The Coolidge examiner., 1933-09-08

for more than half a century classi-
fies the two kinds of men into
Don't cares" and those who, after
every repulse of nature, cry Let US
rebuild" Then, Caleb-like. these
hearten others By declaring, I'VE
are well able to do H."
Like natures dress, which later
clothes in threefold loveliness, with
color. beauty, and perfume, what
was once fiery scoria, the maidens
know how to add to their physical
charms through the witchery of raj
ment. In his ideas of beauty, and
especially Of dress patterns and
whatever is applied to bodily wear,
the japanese artist-designer excels.
For variety and originality he pos
sibly leads the world.
Men and women in their garb low
ingly copy natures moods. When
a maiden adds TO her faultlessly
graceful costume a "Fujiyama neck
and shoulders" with superb
coiffure, who can do less than ad-
mire? Was it lackadaislcal in the
native poet to write of her: zone
glance and you would give your
province; another, and you would
barter your kingdom?
Love Their Lands Beauty.
Yet as of glamor for their wOm-
en-, as expressed in strains of ad-
miration, so also and more have
their poets written of the beautiful
scenery and the special features Of
their native land. They reckon even
clouds, mist, sunrise glow, and sun
set glory as part of their country's
life and adornment. Yet ii is not
they, but we, who say "her" of ma
ture. for personification is rare in
japanese literature, art, or Ian
guage. OF a thousand figures OF
speech in poetry, many Of which
refer to the moon, scarce a dozen
bear any resemblance TO the de-
scription of that luminary as "a fair
maiden with white fire laden"
Nevertheless, apart from litera-
ture, in Japan all nature is alive
with personality. The mountains,
especially in the beauty spots, are
inhabited by gods and goddesses.
To the average native, these per
sonalities in the realm of imagina-
ton seem as real as the virgin
priestesses at the Shinto shrines.
Every year. at the invitation and
under the direction of the imperial
court, thousands of the short, 81
syllable poems are sent, for oblivion
or glory, by the people, from beg
gar boy TO noble, to the courts staff
of literary appraisers, and censors.
After due scrutiny and appraise-
ment. rewards are meted out, not to
rhymeSters, for there are none, but
TO the poets.
But let US come down to facts
and figures of area and population
and of facilities of movement by
land and sea.
Travel today in the Japanese en-
pire is one of luxury and detailed
convenience as compared with what
existed 60 years ago. Japan proper
is now threaded with 15,413 miles
of railways and trolleys, rivers are
crossed by countless bridges. and
the ocean paths TO all continents
are traversed by ships that move
with an affluence and punctuality
that are akin to the movements of
the heavenly bodies.
Intellectual preparation for change
had been in progress a century or
more before the arrival of Presi-
dent Fillmore's peaceful armada of
1858. Japan's modern history is
truly as much one of interior dlsci-
pline as of any reinforcement from
the outside.
Honshu the Chief Island.
The present-day empire consists
of the four large islands of Japan
proper, with nearly 1900 smaller
ones; Taiwan (Formosa); Karafu-
to. the portion of Sakhalin below
the fiftieth parallel of north lati-
tude; and Korea.
The country's life centers on
Main island. Honshu, the chief the
ater of its history. Here is the
bulk of the population; and here are
the chief cities; towns and villages
are thickly clustered. Hence, in the
minds of foreigners. this large is
land, with its $4,000 square miles
of area, is practically Japan.
To risk a further computation.
one faneies tint so per cent of all
visitors to Japan do" Honshu
only. Nevertheless, Kyushu. with
busy Nagasaki on its southwest tip,
being the historic home of the
Dutch who, for nearly three cen.
turies. kept the world informed con-
cerning the hermit nation, is far
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