Boren shimpei Goto, one of Japan's most distinguished—statesmen, has just returned from a prolonged trip through Great Britain and the United States to appraise the effect of the great war on Western civilization. The Baron has always prided himself on his expert knowledge of sociology, which he put to good account dur ing his successful term of office as Civil Governor of Formosa. He has been viewing all things Western with a critical eye from the cold standpoint of science, and has brought back his impressions to Japan, writes the Tokio correspondent of the "Morning Post."
It is 18 years since Baron Goto last visited the Occident, and he regrets to find that in the meantime there have appeared some evidences of degeneration Western civilisation. This he avers to be more particularly so among women, whose outstanding proof of moral perversity is their undue show of ankles. The great Japanese critic does not wish to be unduly severe or to be guilty of any act of injustice, and consequently he is not sure whether to put down the soaring of skirts to the soaring of prices or to deliberate choice on the part of the sex for exhibiting graceful extremities; but certainly he was profoundly impressed by—the show of ankles, and even calves, that he witnessed in London and New York, particularly in London, where, of all places, he least expect ed to find such frivolity. That London ladies should reveal more of their ankles than could be detected during Baron Goto's former vi seems to him evidence of decline in social decorum. He is disposed to regard any increase of ankle display as pointing to degeneration.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.