JAPANESE ANARCHISTS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1035, 26 January 1911, Page 5

JAPANESE ANARCHISTS.

TWELVE EXECUTIONS. By'TcleeraDU-l'rcssAEsociatioii-Copyrieht. Tokio, January 24. Dr. Kotuku, his wife, and ten others, who were found guilty of an. Anarchist plot against the Imperial Household, have been executed. THE PRISONERS CALM. (Rec. January 26, 0.25 a.m.) '- . Tokio, Januaiy 23. The executions lasted from 8 a.m. until threo in the afternoon, a 6ingle gallows being used. The condemned died alone, and' all' of them, including women, met their deaths calmly.

The prisoners were found guilty as far back as November, and the Court recommended tho heaviest penalty, viz., death. Writing on the growth of Socialism in Japan, as evidenced by tho discover}' of the society, whose members have now been sentenced, the Tokio correspondent of tho "Standard" stated:—"Socialism in Japan is accounted the worst of crimes, and its adherents are denounced as the open enemies of the State. Tho attitude of European Governments towards Socialism is a great puzzlo to the Japanese, who cannot understand monarchist countries being nblo to tolerate the promulgation of Socialistic doctrines within their borders, which the Japanese contemplate with tho greatest apprehension.: Some years ago an organisation of Socialists started up in Tolcio, but tho members wero mercilessly dealt with, and finally suppressed. When the present society was discovered, every member was placed under arrest. Tho most alarming feature of the discovery was that it confirmed Japaneso apprehensions of its aims, for there was unearthed a serious conspiracy, a factory for tho making of bombs, and all tho apparatus for red-handed anarchy. This is the first aDDearance of anarchy within the Empire. That any Japanese could foster such sentiments has hitherto been believed to bo impossible. But those apprehended in Tokio stuck to their colours, and disavowed faith in all rulers and States. Tho association appears to have extensive 'ramifications, and involves some of tho better families in various parts of the Empire. It .is supposed that the chief breeding grounds of Japanese Socialism are California and Hawaii,' ■'