Evening star., 1934-04-22
Tales of Well Known Folk
In Art, Literature, Politics
Mime. Saito Makes Debut as Broadcaster
Ladies of House Bellies at Stag Dinner.
World War Wounds Healed

Nine. Saito's debut before a radio
audience last Monday was such a
great success that it is hoped she will
repeat it.
She does not speak English as flu-
emily or with as little accent as her
husband, the japanese Ambassador,
but her sentences are crisp and her
accent pleasing. She reads English,
Though like most foreigners she finds
the construction bit difficult. She
has lived in both the Western and
Eastern parts of the United States
and in England, where Mr.. Saito was
third secretary of the japanese en-
bassy. She smilingly says that was
her first foreign post.
Little Sakiko, the eldest daughter
of fthe house, was born in New York
when her father was consul general
there. She and her sister Masako are
Learning English and with their
father and mother were part of the
artistic group photographed under the
first cherry blooms this year.
Nine. Saito's Eastern temperament
was, however, never more CLEARLY
shown than In her radio taiks Al
through itar the artistic values~ers
Her[otsaarlssa II the cherry bios
sohasAto layers Of pink clouds adorn-
ing the banks of the Potomac was
charming, and she gracefully paid
tribute to the officials, scientists and
laborers who had so carefully nursed
the cherry trees, which were difficult
to acclimatize She expressed "the
heartfelt gratitude of the japanese
womanhood to these people. without
whose untiring effort the trees would
not have so splendidly thrived in the
land of adoption"
When Commodore Matthew CAL
braith Perry, brother of the hero
of Lake Erie, over 80 years ago pre-
sented the first gifts from this gov
ernment to the japanese Empire, the
compliment was just as sincere, but
the gifts were more utilitarian than
the cherry trees, the valuable ceramics
and the beautiful rugs which have
since been the official offerings of the
japanese people to America.
It was in January, 1854, that Com
modore Perry sailed from Hongkong
on his second trip to the Bay of
Yeddo with nine vessels, anchoring
before Yokohama The Japanese
marveled at the steamers Mississippi,
Susquehanna and Powhatan sailing
into the Bay of Yeddo with no visible
sails.
The countries of Europe, before
Perry visited Japan, had repeatedly
sought relations with the Flowery
Kingdom, and a Russian named Re-
zanoff, an admiral in the Russian
Navy, called at Japan-it is claimed
40 years before Perry. Rezanoff,
however, did not tarry, while Perry
was admitted, and in the 80 years
which have passed since his visit the
relations of the two countries have
been maintained with friendship.
The japanese not only marveled at
the ships steaming majestically into
the bay, but were overawed when a
small locomotive, with cars and rails,
was presented and set up. An anus
ing description is given in an old
account of the Japanese seating
themselves on top of the little car
and taking spin of few feet.
Instead of the radio Nine Saito
talked over the other day, the Ameri-
can officer had taken telegraph
apparatus, with wires, which he had
installed for the distance Of mile.
The natives came from far and near
to send messages over the magic in
strument, and then, with their usual
courtesy, would patiently wait until
an answer was received.
The small arsenal of arms presented
on this visit was perhaps the first
of the kind seen in the empire. There
were IS Hale rifles, 3 Maynard mus
kets, II cavalry sabers, artillery
swords, carbine and 20 army pistols.
There were more miscellaneous
gifts, but also useful, such as dress
ing case, bottles of perfumery, bar
rel of whisky. wines, cordials, cham
pagnes and Irish potatoes. A box of
books, containing Audubon's Birds of
America" lfeboats and several agri-
cultural implements.
The treaty signed in 1856 between
the United States and Japan was
burned in the great fire at Yeddo
in 1858. So in 1860 the first Japanese
mission came to Washington to OBJ
tain the signature of President Fill
more. Between that mission and Am
bassador Saito IA years have elapsed.
The bishops garden at the Wash
fngton Cathedral was open yesterday
and for 10 days will be open to
visitors. Gardening is reverting more
and more to our great-grandmother'
time and no garden of any size is
now complete without a little plot Of
herbs.
The cottage herb garden near the
Norman arch entrance to the bishops
garden will be open to visitors, too.
during next week, and one can buy
sweet-scented and savory herbs, some
well rooted in pots, many from Eng
lish seeds. and those especially de-
sirable for f1avoring as well as fra
grance
In all the category of English
1iterature-or any other-there is
nothing more delightful than Sir