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Show 384 385 . was a great work f or the peace societies yet to do in America . that I met with the expres n, soon after landing in America ders, don't they?" I "the lapanese all have chips on their shoul but I have 'not t liscovered that in my contact Will] the Japanese, shall go back to Japan w hen it comes time to return feelingr that . in Japan, great . there are here in America, iust as there are 111 here are there while and peace; forces lll' gins; for the world‘s America, as there are in Japan, forces which if left to themselves . would make for war, yet t here are these counteracting. forces and there are these stronger and mightier forces which will make for , ‘ peace and that coming internationalism. I take it you are more interested in knowing the spirit of the Japanese people. the soil in which the tree of peace can grow. rather than in the organization into different lines of work. If we observe the spirit of the Japanese people there are three striking characteristics which ought to assure any thinking man that in Japan the seeds of peace will find soil that will produce fruit just as in any other land. One of these characteristics known to the world is the spirit of inquiry, that spirit of inquiry which stirred the hearts of the young Japanese even before the coming of Commodore Perry; and that spirit of inquiry which has sent students into all parts of the world to search for knowl- edge to he brought back and incorporated into the public and private life of the nation. That spirit of inquiry which takes knoi‘uledge of what you are doing in this congress and in the peace congresses of liuro e. and that spirit of inquiry is open to all that is best in this movement. The spirit (if progress which has led Japan in her develop- ment during the last half century at least as she looks out upon the world. and that same spirit of progress will lead her and does lead her to stretch out her hands for whatever is best, what- ever you have that is best for development. not only for national hut international life. Japan is looking for world development and for the development of civilization just as we are looking for it. The spirit of internationalism. Not long ago in speaking; upon this subject some one said at the close of the address, "I do not believe that the internationalism of Japan is skin deep." I can only say that those who live in Japan, with but very few exceptions, those who have come to know the spirit of the Japanese, really to know them, to be in their homes and to have them as friends and to really enter into the life of the people, with very few exceptions, those foreigners, whether Europeans or Ameri- cans, do believe that the growingr spirit of internationalism is genuine and hopeful. One hundred and sixteen representative American citizens two years ago signed their names to a declaration to this effect, to a belief in the sincerity of the Japanese government and people, and to a belief in their general manifestation of freedom from every aggressive design. The particular occasion for the organization of the Japan Peace Society came three years ago this spring. Beyond and preceding)r that you will remember was the time of the close of the late war when the sound of cannons and bursting of shells and the shout of victory had ceased and the people had time to think, and they were open to a consideration of the question of peace. The newspapers began to consider the question; one of the leading dailies of Tokyo opened the editorial campaign, and to me it marked the beginning of a new era, it marked a new era of hopefulness when it called attention to the fact that Japan had passed the era when she should receive only from nations, and she had come to the time when she should go into the great common life of the world. A reformer about that time said that just as following the great earthquake the Japanese began to ask for the cause of earthquakes, so following this great Japanese war the Japanese people were beginning to ask the cause of these international calamities. Men were thinking, and they were responsive to the influence of the peace organizations, and I am glad here to acknowledge our debt to the American Peace Society and to the secretary of that society, who has even before the organization started taken a deep and personal interest in the work, has sent literature to us and has given suggestions, and sometimes helped us in other ways. Therefore I wish to bring to the American Peace Society and to the peace workers of America the gratitude of the workers in Japan. The society was organized May 18, 1906. The work that we are undertaking does not tlifler from what you have outlined this morning. It differs in the amount but in the methods or spirit it is the same. \Ve have had lecture meetings, and it |