KOREA TO-DAY AND TOMORROW.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 4, 5 January 1910, Page 6

KOREA TO-DAY AND TOMORROW.

St" JAPAN'S IRON'HEEL OP" ! ." j?' oppßEssiosr." (SjjeJTC; J. JOXEsiJ""'";.,, ~ Tie absorption of the weaker States by the stronger is as old as" history, else_would there never have been any such .thing as -empire-making.- The desperate case "of Korea to-day is only thai?'which, has in due. .time befallen othercountries unwilling to adopt modern ideas and modern methods' of gor eminent. It is the natural consequence of ineptitude and failure. Had China, occupied a less considerable portion of the- map of Asia and still persisted in imbibing national .nourishment from traditionary ideas, she would possibly have become the, dependency of some predatory European Power long before the Rising Sun 0 f military Japan had appeared above the Eastern horizon. It is certain that she could not have existed as an independent State and yet have persistently rejected all those rational principles, which, make for reputable government and the elevation of the people. For centuries the Koreans had lived in a fool's paradise; "Let us eat, drink, and be merry, ior to-morrow we die" ciearJy expresses their outlook on life, and the result of such apathy and nonchalance has inevitably been thraldom. With ominous iteration, the; enemy appeared <ht Korea's gates, but she persistently eeclined to accept the' wanting. Caina and Japan overran the.country, and Russia, in her march towards the Pacific coast east envious eyes upon it, but the responsible authorities' studfously rcirained front any attempt to organise systematic defence. The destiny of Korea as predieed in the Book of Fate, has been read by two generations of the world's politicians, but the Koreans raised no hand to- fend off disaster. They never lost a,- moment's sleep over the matter. Such was, and is, tiie depth of their national "torpor that it is doubtful if the mass of the people care who administers the Government of the country so long as the cobwebs of antiquity are not ruthlessly br -bed from their habits of life. That is Wiiere the trontle arises for Japan. With --her inexperience in colonisation, she has not adopted the proper methods, and has failed to. enlist- the sympathy and support of even those Koreans who hsive long been reform is urgently necessary. CASTING THE NET. Let us briefly review the events which led up to the present crisis. Previous to the war in Manchuria- the Japanese Go', eminent forwarded » note to Russia containing a paragraph which removed Buy doubts as to her ambition in Korea: "Korea is an- important outpost of Japan's line of defence, and Japan consequently cc-nsiders her (Korea's) independence absolutely essential to her own (Japan's) repose and safety." Diplomacy holds no brief for consistency where vital personal interests are involved, and therefore it- is not altogether surprising to find Japan treading under foot that independence winch she made a casus belli against Russia. Immediately after the outbreak of the war—on February 23rd, 1904r— when the Japanese troops had overrun the country, the: Mikado's. Government ■submitted to a protocol practically giving Japan power to occupy any portion of Korea, that she might preserve the national integrity of her helpless neighbour. Eorea-aeeepted-this-arrange-ment, as sha did- also the protocol of August 22nd, 1904, by which the Korean Government agreed to employ Japanese recommended by the Japanese Government as advisers to the Finance Department and the Foreign Office, and also promised to consult the Japanese Government "before concluding any treaty, conducting any diplomatic intercourse, or concerning any franchise or contract to a. foreigner." Then cams what the Emperor of Korea declared to be a forged Treaty, though it was accepted by The Hague Tribunal, which refused to receive the Horeait-deputation sent to- protest against its ratification. It is dated November 17th, 1905, and. amongst the articles are the following: EEL. (a) The Javanese Government will appoint under "Hi* Majesty, the Emperor of Korea, a Resident rGeneral .as . its representative, who will remain in Seoul chiefly to administer diplomatic affairs, with the prerogative of having private audience with 38l Majesty, the Emperor of Korea." "V. The Japanese Government guarantees to maintain the security and respect the cignity of the Korean Imperial House." It was impossible, as the Japanese knew at the time, to keep these promises, and they have not- been kept. The ResidentGeneral is absolutely ruler of Korea, and the. Emperor is a prisoner in a giidad ease, with scarcely any more voice in the politics of the country than the meanest, of his so-called subjects. RUDE BY CLUB LAW. f nd-oubtedly Japan acquired control by a system of diplomatic finesse which might- not altogether unreasonably be called by the uncharitable forgery, fabrication and fraud. Still such a problem cannot be handled with kid gloves, and?' the nations have not been painfully shocked at the mere occupation, of the country. It is Japan's methods which are called into question. While it may be generally conceded that the Government and "its higher officials are sincere in their endeavour to do the best i possible for Korea, compatible with Japan's absolute control, the repressive measures adopted br those subordinates delegated.to carry out the policy of reform are open to severe criticism. sNo colonising nation has been entirely free from reproach in this connection, •but the scales of justice have been readjusted, and Japan's crime is committed in a generation when the Powers view with abhorrence the atrocities of the Turks and Russians in their respective dependencies. It is obvious that the law is not administered with £ Etric-tlv impartial hand, and the intolerance and arrogance of the hundreds of ■undesirable immigrants flocking into Korea from Japan have aggravated a wound which with proper treatment micrht easily have been healed. Since the Korean, army was- disarmed some •three years ago." the people have been forbfaden to carry or possess rides. In the southern interior a reign of terror ■has existed as a result, of this enactment. The inhabitants have been gradually driven o»t of the villages by the Japanese soldiers to., lira .as best they ma v. The ragged remnant of the Righteous Arm* of Patriots has degenerated into "a 'raving hand of robbers, •who are pillaging in- every -_ direction. Driven from pillar to by the soldiers,,' they arc compelled to seeK food s-ad e&eltsr from the villagers, and* opon

