In Mr, Frank -H. Hedges, the readers of this journal have an experienced and esteemed *mentor on. current Japanese affairs. Mir Hedges, after service in the World War, came to the Far East in 1920, a graduate of the University of Mis-roun's School of Jourmalism. to join the staff of the "Japan Adver-riser" in Tokyo. He has represented many journals during his residence in Tokyo and occasional visits to China. He is now staff correspondent for the North American Newspaper Alliance, the Lon: don "Daily Telegraph" and the "Washington Post." He is the author "In Far Japen" and several booklets on the Far East, besides being one of the contributors to the recently published volume "We cover the World." wing Government-supporting political party), the Hayashi Cabinet was given a humiliating defeat at the polls. The whole nation knew it and so did the Premier, yet he tenaviously clung to office and announced thàt he would not resign. Resignation was, however, inevitable, Not only was the. mass of the people opposed to the Hayashi regime, but some of those "unseen forces" which so powerful in Japan likewise began to undermine his position. Apparently realizing this, the Premi cast about to find some successor wh could bring harmony to Japan whol he had failed, and of all men able to do this Prince Konoye was undoubtedly ablest.
Although young as statesmen go in Japan, he was President of the House of Peers, had an unblemished record, came from a family which commanded the respect of the whole people as he did himself in a personal wa; and had no "entangling alliances That is, he could go into the office which he had previously refused at least twice without being bound to any group or any particular school political thought.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.