Evening star., 1945-07-17

exactly as Der Leweil melieu'
Fuehrer and II Duce would hav'
been treated had they not, in theil
own separate ways, escaped capture
by the Allies.
Others think otherwise. They hole
that the Emperor has no authority
that he is only symbol of power
and little more than a prisoner o.
the country's actual rulers. He sign!
the papers he is told to sign. accord.
ing to this theory, and reviews tn,
troops from his white horse II
obedience to the army's orders, no
his own will. Therefore, it is argued
there would be no more point II
furnishing him than in Furnishing thu
court stenographer-or that white
horse.
But, says the first group, If VIZ
destroy this instrument of power VIZ
will destroy much of the power itself
the power of those who use thu
Emperor. If we put the Emperor
to death, they suggest, it may re-
veal to his subjects that their notions
concerning his divinity are all non-
sense. This, the argument continues
would be the beginning of a new
Japan, a modern nation to replace
the medieval anachronism now CIV
ing the world so much trouble.
Concerning Their Religion.
That opens up another phase Of
the problem, the religious fanaticism
of the japanese. How deeply are
they imbued with the conviction that
the Emperor is divine? 1t is doubt
full that anybody knows, even the
Japanese themselves. When he
passes in a parade they lower their
eyes, for it is forbidden to gaze upon
his august countenance. And up
stairs windows must be closed, fol
it is doubly forbidden to look down
upon the Emperor. The idea is that
this would be sin, but note the
word forbidden" Somebody made
the laws of the state religion ano
these Jaws have very human sound
That one concerning the upstairs
windows could have been a precau-
tion against any sudden impious
impulse to toss a flower pot at the
Son Of Heaven as he passed by
Maybe the devout citizenry entertain
a glimmer of this idea, maybe not
In any case, they close the windows
On the other hand, we DO know
that educated japanese admit that
the myth of the Emperor's divine
descent Is just that-a myth; thai
there have been many breaks II
the imperial line since the time
when Amaterasu Omikami, the sur
goddess, is supposed to have placed
her grandson on the throne ano
thus started this enduring bit oi
fiction.
Well, whatll we do about this
Emperor? If we bumped Hirohitc
off, would that be the end of the
nonsense or would it add an at
mosphere of martyrdom to the
throne and give the institution new
. life? That wouldn't be unprece-
dented in the history of religions
Would Save Symbol.
Undersecretary Grew, who lived
in Japan some years, says it might
prove useful to leave the imperia,
symbol untouched on the theory
that if liberal or peaceable mer
should take over the government
the Emperor might serve them as
he has served the war-makers;
that he might be used to forestal
any efforts of the military element
TO regain their power.
This proposal appeals to many
Americans. Carried farther i
would perhaps permit the Japanese
to decide for themselves what they
wish to do about the Emperor
whether they wish, in fact, to have
an emperor. This is in line with
the thinking of those who say VIZ
can only impose upon the Japa'
nese our ideas of how Japan shal
behave in relation to the rest Of thu