Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-09
RULER Of JAPAN
!. CLOSE TO PEOPLE
Hirohito, Brought Up in Sim
pie and Austere Manner, Held
Representative of Race.

By the Associated Press.
NEW IOkA. January Ss--Youthful
ness, simplicity and a whole-hearted
preoccupation in the welfare of his
subjects are, TO American eyes, some
of the outsta nding characteristics Of
Emperor Hirohito, the new sovereign
of Japan.
This is the impression brought back
by Lewis Strauss of the financial firm
of Kuhn. Loeb d Co. who was grant
ed a private audience by Hirohito last
November
"One expects to see a young man,
Mr.. Strauss told the Associated Press.
hut is nevertheless astonished at
the youthfulness of Hirohito. He
is only 26. and looks even younger
The austere regime of his upbringing
in conformity with century-old custom
in the imperial family. is responsible
for the clearness of his eyes and the
absence of any evidences of high
living.
Conscious Pride Absent
I'm the demeanor of the new En-,
peror there is an absence of pomp
or conscious pride. His glance. how
ever, is fearless and his handClaSps
firm and vigorous. In his person are
typitied The characteristic Japanese
virtues, good taste and the absence
of display. on the occasions of the
audience he wore a simple khaki uni
form from which gold lace or orna-
ment was conspicuously absent.
Despite the ceremonial nature OF
the visit he had just made to the
Meiji Shrine. on the anniversary of
the birth of Emperor Meiji, father
of the late Emperor, Hirohito wore
but one decoration on his tunic--the
chrXsanthemum. which is the crest
of his house.
1T is interesting to remember that
Hirohito is more thoroughly repre-
sentative of his people than any ruler
in Europe. where royal marriages
across state boundaries have mixed
the blood of 6ynastiCs. For 25 cen
turtles his ancestors in direct line have
been japanese and japanese only.
However. the almost Spartan sim
plicity of their lives, bare of any
indulgences or luxury. has maintained
the strain as strong as 1t is pure.
Palaces Are Simple.
In the old imperial palaces at
kiOto and elsewhere the visitor is i'm.
pressed with evidence of the austerity
of imperial home life and the absence
of any important differences between
the rooms in these residences of En-
perorS and in the residences of their
humble subjects. True, the woods of
which they are built are rare and
the joinery superb, but there is no
difference in design or appointments,
ncr ara there any convenience that
sha or@ir ar" m:n may not and does
not possess
Reared in TINS atmosphere the
present Emperor, though separated
from his people by the tradition of
descent from the gods. is vet closer
10 them than perhaps any other ruler
could be. His questions and his re-
Spouse to the replies his questions
elected indicated plainly his complete
preoccupation in the welfare of his
country. He has borne the responsi.
bility of the crown since i'll health
necessitated the complete retirement
of the late Emperor some 5 years
ago. During that time it is said that
ne has shownssa remarkable grasp
OF the problems of his country, both
domestic and foreign, and maturity
OF Judgment that has excited the adj
mration of all. in a country where
sagaCity has been traditionally the
perduisite of venerable age.
This should not be taken as in
ference that the Emperor has no
avocations; on the contrary, he is an
ardent sportsman, and when the pres
sure of duties relaxes he may be
found on the golf course or engaged
In other varieties of outdoor ac-
dvity'