PATER’S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3555, 2 May 1922, Page 59

PATER’S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

“THE SOUL-MAP OF JAPAN.” Japan wag again very prominent in the cablegrams last week—this time on account of a sensational attack by Lord Northcliffe in one of the newspapers under his control. It failed to arouse anything but dismay at the' injudicious nature of the criticism and the inopportune moment of its appearance.. The best authorities on international questions hold the opinion that as Japan has given proofs' that she is now in harmony with the highest ideals of the best nations she should not be prejudiced in the eyes of her neighbours. It is unnecessary to remember that while the press is a great and helpful institution, sections of it, like all human creations, are sometimes swayed,by peculiar motives. Apparently Mr Lloyd George holds this opinion, for in a message from the Genoa Conference to the people of Britain he says : ‘‘Do not accept the statements which are appearing in The Times and the Daily Mail regarding the conference until I have the opportunity of dealing with them in Parliament.” This does not directly affect Japan, though the recent attack was made in the columns of the Daily Mail. The country of the Mikado has always been the subject of diverse opinion, some holding that she was a country without honour, while others regard her as a pattern nation. The truth probably lies between, but such an authority as l)r Griffis has declared that “the Japanese are one with humanity,” and he has also fathered this significant declaration “Behind almost every one of the radical reforms that have made the New Japan stands a man—too often a martyr—who was directly moved by the spirit of Jesus, or who is or was a pupil of the missionaries.” But our objective to-day is a lightning sketch of “the soul-map of Japan.” It is an American appellation to Admiral Kato, who was head of the Japanese delegation to the recent epoch-making Arms Conference at Washington, x “I watched the scene from amidst the curious mob that packed either side of the driveway.” writes Mr Adachi Kinnosuki, the Japanese author and publicist, who reported the Arms Conference for the New York World. “I watched it with mingled emotion, marvelling at the hugeness of responsibility of our envoys, and at the slenderness of the shoulders upon which such stupendous responsibility was resting.” One of the correspondent’s neighbours remarked, pointing at Admiral Kato : “He doesn’t look like he ever had a square meal in his life : looks a bit like the map of Japan.” This casual remark of a stranger, says Mr Adachi, “portrays the ranking member of the Japanese delegation to the Arms Conference much truer than the official biography of Admiral 'Baron Tomosabpro Kato, Minister of the Navy of Japan, ever thought of doing.” This is especially true we are told, “if the author of the careless remark meant what he did not mean, namely, that in that slender collection of skin and bones we know under the name of Admiral Kato there rests a dauntless spirit that looks like the soul-map of Japan.” Admiral Kato has a wonderful record, his most- dramatic moment- being when he occupied the bridge of the Mikasa as Chief of Staff with Admiral Togo, Commander of the Japanese Fleet, just before it “went into action against the Russians on May 27 1905. A descriptive writer draws the picture thus : “At the sight of the Russians, signals began to fly thick and fast. All the commanding officers of the various Japanese ships called for instructions; all of them were impatient for orders, and some of them demanded to know the reason for the delay. Not only did the commanding officers of individual ships of the fleet show their impatience at the delay of the order for immediate course of action, but there were aboard the flagship itself a number of young tacticians among the members of Togo’s staff boiling with a hundred suggestions on the plan of battle. “In all this turmoil Admiral Togo stood there on the bridge, as calm as silent, for all his outward appearances told, as the silhouette of Tsushima looking on the fateful drama, and not far from the Com-mander-in-Chief stood hi s Chief of Staff pale, lean, frail and silent as his chief. About the only difference between them was that Kato had his arms folded across his breast. “Was Kato to order the Japanese fleet to steer the opposite course to that of the Russians and rake the enemy ships with the port broadsides as they steamed past ? Or was he- to order our ships to steam in a parallel course and fight the Russians as they made their northward way ? Those were the two main lines of action in the minds of almost all the commanding officers uith the Japanese fleet. And there stood Kato, with the key of life and death of the entire fleet in his hand—silent and stil.. And the Russians came on. r“§] ld « enlv l .l ie folded arms of’the Chief ot .Staff uncoiled themselves; the signal flew and the plan of buttle whose darinopaused ad the understandings of swivefchair tacticians, passed into history.” How the Russian fleet was defeated and her power as a military nation destroyed * is history, but in course of time the subject of our Chat arrived at Washington as a man of peace helping to guide the world away from the ravages of war and the ruinous cost involved in its preno ration. In his statement of his country’s position in changed circumstances he was characteristically concise and clear.

‘‘l regret that some persons fear the Minister of the Navv would not destroy what he has created,” he said in discussing the reduction of armaments. “Though I am responsible for Japan’s eight-eight programme. I realise other necessities for the future welfare of the world and the economic life of Japan. T have committed myself to a reduction of armaments, and Japan is the only nation that has done so through a responsible Minister. If we meet with the proper spirit many

grave world problems can be settled at the Conference. However, if no rational agreement can be reached among the Powers, Japan alone would not and could not withdraw one inch.”

A man of simple tastes, philosophic to a degree. Each day on the Kashima Maru, when not engaged in the work of the Conference, the Admiral, wearing a plain business suit, passed hours in the smoking room watching others play “go” on the board of 561 squares. He would slip in quietly, lean over the back of a booth, studying each play, unmoving, silent, stroking the sparse moustache or smoking a cigarette; a fleeting smile when the black and white stones covering the board spelled the end of the game. He would silently disappear for a turn on the chilly deck, into the social salon, to write a daily post-card in simple words to one of his grandchildren, or into his cabin for work, an aide summoned bv an almost imperceptible glance. On his native heath he is a real power. Each year the Minister states the navy’s needs to each house of the Diet. He is one Minister who has never been entangled in his own statements by the members’ rapid fire of questions. The navy consumes one-fourth of the nation’s annual income, but no unnecessary words or wavering in policy ny its Minister has ever afforded a loophole for .attacks by press or opposition. The Washington Conference, radically changed Admiral Kato’s ambition. He had received his country’s assent to a navy of 200 ships, which was to be completed in 1928. Now he has given up his life’s dream and has agreed with other Powers to reduce the naval programme in the hope of ushering in an era of peace and economic change, accompanied by a programme of social reform which would be impossible if large expenditure on war preparations was continued. In peace he has proved even greater than in war.