Imperial Valley press., 1937-03-14

exactly the same thing. No matter which way
turned land the whole thing took place in
few seconds), seemed to be heading directly
toward the front legs of His Imperial Majesty's
horse. A thought ran through my mind OF the
Mikado hurdling over his horses head when
struck, fracturing his skull or even being
killed. My mind caricatured International COM
plications! | would probably be accused of as
sassinating the Emperor! looked up and caught
an expression of concern on the usually in
scrutable face Later when going over those
few brief seconds that seemed long minutes !
would have given much to know just what
were His Majestys thoughts. Alas. shall never
know!
Decision came to his aid when there were per-
maps only three feet left between us. He yanked
fercely the reins, pulling his horses head to
one side. at the same time digging his heels into
the animals sides, The horse reared up slightly
on his hind legs, then leaped to the left and
over into the grass alongside the road Not
without a slight casualty, however. The horses
hind hoofs struck the front wheel OF my bicycle,
knocking out dozen more spokes The I'M
pact was a grazing one that didn't even knock
me to the ground | stood straddling the seat
foot on the ground on either side, looking sheep
ishly II imagne) at the Emperor of Japan, who
sat quietly his horse, still at the side of the
road in the grass looking back at me. Sud-
denly, the whole situation struck me as being
ese, and how, where the Emperor was con-
cerned, that dignity is almost religion Yet,
had to laugh did laugh
I'm terribly sorry" / said, but / just
couldn't seem to steer this thing the right way"
And then for the first and last time in life or
IN pictures. | Hirohito of Japan smile.
latent sense of humor and democracy con-
quered tradition and be actually laughed out
loud. Maybe the fine morning had something to
do with I Cd a nil
ture ~tanding there straddling rather smallish
bicycle with my long legs on the ground. Any
way he laughed, and waved his hand which
took was an indication that everything was all
right Then, up thundered the retinue of blue
boods menacing, imperialistic frowning
concerned. They surrounded me- At any moment
I expected to be seized The Emperor spoke to
one of the men. He pointed to the front wheel of
my bicycle, and without looking at again,
he galloped away down the road The group of
horsemen around me melted away as if by
magic, following at a short distance behind His
Imperial Majesty.
IT WAS great story but stories like this are
| not printed in Japan. My city editor accused
me of concocting the story in the bar of the
Imperial Hotel. but when that very afternoon
very fine bicycle perhaps the finest in all Japan,
was delivered to me at the newspaper office the
boys confessed that | might have crowded the
Emperor off of the road after all either the
Emperor or someone else And so, until now,
the story has never been printed. defy anyone
to show a picture of the Mkado laugh.
ing even smiling. and have never known
anyone in Japan who has seen him laugh.
And so I've felt all along that I've been
keeping his secret, sure that his momentary
lapse of God-ike aloofness and dignity would
be embarrassing to him should it be made pub
lie. But the story too good to keep any
longer, I've recorded it here.
Perhaps the thought comes to your mind
How did the imperial household know where
this clumsy foreigner was and where'to find him
in order to deliver new bicycle the same after
noon? In city of over 100000 people, toov
And that brings up the subject about which I'm
going to tell you next the secret police or
intelligence service of Japan.
There isn't a foreigner in Japan that the
Japanese don't know just who he or she is,
their business, where they live, where they come
from. their background and station in life, de-
gree of Importance in society and business. In
fact there isn't much of anything that for
eign resident of Japan knows about himself
that the Japanese don't know, too They keep
an even closer watch on journalists than others