PUBLICIST WHO NEVER WRITES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 282, 25 August 1919, Page 6

PUBLICIST WHO NEVER WRITES

One of the most remarkable publicists in Japan never writes a word; indeed, it has been wondered whether the Marquis Shigenobu Okuma, whoso constantly appearing articles on various topic 3 in various publications command a wido publio tho country over, knows how to write. No magazine or newspaper has ever seen his personal "copy," yet 'ho is considered by editors one of the. most desirable contributors. Tho publication that desires one of the Marquis's articles sends an amanuensis,' who takes it down as the author utters it. Other authors, to bo sure, have dictated their work, but tho Marquis Okuma never takes pen in hand to make corrections. Before becoming n publioist, ho had several times been a Cabinet Minister, once a Foreign Minister, and onco a Prime Minister, but in none of these posit ions was : he ever known to make a memorandum or otherwise use a pen. His house is a centre for scholars and a place of well-informed talk on every subject in the universe, and fronr this atmosphere come his weekly essay in tho "Taikan," or "Japanese Outlook," and ft steady flow of articles on politics, religion, education, and literature that reach an averago of, nearly a hundrfd a month. But in the literal sense it r<>mains a question with the curious whether the Marquis Okuma knows how to write.