Feb, 8.
Ina brilliantly edited brochure entitled "Japan, To-day and To-Morrow," the "Osaka Mainicl provides a graphic representation of the changes and developments which have taken place in that country during the past seventy years. Beautifully illustrated, full of detailed information with regard to Japan's progress, statistically detailed as to growth from an island kingdom in the throes of feudal chaos to a world empire, the Brochure offers an opportunity to those who are interested in the story of the march of events in Asia to analyze the characteristic of Japanese civilization, The particular genius of the Japanese people is their ability to adapt to their own uses the superior techniques of other races and to merge them into a civilization which gives, after a time, the appearance of being wholly Japanese. There seems to be no false pride with regard to this. Mr, Kameo Chiba, chief of the literary department of the "Osaka Mai nichi" deals with this particul: phase of Japan's culture in an exceptionally well considered preface to the brochure. He says In 1850 or thereabouts the Japnneso nation was confronted with four "isms." These were pro Shogunate, anti - Shogunate, fie exclusion' and open ports. Barely three-quarters of a century have pasted since then, but what a formidable array of ins" we are facing to-day!
What does this signify? signifies, frst, that Japan of the Tapanese only' seventy years ago has become Japan of the world. Secondly, Japan's desire to grow by seeking and absorbing new civilizations is becoming all the stronger as the country makes proportionate progress along with the march of the time, The history. of Japan gives abundant proof that no obstacle was, too dig to overcome, nor xo national prejudice too strong to cast off in order to acquire a new civilization, provided that such civiliza~ tion' was inno way inferior to what the Japanese had.
Japan sence adapted superior civilizations from Korea, China, and India; and modified them to suit her own need. Japan has been growing in this fashion, and endes of Japan, but also the general movement forward of events in the world. From money-changers, - the Mitsuis became one of the largest bankers. and merchants in the world, and they found possible at all times to adapt themselves not only to changing conditions in their own country but changing tendencies and methods in all countries, Japan's progress is undoubtedly an index to a psychological characteristic of the Japanese people, whose civilization is grounded not in philosophic maxims and political party eries but in the mechanics of economic society. In that they differ considerably from China, which seldom in the past and not at all at present, has found 'a physical basis for political and philosophic thought. The absence of this physical has led to so much confusion that it is not surprising to find that the Kuomintang at this moment is unable to evolve a programme of activity suitable for a country which secks for effective reconstruction and mod~ ernization, A pamphlet was recently issued in the United States by the Japan Society entitled, "Out of Kimono into Overall," which shows how this physical basis of society pro-Guced a modern Japan. 3 Wa Tzehui and Dr. Hu Shih have been secking to impress upon" their fellow-countrymen the necessity for such physical basis It is interesting to note that the brochure published by the "Osaka Mainichi" gives much of its space to the physical basis of Japan, Industry, commerce, means of transportation, banking, the development of cities seem to be subjects uppermost in the thoughts of progressive Jupanese, who realize apparently ihat there is no spirituality in starvation, in famines and lack of employment, in uncared for surplus populations, in the ill-health of primitive, insanitary villages. Dr. Hu Shih has been telling these things to his own people, who tend to decry the materialistic West, because the West thinks in terminology of the greatest happiness of the greatest number rather than that a few perhaps over-educated pundits and scholars should enjoy the luxuries of life, while the people should slave in misery for no life at all. Nor is the remedy to be found in mere political revolutions, for they Jead generally -only to more misery. Politics can only be an index to the material characteristic of a people. Political stability follows material growth; it never antedates it. Without adequate means of communications, without railways, roads, telegraphs and telephones there' can never be political unity or stability; yet, cannot be ample means of communications without a moderniz~ ed agrarian development supply
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.