THE JAPANESE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22832, 17 March 1936, Page 5

THE JAPANESE

IN PEACE AND WAR LECTURE BY MR J. A. BRAILSFORD Mr J. A. Brailsford, the recently appointed organising tutor of the Workers’ Educational Association, inaugurated a series of public lectures, under the auspices of the association, at the University last night. Introducing the lecturer, the chairman (Dr G. E. Thompson) said that the Workers’ Educational Association of Otago and Southland was that night making its opening for the year in Dunedin, and he thought they would admit, that it was opening very well. Mr Brailsford was to speak on “ The Japanese in Peace and War” and as he had lived in China and Japan for some eeven years he could be expected to speak with authority on his subject. Mr J. A. Brailsford, in opening, emphasised that, while characteristics might be racial, character was individual. All generalisations were dangerous. He had heard an eminent New Zealander, after a visit to an international conference and to Japan, declare that the Japanese were militarists to a man. On the other hand, Dr Toyohiko Kagawa (who had visited Dunedin last year) had stated: “Ninety-nine per cent, of Japan’s intellectuals are against war.” Both statements needed a good deal of qualification. The Japanese, like themselves and others, as a nation wanted peace so long as they could get their own way, Once in a war and thev regarded themselves as in a state of "meeting hostilities during the past few years—they were carried away by war fever, as were other peoples. But the people in their domestic life were almost unique in their tenderness to children, their courtesy to one.another and to foreigners, their devotion to beauty and their readiness for selfsacrifice not only in war but for any cause that won their allegiance. Heroic devotion and creative self-restraint were ideals that moulded much' of their life. The contrasting manifestations of these ideals in their national militancy and their personal gentleness arose from the mingling of two streams of thought and culture—Shinto, the nationalist religion of local superstition; family and clan loyalty and emperor-worship, and the imported Buddhism, which for centuries had imbued the people with a sense of the sacredness of human life, the. duty of self-abnegation, patience with the young and the weak, and redemptive love. During the centuries of seclusion the Samurai, or military nobles, had been content to have the commoners peaceful, submissive. Buddhistic, but after the Shinto revival of the middle of last century the masses had been made to feel that it was a great honour that they should now be allowed, like the nobility, to bear arms and fight for their Emperor and nation. Certainly the people had been carried away by this appeal, especially during the wars with China and Russia, but those non-Japanese who had ignored the under-current of peacedevotion had come to their conclusions from very superficial observation The contradictions in Japan were very much the same as in Christendom. —a religion of peace and a religion of militant nationalism both claiming the people’s loyalty. Th speaker recounted an incident from the Japanese-German warfare in Shantung in 1914. He had beeij present when a German missionary household had been subjected to an inquiry by Japanese officers. After about an hour of search and investigation, the Japanese, having found no evidence of spying, got. into more friendly conversation. One of the Germans, after pointing out how easily' the Japanese would capture the German fortress. Tsingatao, remarked, “And then you can go home and be happy with your family.” The young Japanese officer, Lieutenant Nakamura, had bounced on his seat and declared, “No; I am going to get killed in this fight,” with all the enthusiasm of an office boy who was assured of promotion. On the other hand, Mr Brailafotd said he had met aident pacifists among the youth of Japan, who scorned the butchery of war and whose prophets were the great pacifists and internationalists — Tolstoy, Remain Holland, Gandhi. Students at the universities had carried through anti-militarist demonstrations and had been met by counter-demonstra-tions. A Japanese woman University professor had addressed to her “ dear friends in China” a most earnest apology “ for the wrongs my people bestowed on yon and your people.” The message had been sent in October, 1931, when the Japanese forces in Manchuria had been in the full heat of their conquering drive. She had said, “I believe it is the mightiest of the sins to kill others, ■whatever the reason may bo. I regret that there was any bloodshed and the use of the armaments, and for this I feel that we have no words but to ask your pardoning. As a woman of this country I realise our sins, and 1 repent for that to the utmost. / It is a shame on our side, and I myself cannot find any reason to justify such doings.” This was a brave message from a woman in such a position at such a time of national war fever.

But these expressions of pacifism were feeble, as in other countries. What was far more significant was the spirit of peace and forbearance and gentleness and creative joy that was seen in their everyday life. Of course, there were dark blots here, too, but foreigners who lived in Japan, if they cared for friendship, could find congenial and most delightful spirits among the people of all ranks. Their art, chaste in the cxtreme, yet rich, had appealed to the world, and perhaps would help mankind to recognise the spiritual message it bore. Japanese drama and music had similar qualities, and were beginning to win a wider appreciation. The household decoration of Japan was a glory of simplicity. In their social relations they had probably attained greater heights than any other people in the art of hospitality. However busy a highly placed person might be, he would appear to have all eternity to spend on his guests; however poor another might be, he would find some means of bestowing a gift of gratitude far beyond,his means. But it was in the treatment of children that Japanese character shone at its best in the eyes of others. Toy shops were everywhere. Always some adults seemed to have abundance of time to guide the play of the smallest children. The schools were usually splendid. Corporal punishment was a thing that “ wasn’t done.” Even in the home it was very rare. Japan had been called a paradise for children, and there was much truth in the saying, although there was another side to the picture—the ignorance of right diet for children and the consequent high death rate among infants; also the Spartan idealism that gave some children _ too serious a view of life and led to suicide of some who failed in examinations. Mr Brailsford said that in future lectures he would be dealing with the problems of their relations with the Japanese —problems of labour and trade competition, or racial prejudices, or political clashing. But these issues could not be intelligently followed without some appreciation of the human character of the Japanese'and the traditional fhrccs at work. He believed the present militancy was driving Japan towards national suicide. But whatever might be her fate in war, he felt assured there was a great future before a people with their

artistic sensibility, their devotion, their power of self-sacrifice, their love of children. Ho would have occasion in his later lectures to question the validity of some of New Zealand’s policies as well as Japan’s. He could see no reason, apart from prejudice on both sides and the bondage of worn-out traditions, why the two peoples should not go forward in harmonious co-operation.

The lecturer was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his interesting address.

The lecture was the first of the shortcourse series to be given during the next four weeks. Mr Brailsford will continue his course on “ Ourselves and the Japanese” on Mondays. To-night and following Tuesdays Mr H. V. Miller will lecture on “Appreciation of Art,” and on Wednesdays Professor R. W. Souter will speak on “ The New Deal in America.”