The Northwest times. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1947-1955, 1949-10-12
Japan
Journey
By FLOYD sCHMOE

Bomb, August 6, 1919, left me feel
ing pretty low.
After brief view of the Quilted
shacks, 1 was prepared emotionalls
for solemn and very impressive
occasion. 1 expected it to have a
marked religious atmosphere. 1
would not have been disappointed
if it had been of Buddhist flavor
but l was not prepared for fireworks
and confetti.
BY the outdoor stage set up at
Motto Machi near the center of the
bombed area, a modernistic steel
tower had been erected from which
hung huge temple bell-the Bell
of Peace. But the bell struck a sour
note.
On the platform with assembled
dignitaries was a very pretty girl
dressed Western style. although
quite modestly, with a huge red
rose on her white gown. She was
Miss Hiroshima 1949".
After the unskilled bonging of the
defective bell, she pulled a ribbon
to release the doves of peace" from
a huge paper ball hung above the
stage. 1t took a bit of Juggling, but
the ball came open and the doves"
fluttered out in an shower of con"
fetti.
They were the ordinary blue
pigeons but that was not important
The people of the East do not asso-
ciate the color white with peace
and purity as we do in the West
Then came the introduction of
guests and the usual speeches.
The Abbot of the Great Temple
at Nara, with a handful of blue
robed priests was there, but he sat
down with the audience. The speak
er's platform was reserved for high
brass, but it was mostly Brass by
Proxy.
Col. Somebody read the speech
of the absent commanding officer
of the Commonwealth Forces which
police this end of Japan; three-star
General Somebody Else read the
speech of five-star General Mac
Arthur who was in Tokyo: and Mr..
"Jiro" read the speech of the Prime
Minister who was not there either.
The Mayor read his own.
Some very fine phrases were en-
ployed and Understanding words
were tossed about, but the crowd was
not moved by them. I have not yet
seen a translation of the Mayors
speech. Last year he made a very
good one, and I think he believes in
it for he is sincere man.
There were not the tens of thou
sends that I expected only q
few thousand. If there we're other
thousands gathered before shrines
and family affairs or in the temples
or cemeteries, as I suspect there
were, they more nearly expressed
the feeling which I felt as I stood
at that tragic hour and place.
A newsman who photographed our
little group of Americans with the
Abbot of Nara asked me what ]
thought of the celebration.
I told him at first that what ]
thought had best not be published
then thinking that he would pub
fish anyway, (as he did, including
the phrase mot for publications.
said:
ITO lis who came here to build
homes for homeless people as token
of our regret and humiliation, this
day is not a day for festival ano
celebration, it is rather time fol
humility and repentance. We Stant
here in the greatest shame that mar
has sunk so low as to perpetratt
such gigantic crimes against hi
fellow man, and that we had an!
part in it. We take this occasion II
rededicate our lives to the doing o
the things which will make the slo
gan No More Hiroshimas' possible.
Nora Vain, outspoken author o
The House of Exile" and othe
books, who came to do an articl
for the SATURDAY EVENING
POST on the occasion, was even les
diplomatic in her statements.
To the Mayor and the Governor
she said later:
You will never impress the worl,
with this sort of a show. If you wan
to impress us of your desire to max
Hiroshima the Peace Center of tn
World you must first get the rat
out of your streets. your people OF
the bare ground and the bedbugs on
of your hospital beds. Then you ca
build Peace Towers and ring Peac
Bells-but be sure your towers mea
what they say and your bells rim
fyiIo