191 iH Men versus the Nation 



selves the cheaper and poorer product of Siam. The 

 same untoward influences which have been so aggra- 

 vated in later years had begun to work in Japan as 

 elsewhere in the world. The answer to my Osaka 

 questioner is succinctly given in the following words 

 of Lafcadio Hearn : 



The Japanese farmers wade knee deep in mud to produce 

 the rice they cannot eat themselves, in order to buy poorer rice 

 and let their government build battleships to show that Japan 

 has a place among the great powers. 



In the same connection I quote a paragraph by 

 one Ryutaro, translated from the magazine, Shin 

 Nikon: 



Thousands upon thousands of our compatriots are on the 

 verge of starvation. What little value is set on human life! 

 Mencius once asked King Yeh of Liang (China) : "Is there any 

 difference between killing men by the sword and by means of 

 government?" "None," replied the king. If future historians 

 accuse modern statesmen of the slaughter of people by mal- 

 administration, what grounds will there be to deny the charge? 

 I appeal on behalf of those who are unable to appeal. 



In Nagoya I had an interesting personal experi- j greca 

 ence. Mr. Goro Noguchi, a teacher in Gifu, had come '^ompii- 

 the whole distance, about twenty-eight miles, on foot 

 "to present to me his respectful adoration." In some 

 way he had read extracts from my address, "The Call 

 of the Twentieth Century," which seemed to him 

 "inspired." 



Meanwhile Mrs. Jordan, kindly escorted by Beni- 

 ans, had gone directly on to Nara without stopping 

 at Nagoya, that being her only chance to see the 

 noble monuments and superb forest of the most 

 ancient capital of Japan. Had she known of the 

 special attentions awaiting her at Nagoya, including 



1:383 3 



ment 



