SOME SERIOUS SOCIALISTS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 319, 15 October 1915, Page 2

SOME SERIOUS SOCIALISTS.

'lt may not be a pleasure to turn from the brides to John Masefield’s three-act tragedy, “The Faithful,” just published. The yarn concerns a band of Socialists who have been bowled out by the Government. Listen to the dialogue of old and young Japan:

Kurano: Now we will cast off our raigs for death and say our death poems. This is the knife that kilied our leader Asano. Let us consecrate ourselves to. the washing of the, blood away, Chikara: I am tjhe youngest, I will say my death poem first. Life is a banquet spread, but 1 cannot stay for the feast. • Child: I will say mine. To-morrow I shall be under the grass, but to-night I am a man and to-morrow’s morrow men shall talk of me.

Old Man: I will say mine. Young men often die for old men. It is the way of the world. I am an old man dying with ycun|g men in the young men’s cause, and I am happy.

Second C'l v ii r d; I will sa,y mine. We are outlaws going to die like outlaws. The flowers from my hones will better the laws.

It looks as though the Japs take their Socialism seriously; and, if Masefield interprets the Japanese spirit correctly, there is going to be a warm time shortly for the rulers of Tokyo.