A WAR CORRESPONDENT'S LAMENT.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 11877, 26 April 1904, Page 7

A WAR CORRESPONDENT'S LAMENT.

THE PRESS LEGION IN.TOKIO. EXCLUSION FROM THE FRONT. If BOM OV_ BFIUU- CORBJSSPOJIDKNI.} TOKIO, March 13. The chronicler of the earlier part of tha war has a, somewhat jRtduQUS task beforo him. Blockaded •at Tokio by a War Office proof against the softest blandishments when prosecuting his campaign, ho has to trust mainly to translations from the vernacular Press, which really is jus<t about as well informed as he is. In it general sort of way he knows that the. war, to witneos which he has come some thousands of miks, is still'progressing. Also, he is led to believe that there havo been repeated bombardments of Port Arthur, and that Japan is inflioting material damage upon the fleet and fortifications at Port Arthur, but everyone in Christchuroh or Wellington knows thatYou have already been informed that the native Press is not allowed to publish anything in reference to the movements of troops, the number in Korea, the probable commanders of divisions, or, in a word, anything that the public wants to know, except what the censor,, in his omnipotent -wisdom, deems advisable. One result of this has been more and more noticeable. Street enthusiasm has almost entirely died away, and it is seldom that frenzied newspaper boys assail the offended ear with wild announcements of extra special editions. Crowds do not throng round the newspaper .offices to read posted cablegrams, partly, perhaps, because they have lost interest, and partly, perhaps (one cannot be dogmatic in such assertions), because there are no cablegrams posted. Tokio to-day practically wears its everyday aspect, and where one or two are gathered together, their conversation is Tiot of war, but of business, sport, and so forth. It is true that ever and anon the streets blaze out with flags when some particularly thrilling and equally strikingly untrue account of some terrific Japanese victory sneaks, past the censor into the columns of one of the yellower journals. They have sufficiently advanced in the path of civilisation to possess these. A CONTRAST. One of the characteristics in Japan of public men which fills the correspondent-— at all events one from the colonies—witn wonderment, is their genuine aversion to discuss any subject which might in any event in the most oblique way affect the interests of their country. Austraban public men will reluctantly consent with alacrity and enthusiasm to talk upon any mortal subject, but not so the Jap. Of Buddhist or Shinto religion, he will converse fluently and most interestingly, but try to gently turn tlie conversation in the direction of war, and you find him dumb as a doornail. Of late perforce I nave had to meet diplomatic military and naval men of high rank, and prominent business people, and have tried to get something in the shape of an interview from each. I might as well have tried to take Port Arthur single-handed. SUSPICION OF THE FOREIGNER. One cannot help imagining, however, that tliere is something of suspicion ii foreigners which undoubtedly suffuses tbe air about this retkeiice. "There is no doubt tliat tho average Japanese has a lurking feeling that the average foreigner ia not to be trusted, and perhaps taking into account tlie large percentage of poor specimens he meets in Japan he is more than justified. .