cur
tailed through the wide destruction
in the great disaster, but many Of the
luXurieS were also cut short Among
these non essential but greatly de-
sired outputs was one which has been
legally banned from the United
states and some other countries, but
enjoys rapidly increasing popu-
larity in Japan-namely, beer.
or the eleven principal breweries
in the empire, four plants with a to-
tai production capacity of 329,2sS
koku year Ga koku is approximate
ly five bushels) were temporarily or
permanently put out of business by
quakes or fire. This represents 43
per cent of Japans beer-producing
capacity. The Meguro brewery of.
the Dai Nippon Company is expected
to be soon restored to it's normal out
put, which will reduce the decreased
production to only 20 per cent under
normal.
1t might be added that the Japanese
thus far have failed to produce a
drinkable whisky other hard
liquor. osaka Scotch" whisky being
famous for it's corrosive qualities
Several brands of japanese beer.
however, are gaining in popularity
even among the foreigners. The day
of prohibition in this country is an
pdrently far distant.