Evening star., 1924-02-15
Solf. Mentioned as German
Envoy, Is Noted as Di plomat

with all the numerous and intricate
problems of the Pacific ocean, and o.
the countries bordering thereon. Nc
German is possessed of such a pro-
found and far-reaching knowledge or
the subject.
After the congress of Versailles his
countrymen. aware of the necessity Of
restoring the sadly damaged prestige
of Germany in the far orient and Of
the urgency of reorganizing their
economic interests in that part of the
world. Undue I'd him to accept the post
of ambassador to Japan. where ne
was shrewd enough to make use OF
his profound knowledge of Sanskrit
and of the various forms of Bud
dhism which he had acquired while IN
India and in Ceylon, to get into close
and intimate touch with the scien-
fists of the great island empire Of the
orient. He especially made friends
with the Marquis Okuma, the grand
old man of Japan and her most emf
nent statesman, who. it is interesting
to recall, negotiated as minister of
finance the first American loan for
Japan, now some fifty years ago,
namely. early In the seventies.
1t was at DR.. Solf's suggestion that
Okuma about q couple of years ago
delivered a most remarkable public
address at Toxic, advocating that al
least two hundred German scientists
OF the highest standing should be in
vited at once by the emperor's gov
ernment to Japan. for employment
there in the promotion of national re
search and industry. He urged that
at least half that number could be
placed in the universities, where he
was convinced that they would prove
new inspiration and stimulus to
scIentihc nvestigation-, He recon-
an average of $4,000 a year. That
would only amount to s2,0O0,0o0. But
even if 1t were five times that much,
Okuma argued that the money could
not be expended to better purpose
Germany were such since the war
that many of the most eminent of her
scientists and experts had been left
without remunerative occupation, and
that, this being the case, Japan should
take advantage of the opportunity to
obtain on the most favorable condi-
tions the highest form of skilled la
Dor.
fruit is shown by the steady stream
OF German scientists who have
reached Japan during the last two.
years for the purpose of employ
ment there. OF course, every Ger j
man teacher in Japan exercises as
lasting influence upon his pupils, and
this Influence usually proves to be
not only educational but also poiit-@
ical and economic For each Teuton
in the Land of the Rising Sun feels
himself compelled by motives of that
German patriotism which assumes so!
many peculiar forms to be active as
political agent of the Berlin gov-S
ernment.
DR.. Solf was also instrumental In
securing for the Berlin department.
of education gift from the Japanese
government of some 100000 worth
of instruments and paraphernalia.
needed for scientific research, with
the object of having them distributed
among the various universities of
Germany which have been so much
improved by the great war. All this
goes to show that Solf. who speak s.
English without any trace OF a for
eign accent, is a very clever and re-
sourceful man of vast experience, OF
fertile initiative, of independent for
tune and keenly appreciative of Eng
lish and American life and charac-
teristics. II. anything were needed to-
further demonstrate his shrewdness,
it 10 the caution which he has shown
in refraining from permitting himself
to be drawn into any one of those
ministerial combinations at Berlin
which have succeeded one another
with such rapidity. leaving the mem
bers thereof stranded with sorely
damaged prestige. ruined political
regulations. and with knowledge
that they have forfeited the conf
dence Of their own countrymen at
home and foreign statesmen and Of
money markets abroad. Just at the
present time, a far-sighted man like
Solf finds 1t prudent to be active for
Germany abroad rather than at home,
and whatever ambitions he may have
with regard to future power and
eminence, there are much moro likely
to be furthered by his making sue
cess Of his difficult mission Ia the
United States than by taking part in
the present political intrigues and
party sQuahbles at home.