Askov American., 1943-08-05
A Little Japanese
Background

about the World-to-be, the post
war world, it is interesting and
informative to know the impress
sions gained by Joseph c. Grew,
former ambassador to Japan,
when he worked with the people
of that island. This is brought
forth in a short article by E.
DiXwell Chase in the Worldover
Press which follows:
Back in June Joseph c. Grew, for
mer Ambassador to Japan, gave a
speech at the University of Kentucky
which did not receive the publicity
it deserved. 1t was particularly
interesting speech because it indi-
Gated that those responsible for war
time propaganda in the government
are becoming mindful that work
able peace cannot be built upon pop
ular hatred of the former enemy, but
will require understanding. Said Mr..
Grew of the Japanese, people he has
reason to know exceptionally we'll:
''It is important, both during the
war and afterward, for us to realize
that the common people of Japan,
who support their government body
and soul, did not seek this war. They
do not have for us the long-standing
hatred which mars the relationships
of some pairs or groups of western
nations. In my many years in Japan
found that most of the ordinary
men and women of Japan-men and
women of all classes and of all re-
gions-were friendly toward Amer
lea. They respected our good faith.
They honored us for our humane,
non-aggressive ideals. They showed
us time and time again a true courtesy
and friendliness which in some cases
became devoted friendship and per-
sonal loyalty. Nevertheless, they are
obedient people, and when their gov
ernment fell into the hands of bullies,
murderers and fanatics the ordinary
people of Japan continued to give
their government the same unquali-
fed obedience which they had shown
their constituted authorities for ages
past.
'These ordinary people are fight
ing us today. They are fighting us
with the grim devotion of which they
have a superlative mastery. They do
not display the irrepressible good
humor which lies at the heart of
China's immense endurance. They
do not possess the grim, almost reck-
less enterprise which we Americans
can put into an all-out fight. But
they do have respectfulness, a CO.
operativeness toward one another, an
almost dreadful anxiety to do what
they are told. These qualities &C
count for the curious paradox that
although the Japanese, man for man,
may well prove to be the hardest
enemies whom we have to defeat,
they promise to be the easiest people
with whom to make a real peace,
provided that we iberate them from
the braggarts and men of blood who
now hold Japan in thrall."
The former ambassador then went
on to recount how the Japanese peo-
pie had been literally conquered by
the militarists, who used terror, de-
ceit, and assassination, how the army
had started the Manchurian war
without asking or telling Parliament,
the cabinet, or the people, and how
once that war was started, the army
was in position to appeal to the
sentiment, "My country, right or
wrong!" which the Japanese, least
of all peoples in the world, were in a
position to deny or disrespect Mr..
Grew further stated that the occupa-
ton of Manchuria was ga deliberate
blow against constitutionalism in
Japan and was the work of militarist
radicals who realized that every sue
ceeding month of peace was bringing
the japanese common people closer
and closer to the realization of the
goodness of decent international re-
lationShips. If the army had not
started Japan on a course of aggres-
sion, the constitutionalist and peace
full forces might have dislodged the
militarists from pivotal positions of
political power and might have di-
rected Japan's course down the road
of international progress, disarma-
ment and collaboration.
At the time that the struggle for
power was going on in Japan and the
China war was about to begin, most
Americans who read their newspa-
pers carefully understood the situa-
ton as Mr.. Grew has described it.
In recalling these facts at this time
when it is the fashion to depict all
Japanese as incorrigible outlaws who
always have been and always will be
beyond the pale of civilized society,
Mr.. Grew has given us sharp re-
minder that war tends to play tricks
with our memories and our judgment
tricks that will not help us build
a just peace.