The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-08-31
AS THE JAPANESE DISGUISE US
Calvin Coolidge Known As KuriEuji,
 Dr. CoOlE AR KulxIxu

 Calvin Coolidge Known As KuriEuii,
 Dr. Cook As Kukku European and American authors and statesmen do not make a practice of 1 studying the Japanese press-a lucky fact which saves innumerable heart bnrnings, for what would the good and great of the western half of our planet say could they behold the extraordinary schemes Co which Japanese writerB' must resort to render even faint ap- proximations of their famous names. The difficulty rises because the Jap anese Gojiuon or Fifty Sounds" do not include such sounds at l, tn, V, CT, ir. and UT. In the Kama or syllable writing-for of course 1t is quite impossible to rep resent any European name in ideo- grams-a rough system of equivalents for the Roman letters has been worked out. 1t. is not very satisfactory, but it is the best that can be done. A name like Ernest is represented in Kama as Ahnesuto. That would puzzle a Euro peans make the attempt, and since not native newspaper, but since few Euro peans made the attempt, and since not many Japanese have any idea of the originals, the Kama transliterations work well enough. President Wilson was Uiruson. President Coolidge is dis guised at Kirizuji-an appellation which would evoke no response in the hills of Vermont. The American ann bassador, who recently resigned, Mir. Woods, became popular as Uuzu in Japan, and the American Consul Gen. eral Stewart has been transformed into 1 Suchiwahto. Japanese students of American literature know the author of The Scarlet Letter as Hason. The polar explorer, Dr. Cook, was called Kukku- | but no self-respecting person would condescend to pun about it.
 The difficulties of transliterating are increased by the fact that the trans liberated names are likely to have em- barrassing equivalents in Japanese. Ty Cobb becomes Kabu in Japanese, but unfortunately kabu means turnip. Mir. H. G. Wells becomes Uerusu, which in Japanese, means "top absent" or Hack ing in the upper story"-a coincidence which may give satisfaction to MT. Wells archenemy, the English drama tist, Henry Arthur Jones, but will cer- tainly offend the numerous oriental users of Mir. Wells textbook of zoology. Living Age.
 
 ICELAND MAY BUILD RAILROAD
 Iceland is one of the few countries in the world that have no railroad. That does not mean it is unprogressive, nor that it is behind the times. So far a railroad has not been thought necessary. The country is small and communica- tion is cut by fjords, mountains and lava beds. Until recent years the only transportation was by means of ponies rover stretches of what could hardly be dignified by the name of roads. Oc- casional ships called at ReykjaVik, and at rare intervals went up the west coast of the island. Mail was sent in- land by pony express. Now, however, the roads have been improved, and, though ponies are still used more than I anything else, there are motor cars in Reykjavik, the capital city; in Aku- reyri, the second largest city, and ill Nmany of the small fishing communities. Gn addition quite a number of steam ships go round the island, all of them catEying mail.
 Far some time, however, the problem of raSlroad construction has been occu- pying Sthe inhabitants in and around Reyki%rik and in the southern low lands. Whose in favor of having small railroad% built have gone so far as to have $pute surveyed and estimates made of he probable cost. Should the plans go Through it would mean a rail road of pd rhaps eighty miles in length running s uth and east from ReykjaVik -MaurinA Robb in the Current History Magazinel