meeting with a refusal, enforce their '. demands. Moat of the peasants who give even voluntary assistance of this kina are shot as rebels without ceremonji while any Korean who runs- when pursued is considered a- potential robber and fair game for the rifle ballot. An the terrifipd people are all running, the casualty list is a long one. The figurea are significant. Up to i August, 1205,. the Japanese solditrs killed and wounded numbered 4-23 and the insurgents (and others) 13,014, while from September/ 190S, to February, 1909, the casualties-' were 625 and respectively. Reprassive measui-es are admittedly- expedient up to a certain point, but the confidence of Korea will not be won by such means. Any Korean in the disturbed area found in possession of a gun is, aaer a mock trial before the authorities, summarily shot. Several instances of such outrages are related by missionaries. A harmless and peace-loving resident of Pyongyang owned an; old Korean flintlock which he retained as a relic- The weapon, which was useless for any. practical purpose, was discovered hy the authorities, and, despite the intercession of a missionary at whose church he was a prominent worshipper, the man was condemned to death and shot, although it was proved conclusively at the trial that he had no intention of using the gun. To the Korean his house is his kingdom, and upon arrival the • visitor invariably coughs that his host may be awarej of his presence and bid him enter. The Japanese ridicule this time-honoured i custom, and not only force their way in without knocking, but subsequently violate every privilege that Koreans hold sacred. It is reassuring to know, however, that those guilty of such outrages are not in prominent authority, and often have not been entrusted in any way with the application of the stringent regulations considered necessary for the reorganisation of Korea's political and social systems. DIVIDING THE SPOIL. Whatever they may urge to the contrary, it has long been manifest that the Japanese are in the country to mako it their own. and by a certain section property, right, and titles are being usurped without scruple. A Korean who falls upon evil days and mortgages his house or land to a Japanese has little consideration if he fails to meet the exorbitant interest, which, often amounts to from 40 to 60 per cent. He is ruthlessly evicted from the house of his fathers if the interest be not forthcoming at the moment it is due, and every care is taken by the mortgagee- that it shall not be available if financial difficulties can be obtruded. In a certain city of the south with a population of 25,000 it was considered necessary by Japanese engineers to widen a road, and to effect this about 200 Korean houses were destroyed. Except in a. few instances no compensation was paid the needy owners, and those who were paid received: only a small fraction of the value. That street is now lined on both sides by Japanese shops. .. TINCTURING THE TRUTH. It might reasonably be assumed that the schoolroom is the sphere in which, above- all others, the benefits of reform could be most effectively promulgated. But even there confidence is burked. From the school curriculum is carefully weeded out anything which may provide a foil to Japanese predominance. Recently a number of : books written by Anieriean missionaries for the schools were confiscated by the Japanese authorities because they contained information relating to the American War of Independence, George Washington being displayed too ostentatiously in the setting of a hero. Some of the books, with modifications, were afterwards placed on the syllabus, but the mischief had already been done in the example of intolerance conveyed to the minds of the childrenA gentleman gave as prizes books on American history, and had them returned with a polite note intimating that such literature was calculated to arouse a revolutionary spirit in the young. It is manifestly unwise that the people should be spoonfed with politics and anything like individual aefaon discouraged. An Imperial rescript in the "Official Gazette" of September 30 reads:— '""Until our subjects have attained such a degree of development as to cause Us to recognise the necessity of an increase in Onr army, We abolish- the- War Office and the Military Court. Instead, a new office under the name, Chin-wi-pu (Imperial Guards Office) will be established in the Household Department for the administration and control of existing troops. 'As to the training of military officers, it will be entrusted to the Japanese Government, and thus We shall secure fully trained soldiers." The chances are that the Emperor never even saw the rescript issued in his name. There is a sort of grim, unconscious humour. about this which seems inseparable from Japanese ideas of colonisation. Itjieealls "the cheerful words of the Carpenter after he and the Walrus had regaled themselves by the sea-shore. Just as the oysters had disappeared; so was the War Office actually defunct as a result of the disbandment of the army three years previously. The transfer of the judiciary system to Japan, completes the succession of masterly moves by which the process of assimilation is irrevocably effected. ■ , MISPLACED CONFIDENCE. The Koreans appear to be. totally •unconscious of the hopeless position into which they have allowed their country to drift. They expect to awake one mornina: to discover that the Japanese have been driven off, and that the representatives of a friendly nation are awaiting, cap in hand, to congratulate them upon the return of good fortune. They still labour under the delusion .that assistance is coming from outside. When the " forged" treaty was- submitted to the foreign Consuls for ratification, America was the oaly Western Power who possessed a treaty with Korea. The first article of the treaty of 1882 directs that " if other Powers deal nhjustly with, Or oppressivly with, either Government, the other will exert their good offices on beting informed of the. case, to bring about an amicable arrangement, thus showing their friendly feeling." There is a good deal'of' ambiguity about .'this paragraph, but it looks as if Korea -might have expected assistance from: America, had not President Roosevelt sacrificed her interests to -clinch the peace proposals, promising Japan not to interfere between Korea, and herself. But the Koreans have unbounded faith in the beneficence of a fairy godmother, and when they heard that " Fighting Bob" Evans' fleet was leaving Southampton P l oadg for the Pacific, remarked " Surely the Americans are coming to help.us now!" A little more than a year ago the Salvation Army established itself at Seoul, and word went round that soldiers had arrived from England to drive out the Japanese. People flocked into Seoul by 'thousands to greet their benefactors, and for weeks there was no place large enongh to contain, .the gatherings, But gradually tha true jfunctiens iof (2w t{ Army* began td dawn -upon, the Koreans, and as the ooHecticn-