2
1st. Saturday. Beautiful. A layer of snow on the ground early a.m.
3
Seoul home. A beautiful spring-like day. May this lovely day with which the New Year has begun prove prophetic of a year of peace and joy to us from the youngest to the oldest members of our families. May a permanent peace come to the Far East, crowning the Japanese victories with results that will prove satisfactory to Japan and China.
4
From 10 to 10:50 this morning made New Year's calls as usual.
5
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.
6
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
7
瑛姬 and 珽善 enjoyed the ride this morning.
9
2nd. Sunday. Bright and snappy cold.
10
Seoul home. Found a layer of snow on the ground. 8:30 a.m. went to the Sakura Bath-house to enjoy the benefit of the electric current bath. Was already crowded with early bathers.
12
3rd. Monday. Very cold a.m.
13
Seoul home. Sleepless from 1 a.m.
14
璋善 tells me he has decided to enter the Agriculture School in Kagoshima. If he goes to Japan and his brother 琦善 goes to Tokyo to study music, what a lonesome time I shall have! But for their benefit I can't tell them not to go. They need learn the best Japan has to teach in habits of discipline, of efficiency, of economy, of cleanliness and of courage―if they will only learn the best. Forcing them to stay at home will make them play solders, thus deteriorating in body and mind.
16
4th. Tuesday. Bright. Very cold.
17
Seoul home. According to papers this is the coldest day in last ten years. 16° below zero.
18
No sleep this morning form 1 a.m. on. My right eye hurts me again. In fact I have had so much trouble with my right eye during the last months that I am still unable to read fine prints.
20
5th. Wednesday. Beautiful. Very cold.
21
Seoul home. Had to take 3 tablets of adalin this morning to force myself to sleep.
22
8 a.m. with Mr. Hong Pyong Sun went to the "Electric bath" house and enjoyed the hot bathing which has a current of electricity passing through the water. They say this is good to those who have a touch of rheumatism.
24
6th. Thursday. Beautiful. Very cold.
25
Seoul home. The Government has placed under a ban the selling, buying, or manufacturing, ornaments, trinkets, in fact all articles of gold above 9 carats. The date isn't fixed. Wives have a fine excuse for importuning their husbands to buy golden trinkets―rings, hair pins etc.―before the ban operates.
26
I wish the Government would place a similar ban on pure silk dresses. The thoughtless and senseless women of Seoul are vying with each other to put on the finest silk of the newest pattern.
28
7th. Friday. Bright. Very cold.
29
Seoul home. Laid up with a bad cold. The coldest day so far―at least I feel that way.
30
Would to God I had a loving and helpful wife who thinks more of my personal well-being than her silks, furs, and trinkets. This woman not only has no respect for my white hair but she positively hates it―and says some hard things about my white hair in the hearings of her maids. I know she loves one man for whom she can't do too much―yet I must pretend I don't know it all!
32
8th. Saturday. Dull and chilly a.m.
33
Seoul home. Confined to my room with coughing.
34
The valiant Japanese soldiers are beating the Chinese on every battle field. But it looks almost like beating the air. The manpower of China is so great that the destruction of a few millions of the Chinese troops is regarded as a matter of no consequence. Then when will this uninteresting struggle end? For the sake of the two great nations, Japan and China and for the sake of the whole Far East, the final settlement ought to leave no seed of revenge and retaliation in the hearts of the two peoples.
36
9th. Sunday. Dull and a.m. Very cold.
37
Seoul home. This very cold weather has continued for the five successive days. The good traditional rule of "3 cold and four mild" 三寒四溫, seems to have ceased to operate. My cold is no better.
39
10th. Monday. Very cold. Bright.
40
Seoul home. My cold a little better but had to stay in the room―I don't feel strong enough to brave the chilling air.
41
Rumors are growing thick and fast that Hugh Cynn and his crowd are concocting certain plots to revolutionize the Christian Church in Korea. Someone informed me some weeks ago that Cynn is making Pak In Duk to run his errands between him and the Army Head-quaters, Mr. Sayeki, the Mayor of Seoul and Kim Tai Woo, the Chief the Social Education Section. Koo Ja Ok met him and Pak Yun Suh coming out of Kim Tai Woo's office the other morning. Hugh Cynn can live a day without food, but he can't live a day without plotting. He evidently is busy planning to use the Christian Church as a bait to win the favors of the powers that be. Pak In Duk has become an abandoned woman ready to do anything for Cynn.
