ASIA’S DYNASTY

Southland Times, Issue 18818, 11 May 1920, Page 7

ASIA’S DYNASTY

JAPAN AND KOREA. MARRLAGE AND EMPIRE. (By R. O. Matbeson in. the Sydney Sun). TOKIO, February 7. If Korea passes through the present month without a recurrence of the recent uprising, it may be taken for granted that the pledges of the Japanese Government for a betterment in administrative conditions and the promises of the new Govern-or-General for a humane overlordship are being listened to and credited to the extent that the Koreans are willing to give them a trial. The expected demonstration at the time of the inaugural meeting of the League of Nations Council did not materialise, due perhaps to the uncertainty that attended the date of that session and to the fact that the planned demonstrations had been made prematurely and now about the only excuse that is left lor the rallying of the Koreans is the forthconij ing wedding of the once-heir to the Korean throne, Ppnce Yi, to the Imperial Japanese Princess Nishimoto, daughter of T.I.H. Prince and Princess Nishimoto, of the Blood, far-distant relatives of the Emperor. GUARDED BRIDEGROOM. That wedding is to take place, according to the plans, on the hist day of this Leap Year month, a date carefully selected by the officials of the Imperial household m consultation with the ranking Shinto priests as an auspicious one for the Imperial family. In preparation for the ceremony, the principals are now busily rehearsing with the highest authority in the Empire on the ceremonies as instructress, as the ceremony will be an old-style one, befitting the dignity of the bride and the unique event, unique in that for the first time in history a Princess of the Blood is to become the wife of one in whose veins flows no trace of the strain brought to earth when the first Emperor of Japan sprang, full panoplied, from the eye of the Sun Goddess. The marriage is intended to be a final proof to the Koreans of two things: First, that the Korean Kingdom has everlastingly been merged into the Empire of Japan; second, that the Japanese have so high a regard for tneir Korean blood-brothers that they do not hesitate to merge even the soared blood of their Imperial family with that of Korean Royalty. But, lest the Koreans might mistake the great compliment that is being paid them, the home of the young bridegroom-to-be in Tokio is ringed about with gendarmes and sentries with gleaming bayonets pace back and forth before all the eniran.-es to the home of the happy bride. The gendarmes and sentries keep possible trouble-making Koreans out, and, so the reports from Korea state, likewise make it possible to know just exactly where the prospective groom is at any minute of the day. I

I A VrV'ID REMINDER. I The wedding this month takes place a year later than originally planned,, postponed in accordance with the rules of the Japanese Imperial household that there must be a year of mourning following a father's death. The rules of the Korean royal house call for three years of mourning, and the fact that the Japanese rulers are given the precedence is one of the reasons why the Koreans are expected to further object just now. The Emperor of j Korea, who was in the first place father of young Prince Yi, and, in the second place, j through the adoption of the Prince by his elder brother, was likewise the young man’s legal grandfather, died suddenly and mysteriously just three days before the date set for the Korean-Jr.panese matrimonial alliance, when everything was ready, with the 1 blessings of the Emperor and Empress be- I stowed upon the bride, and with her trous- ; seau already unpacked in her husbaud-to ' be’s home. One of the reasons ascribed for the sudden death of the aged Korean mon- ; arch was that he killed himself expressly i to prevent the wedding of his son, j At any rate, the wedding will be a vivd 1 reminder to the Korean people of the [ bloody events throughout Korea just a j year ago. and, if further trouble is in the ! air, it will develop then. Already Koreans in mourning have appeared before the Seoul Palace with memorials of protest against the coining marriage, only to be promptly put under arrest as instigatois of riots. Admiral Saito, Governor-General of Korea, announces that he Is putting into effect the promised administrative reforms as rapidly as the changes can be made, but ! reminds his urging critics that "great things 1 cannot be done quickly-.” Already the draft ' of the measure intended to give the Koreans 3 share in rheir own local government has | been prepared and presented in Seoul for '■ discussion, while it is announced that beginning m April the old system of punishment by beating will be abolished. Korean leaders have been freely called into council by the Governor-General, and the recent declaration of war upon the Christian missionaries of Korea was hastily- recalled as soon ■ as it was published in the English-langu-age press of Tnkio. the official making the ' reporter of the Osaka Mainiohi, who obtained i the denunciatory interview, the goat. It was explained that, the interviewer wholly j misunderstood what wiis told him, and that I in no way did the Governor-General de- i nounce the foreign missionaries or caution j them. Ids words referring only to certain j Korean Christian leaders. This expiana- I tion has been accepted by the foreign mis- ] sion body of Korea. (

“MORAL CRIMINAL.” Governor-General Salto is now in Tokyo, in attendance at the session of the Diet, a new departure for the head of the Korean Administration, and one that still further removes that Administration from the secret control by the military. However, the only Korean development as yet in the Diet has been an amazing outburst on the part of the members of the House of Peers against the Premier and his Cabinet for what is styled an insult toward the Imperial Family, A few weeks ago a member of the Korean Provisional Government, with headquarters at Shanghai, came to Tokyo under a pledge of safe conduct, and consulted many of the leading Japanese officials. At first his presence in this capital was concealed from the people through the censorship exercised over the press, but permission wa-- given finally for the announcement of his presence and permission was given to the Korean visitor to receive representatives of the Tokyo newspapers at a sort of general interview at the Imperial Hotel. Just before this delegate, Rev. Y. Lyuh, left for Shanghai, he was invited along with certain honoured citizens and representatives of the press to visit the Akasaka Detached Palace, the official residence of the Crown Prince, and there view the wonderful display of chrysanthemums. The object of the Government was apparently to convince the Koreans that there is no vindictiveness in the Japanese attitude toward them, but the Peers took the position that to permit this “moral criminal” to stroll about in the sacred precincts of the palace garden, from which the ordinary citizen of Japan ia kept out by sentries, was not only putting a premium upon sedition but was insulting the Emperor himself. For three days the Premier and the members of his Cabinet explained and apologised, and the end of the incident is not yet in sight.