A PATRIOTIC SUICIDE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 54, 26 November 1937, Page 17

A PATRIOTIC SUICIDE

Insurance Money For War

The state of high tension which prerails among Japanese as a result df the confiict with China found a vivid illustration in the recent auicide of a Tokio draper, Mr. Shimezo Maho. Mr. Maho 1 ea ped into the ocedn from a boat which was sailing from Tokio to Oshima Island. tte left behind letters addressed to his patents and Ha wife explaifiing fbe motives which prompted him to take his life. Declaring that be considered it an honour to sacrifice himself for service ^'behind the guns" Mr. Maho pointedi Out that his heirs would be able to collect 17,000 yen in insurance money. He directed tbat 10,000 yen sliould be donated to the War Office for the felief of the families qf soldiers, while

the remainder should go to his family, with some bequests to the employees of his store. Mr. Maho had been known as an ardent patriot, who had contributed freely to all sorts oi nationalist organisations and causes. He had eypressed regret that he was unable fco entdf tbe war himself, since he had been rejected for physical reasons when be was called to the colotirs in his tyouth. Mr. Maho'a caso. was unusual ; but a -vtream of contributions, many of them from very poor [n'ople, is constantly flowing in to the War Office Jfhe total sum realised from these contrihutions early in August exceeded four milliou yen (about £220,000 sferling).