Ogden Standard-Examiner | 1927-04-17 | Page 6 | The Honor of a Japanese Officer

THE THC HONOR OF A JAPANESE OFFICER The Japanese are a strange race to us and some Americans fear that some day we shall shaU have to go to war with them Here is a n. little story about about a Japanese culled from the press dispatches that is worth thinking about about not not in connection with the tile possibility of or war between Japan and America but because it throws s such a revealing light lI ht on Japanese character A few Cew days ago there was much trouble at l In China While British and American war war- warships warships warships ships bombarded the city to pro protect protect protect their nationals a Japanese vessel firing no guns sent a contingent ashore to rescue the Japanese consul This contingent was commanded by a young lieu lieu- lieutenant lieutenant tenant named Araki Ax Ho He went unarmed as did his followers de do- determined to avoid bloodshed Ills His mission was successful he res rescued rescued cued the consul and neither he nor any of or the sailors In his com corn command mand was molested But when he had returned to his ship he wrote to his commander as fol follows fol- fol follows lows In order to insure the safety of or the residents Japanese Japanese at Nan Nan- king I endured from the Chi Chi- Chinese Chinese Chinese nese Insults which wh ch no no Japanese can tolerate The Tile lives of the Japanese refugees could be saved but I am ashamed that the honor honorof of ot the Japanese navy has been disgraced In my m person Having written this he took the theone theone theone one course open to a Japanese whoso whose honor has hns been offended he he killed himself By Dy no stretch of the Imagination tion can you OU imagine an an Ameri Amer American can or British naval officer doin doIng that Our entire philosophy I Is different from from Japans And what a 0 philosophy that is isIt It Is 19 Spartan ruthless over- over heroic if Ir you OU wish yet It is im impossible impossible impossible possible to road read that little stor story without being convinced that there ther must be something extremely fine fin about a 0 race that can maintain such a philosophy A nation nallon with men like Ilk Araki Is going somewhere somewhere somewhere-It It do do- serves tp tc It also is a nation worth being b friendly with no not nol only because of or policy but be be- because because because cause it has something to offer offe us spiritually