San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-26

BY r. r. EGGER.
Special Cable to The San Antonio Ligh,
and the Chicago Daily News.
Copyriuht

Speciu Caple TO The san Antonio Light
and the Chicago Daily News.
Copyright. 1928.
(Followins 10 the third OF Mr.. Egg
gers articles reviewing and Analysing
the events and the effects Of the
Japanese earthquake disaster Of Sep
|tsmbr -
- Toxic, Japan, Oct. 2e.-Surprise.
alarm, fear, helplessness. hopelessness
resignation, Ggonizing suspense, numb
thankfulness for being spared, elatioI
at escaping sound and whole, anxiety
over the fate of others, amazement Of
the vastness of the tragedy, awe at the
evidence of natures vast power-thcse
are the feelings / experienced in those
first terrible moments of the quakes OF
September 1, when the earth under
Toxic sprang into motion, Quivercd
and shook as though to rid itself Of
an irritating parasite and then slowly
quieted down.
Half an hour later experienced
the same thing again in a different
building, larger and less secure than
the little japanese house in which |
underwent the first shock. Alone in
the center. of the second-stOry news
room of Toxic newspaper office /
stood, remembering the words of not
ed earthquake authority advising one
to remain in the center Of the room
and not take to flight during quake.
As the structure, with its concrete
block walls and heavy beamed ceiling
swayed more violently, an involuntary
cry arose from my throat. Not an.
other soul was within the building, all
having fled to safety after the first
quake and before my arrival.
1t was only when the trembling
earth had subsidized that l rushed down
the stairs and into the street. Thus
had my life been spared twice withia
an hour. Half an hour later with Q
japanese interpreter i entered a large
thrce-story brick structure-the cen.
stral cable office-the top floor Of
which had already been demolished.
While was in the center Of the first
floor the third big quake came, and as
my companion and l rushed into the
street ! announced my firm deter.
mination to keep the sky alone above
me from then on.
How the Japanese Behaved.
How about the Japanese in this
most disastrous of their frequent
quakes? No incident could better IL
lustrate their psychology in such mo-
ments of stress than that when my
cook came trotting into my bedrooc
immediately after the first big quake
and, with a little laugh of relief start
ed to clean up fallen plaster and
asked il master wanted more water
to finish shaving" As l dashed down.
stairs after hastily dressing cook
san" was bemoaning the fact that
some disres had been broken, and as
] hastily donned my hat and started
for the office she anxiously inquired
If / didn't want my MONDAY meal
and whether / would be home for din.
aner. -....., 49,.
Throughout my wanderings over
Toxic and across country through VII
1ages in Yokohama, aboard three ves-
ssels in Yokohama harbor, during my
strip to Kobe, and during the confusin.,
Sdsys of emergency relief in Kobe /
sdid not see a tear shed by Japa
nese nor did / hear a word of COM
plant or a single utterance of grief
My experience during two years
residence in Japan have led me to be-
lieves sometimes that the japanese is
without nerves-or at least that hi4
nerves function more slowly than do
those of occidental peoples. Perhaps
Il ldCI ludl
.ers are written into the pages of Japs-
nese history for centuries past has
bred this philosophical method of re-
rarding fresh disaster.
!, Not Ready With Relief Efforts:
, Another phase which does not bring
such credit to the japanese relates to
the rescuing of survivors and giving
succor in the hour of need. While. I'M
doubtedly many incidents have been
greatly exaggerated, it must be ad-
mitted that the Japanese failed to re-
spolsi with the wholehearted sympathy
and promptitude which marked Amer
leans and British aboard vessels in
Yokohama harbor in removing ref
ugees from the shore to floating havens
of safety. Too many persons have tod
of the deliberate ignoring of appeals
for aid by Japanese in passing
launches and aboard nearby steamers
to make it possible to clear them en-
tirely Of this censure. Once the Japa-