Evening star., 1934-02-18

ObllCL oOOpplllS PAdNCo. H41lSC EILlSC
Tokugawa was last seen in this coun-
try Henry L. Stimson has had some
thing exciting to say, as Secretary Of
State, about the "Manchurian Incl
dent" 'the Shanghai incident" the
setting up Of Manchukuo as buffer
state, Japan and the Kellogg pact,
the League of Nations and other sub
iects In which Japan was and Is
vitally interested.
Also, since Prince Tokugawa spoke
about peace across the dinner table in
New York some of his fellow peers
have been asking why and how Japan
can spend a per cent Of its budget
on its army and navy. Mai Gen.
Eiki TOTO of the japanese War Ofice's
Military Intelligence Bureau has
averred that the United States
likely to be confronted with various
international difficulties in 1885, are
steadily preparing for war. Japan's
choice is whether she will be perma-
nently shut up on these small islands
or take the road to promising de-
velopment.
Japanese fiction writers are giving
birth to lurid romances in which
japanese armies and navies wipe the
earth with these United States. The
ultra radical japanese Blood Brother
hood League, whose members assas-
sinated the venerable Finance Min
ister Inouye and the soft-spoken, but
Morgan-like, Baron Takuma Dan, had
oriF7Rn 1OyIJna
slaughter, possibly because he was
one of the first delegates to indorse
Secretary of State Charles E. Hughes
plan for naval disarmament and an
nounce6: "I have come from a far
country primarily to participate in
the making Of a great peace-un-
doubtedly the most promising the
world has known"
His arrival in this country for his
fifth extended visit is timed nearly to
coincide with that of another Ambas-
sador, Hiroshi Saito. The latter, who
arrived from Europe on February g.,
is the antithesis of the exceedingly
dignif1ed, old-school scion Of a
Shogunate family.
Saito a Poor Player.
Saito is ''Japan's boy Ambassador :"
Though he has been in his country's
diplomatic service for nearly 20
years, he is less than so years old,
has lived most Of his diplomatic life
in America and meets the reporters
queries about war with Russia by
smilingly replying, "Poppycock," or
something like that.
An all-around handy man in dlplo-
matte service, like Hugh Gibson in
that particular, Saito is an expert
equestrian. for he simultaneously rides
two political horses the japanese
jingoes and the Japanese conserva-
tives. Saito is for peace and for the
japanese military. japanese in the
home country and in America unite
in proclaiming him an ideal ambas-
sador. To quote their local organ:
THE Japanese feel the great need
for an able interpreter of japan to
America and America to Japan. They
feel that Saito is the man-backed,
on the one hand, by the militarists,
but, on the other hand, himself a
strong motivator for peace-to ac-
complish this mission"
So, on the heels of this noted diplo-
mat who writes English poetry, who
talks a language in an idiom that
Americans understand, who has been
appointed to Washington-which he
first knew as a diplomat more than
20 years agc-over the heads of seven
career men who are his seniors IN
service, comes the thoroughly con-
servative Prince Tokugawa, who in
a half century of diplomacy has never
officially been diplomat.
Visit Viewed as Timely.
With japanese jingoes trying to stir
up trouble, with Russia insisting that
Japan seeks war, with China COM
her, with British merchants wailing
that Japanese manufacturers are
underselling the British manufac-
turers in their own home markets,
the member of House of Peers
which has its sessions in Toxic will
have need for all his long training
in waving the olive branch.
But Tokugawa derives from a well
founded school. In his class was
the late Viscount Shibusawa, a life
long friend of America, whom I heard
making touching speech in the
shade of a tree planted by Gen. Grant
at Toxic and who lived and died with
friendship for America as his re-
ligion. In the same class is the eru-
dite, polished DR.. Inazo Nitobe, who,
after solen1nly swearing he would not
again touch foot in this country until
it had rescinded its restrictions on
japanese immigration, did visit 1t
about a year ago, in the hope that
he might promote better interna-
tional understanding.
Among other Offices which Prince
Iyesato Tokugawa holds with dis
tinction is that of honorary president
of the League Of Nations Association
of Japan. He is travelling on delicate
ground during his current visit to
the United States, but-as one who
has seen him and known him in both
countries-I believe the grandson o1
a Shotgun will cement for Japan and
America lasting peace.