Evening star., 1928-04-28
THE LIBRARY TABLE
By the Booklouer

that is hidden from the people of the
East, and hidden from the people OF
the West" Is what life has taught
Nine. Etsu Inagaki Sugimoto, tnstruc-
tor In Japanese language and history
at Columbia University. The story OF
her life, divided in its loyalties between
Japan and the United States, is told
In her book, "a Daughter Of the
Samurai." The subtitle is HOY q
Daughter OF Feudal Japan, Living
Hundreds of Years in One Generation,
Became a Modern American" Brought
ND In the old castle town OF Nagaoka,
in the cold northern Province OF Echigo.
as the daughter of a Samurai official
who was on the defeated side in the
wars OF the Restoration, the little Etsu
was trained according to the most
conservative OF japanese traditions.
Her curly hair. considered almost
disgrace, was saturated every tpir-
dressing day with hot tea mixed with
stifTening oil and then pulled back
straight and tight and tied in two
shining loops. No schoolgirl giggling,
no tears over childish griefs. no sprawl
ing about over lessons or at play, no
impulsive actions of any kind, were
permitted her, for "Samurai daughters
were taught never TO lose control OF
mind or body--even in sleep. Boys
might stretch themselves into the char
acter dai,' carelessly outspread: but
girls must curve into the modest, digni-
fed character 'kinoji.' which means
spirit of control" When she came
into the house on her return from
school. through the "shoe-off entrance" +"
she first went calmly and unhurriedly"
to the room of her "Honourable Grand
mother" where she sank to the floor in
salutation and announced her return
A similar visit was then made TO her
mother. She was taught by Honour
able Grandmother" much of the his
tory, mythology and classic literature
Of Japan. The daily and festival cere-
monies before the two family shrines.
the plain wooden Shinto shrine, in
honor OF the Sun goddess. the Emperor
and the nation, and the gilded Buddhist
shrine. for comfort in time of sorrow
and guidance to the dead on their
heavenward journey. were also part of
her education. When only a girl Etsu
be married to Matsuo, her brothers
friend. For some happy years she led
the life OF ar American woman. with
an adopted American mother, in whose
country home her two little girls were
born. Then Matsuo died and Etsu took
the two children, Hanano and Chiyo
back to Japan and to all the traditions
OF family rule imposed on a widow
Wnen Hanano was IS, the problem of
her daughters education brought her
back to America
In adjusting herself to her new life
when she first came to America Etsu
was continually making comparisons
with the old life, not critically. but
eagerly looking for similarities. The
church bells on Sunday reminded her
OF the mellow boom of the temple
gong" The children who, with their
burden of books. filled the streets with
laughter and shouts at $50 am. made
the same picture TO me as our crowds
OF boys in uniform and girls in pleated
skirts and shining black hair who,
at 7:30 am. clattered along on wooden
clogs, carrying their books neatly wrap
ped in squares of patterned challie. :"
In Valentines day she saw a resem-
blance to the japanese weaving festival,
when swaying bamboos, festoonS of
bright ribbons and fiuttering poem
prayers honored the herdsmen and his
weaver wife on the heavenly river
Decoration day seemed the same as the
Shokonsha memorial to Japanese SOL
der dead. The Fourth of July appeared
very like the holiday when the flag of
Japan every day waved under crossed
cherry branches to celebrate the an
niversary of the accession of the first
Emperor, 25 centuries ago. Hal
loween had the same motive as the
harvest festival OF Japan. when pump
kins were made into gardens and Lam
terms. when ghostly games were en-
Ioyed and when the orchards of crab
bed. mean men. were raided, Thanks
giving suggested the Japanese holiday
Of the homecoming OF married sons
and daughters, when a feast of red
rice and whole fish was spread and the
shrines were opened wide. Christmas
corresponded with the Japaneses seven
day New Year celebration. when the
spirit of carnival reigned. with tinkling
bells, flying shuttlecocks. much bow
ing and greeting, new saSheS for the
maidens and mochi cakes In every
household. But there was TO EtSu q
difference between the American
Christmas and the Japanese New Year
"the difference between the soft organ
tones of an old melody and the care
less. lifting song OF a happy child"
There are many ways OF considering
the highly contentious subject Of prohi-
bition. Some people approach 1t chiefly
as q moral question. or view 1t In It's
legal, administrative. political or social
aspects 1t is therefore refreshing TO
find book ON prohibition by an econ
omist, Dr. Herman Feldman, a pro-
fessor in Dartmouth College, who
eschews these controversial matters. His
book. prohibition: Its Economic and
Industrial Aspects" Is based on an in-
vestigation which involved the securing
OF information from about 1000 per-
sons. including officers of industrial
concerns, Government officials, trade
association secretaries, insurance agents,
social service executives, brewers. dis
tilleries and trade union agents, The
authors conclusions are that "the eco
nomic advantages OF prohibition have
greatly overbalanced its economic dis
advantages and that with better en-
forcement Of the law the change has
enormous economic potentialities of a
permanent character" For the future
Dr, Feldman says: "The economic
OCIlEllh5 vi AAAN AA tAAG 0kaANA
benefits, depend not on the enactment
OF statutory prohibition. but ON the
achievement OF prohibition IN fact,
The final answer will be affected by the
challenge of these next few eventfal
years
u 4 y II
Those who wish to explain to them
selves why they are Democrats or Re-
publicanS, 10 rationaliEe their prefer
ences or preIudiees, will find good as
sisting material In two recent books
"The Democratic Party: a History" by
Frank Il. Kent, and "T'he Republican
Party; a History" by William Starr
Meyers. Pin ID. The evolution OF the
Democrats through the Jetfersonian
Republicans and OF the present day RE-
publieans through the Whigs Is traced
In these two histories, The two books
together give fairly complete survey
NAA.. FVNA.