Tokyo, July 11. GET signs that Tokyo is the capital of a country engaged in the biggest war in its history are astonishingly few.
This is the general impression of newcomers here.
The most striking reflection of the hostilities in China is to be found at the railway stations, where contingents of men regularly leave for training camps in Japan or Manchoukuo, or direct for the front.
More striking still, however, is the regular arrival of wooden boxes containing the ashes of soldiers killed in action.
People are losing their friends and relatives. A foreigner has so far heard of the death of eleven of his friends, but his case is probably exceptional as he has lived in Japan for many years and has a large number of Japanese friends and acties and the possibility of a war last ing several years are gradually being realized by the people, who at fir: thought of the "China Incident" asa sort of colonial expedition.
No one knows how or when the war will end, nor does anyone care qvaintances.
Almost every day new economies ore introduced. Sacrifices, the populace is enjoined, must not be made only at the front, but by the entire nation: "the people at home must be solidly behind the rifle."
Emperor Sets Example To set an example to the nation, the Emperor himself has introduced various economies at ithe Imperial Palace.
Sake (Japanese rice wine) has been substituted for imported wine at his table. Imperidl gifts of wine were formerly given to distinguished invalids, but less expensive presents sre now sent, while Japanese-made cigarettes are served at the Palace instead of imported ones.
Imperial messengers are allowed the use of only one motor-car instead of two. The Imperial crests on gifts from the Palace are now made of silver instead of gold. Gilt edges and gilt crests are no longer used on the Emperor's letter-paper, and a command has been issued foi bidding "luxurious packing" for gifts sent to the Palace.
Several Cabinet Ministers travel by bus, train or tramtar to help in the ye-fuel" campaign, which is only one of the many economy drives in the "general and spiritual mobilization of the people."
One of the drives is for thrift, and, in this, women's leaders are taking an active "part, to predict.
By the public pronouncements of their statesmen, the Japanese people are being accustomed d to the idea of a long war, and, tru e to their national characteristics, are facing the prospect with stoicism, Underneath, however, the wish for peace is becoming stronger. The in China, the Japanese people are beginning to realize, is not only symbolized in the triumphant raisin; g of their national flag on conquered territory, but in the fall of men in action and in the return of their ashes te Japan in wooden boxes.—Reute Chinese Executed at
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.