Evening star., 1937-01-23

ScCllOIl OI tIle
peasant claSs-the latter, perhaps
clinging precariously to a bit of tax
ridden land, are still the conservators
Of feudal tradition.
Many Of the military leaders come
from this class, and much of agrarian
Japan is behind the upthrust and out
reach Of the headstrong military
group. They charge opposing indus
trialists, such as the great Mitsui clan,
with bringing Japan to the verge OF
ruin. From this viewpoint, 1t is me-
dieval Japan which is now clashin9
with the Diet. This explanation in
terested this writer tremendously, a.
it definitely fulfills prediction made
by the late Thorsten Voblen in two
books, written in 1915 and 1916.
Hara-kiri has resulted from lesser
hostilities than Thursdays clash be-
tween Gen. Terauchi and Kunimstsu
Hamada, leader of the Seiyukai party
The fiery little general, inept in argu-
ment and in all parliamentary tactics,
comes from an ancient line of ruling
and fighting clans. His father was the
late Premier Field Marshal Count
MaSakata Terauchi, who was war min.
lister in the era Of the Meiji.
He was graduated from the National
Military College in 1900 and advanced
to chief Of staff of the Chosen Army
Within two months after his appoint
ment TO his present post, he had
ordered shake-up among 5000 of the
higher officers. bringing to the top the
generally more obstreperous and hard
boiled men, under his sole command
and no longer sharing responsibility
with the chief Of general staff and the
director of military education. His
ginger group" they call it, all dressed
up with some place to go.
In money jam, Japan devalues the
yen and lets it go at that. Apparently
something more drastic is now in ths
cards. =.
The retail wine and liquor guile
never did like the moral climate
around co-educational bars. Its de.
corous and dignified publicity has dis
countenanced raffsh drinking in tn,
past, and now its president, Col. Ralph
c. Tobin of New York, issues q plei
for sound ethical and economic
practice in the handling Of liquor
selling it or drinking it. 1t organizes Z
civic committee to bring this about
There is shushed undertone ol
Bishop CannonIl get you if you dom
watch out"
The lean. pallid. aristocratic Col
Tobin, an ascetic of impeccable speech
dress and department, is even more
dignif1ed than his publicity. Hi
career, all the intense fervor OF hi
life, has gone into the 7th Regimen;
Of the National Guard. There, with
1000 men, he has fashioned his OWL
world of precision. decorum and, in.
cidentally, exclusiveness. This Is thu
regiment of the social registerites, o,
whom COL Tobin, bachelor. is one
No regiment anywhere could touch
this one in perfection of drill and in
all that makes up the romantic side
of war. Most of this glory is all Col
Tobin's doing
Although the regiment is the col.
onel's primary. not secondary, life IN.
terest, he gets only $1,000 year
barely enough to keep his uniforms
and gear shipshape. The colonel in.
spires disinterested devotion, sharply
denouncing bonus racketeers" ant
getting into arguments-never intem.
perate-with the American Legion. Ht
is not wealthy, but so impassioned. Il
his love of the regiment that his busi.
ness career is just a sideline. He left
N. Y. U. to get into the big war, as 9
second lieutenant: was gassed and re-
turned to pay in his life for the 100.
year-old regiment.
tCopyright. 1887