43
11th. Tuesday. Beautiful. Mild.
44
Seoul home. A layer of snow on the ground early morning. I wish we had some satisfactory depth of snow.
46
12th. Wednesday. Bright. Bitter cold.
47
Seoul home. For the first time in a week I put on ordinary clothing and went out for a little walk 10 a.m. Stayed at home rest of the day.
48
Mr. Kim Dong Hoon, the Governor of North Choong Chung Do called this morning and volunteered the information that in the near future Governor GeneralMinami might ask me to become a Chik-Im Councillor of the Privy Council (中樞院) of Korea. I told him that I could be a more serviceable man out of office than in it.
50
13th. Thursday. Dull. Chilly.
51
Seoul home. Cousin Chi Yung called and said he had heard that Hugh Cynn is plotting with Mr. Sayeki, the Mayor of the City to put the Central Y. in the hands of the Japanese.
53
14th. Friday. Dull a.m. Bright p.m.
54
12:20 left Seoul with wife, 文姬, Laura, 珽善, 泰嬋, for Song Do. Reaching there about 2:05 p.m. we went straight to Allen's home. Found Allen just getting better from a boil on his right leg. Myself feeling still unwell, I had to stay in bed in the room where my mother spend 5 or 6 summers. Supper at Candler's home. At 7 p.m. we had a simple service of prayer and Candler's oldest daughter Ju Hui and her fiance Kim Myong Ho exchanged engagement rings. Then we had tea. The bridegroom's parents seemed to be nice people.
56
15th. Saturday. Bright. Cold.
57
Song Do. Allen's home. Had a tolerably good rest―though still coughing. With wife and 珽善 and Sun Huie's Grandma, left Song Do 4:50 p.m. train for Seoul. The train leaving Song Do really 5:10 we reached home nearly 7.
59
16th. Sunday. Bright―Chilly.
60
Seoul home. 10 a.m. with Myong Supi went to the Electric Bath House(so called) and had a refreshing bath.
61
Paik Soon Sung who is engaged in moving picture business in Song Do told me that the Korean cinemato-actors have acquired the detestable habit or trick of quitting the stage when the picture is about half finished to demand higher pay. Damnable crowd! These Koreans learn wretched tricks more easily than good ones.
63
17th. Monday. Bright. Mild.
64
Seoul home. The two men who are most closely associated with Hugh Cynn for all sorts of subterranean tricks are Sim Myong Sup and Jun Pil Soon. Sim is a young, clever plotter who swindled, may be, over 10 thousand yen out of many a simple, confiding women(of whom my wife was one) and men too, by first organizing a Women's Business Stock Company (東亞婦人商會) and then quietly wrecking it. With moneys thus stolen he went to the Theological Department of Aoyama Gakuin in Tokyo. Returning to Korea he became the business manager of the Christian Messenger 基督申報 in the employ of the C.L.S. In 1935 he with the thief Jun Pil Soon walked out with the Messenger, Jun claiming it to be his property because he happened to have the Licenses of the Publication Right 板權所有者!
66
18th. Tuesday. Gloomy―Mild.
67
Seoul home. Snow between 4 and 8. Began thawing from 9 a.m. turning the streets into slushy and dirty thoroughfares.
68
9 a.m. went to the Catholic Cathedral where an elaborate funeral service for Mr. Paik Wan Hyuk, the father of Mr. S.K. Paik was celebrated.
69
Returning home with cousin Chi Soh went to Dr. Pak's hospital only to learn that Yi Hui Jong, the eldest son of Yi Bow Woo, had passed away this morning. He was a nice boy. Pity he died so young.
71
19th. Wednesday. Dull and chilly.
72
Seoul home. From 12 last night not a wink of sleep for entire morning. From 4:30 to 6:30 a.m. I went to Dr. Pak's hospital three times to see Yi Hui Jong's coffin leave for the crematorium. I am afraid I caught cold again. Had to stay in the room all day.
73
Koo Ja Ok told me this evening that Hugh Cynn and his crowd are holding meetings every night at his home. Constant interviews with Kim Tai Woo. The Police dares not ask Cynn questions because Mr. Shiowara the all powerful Director of Education Bureau is backing Cynn. Koo tell me they perfecting plans for a Fascist movement I wonder what that means.
75
20th. Thursday. Bright and cold.
76
Seoul home. My cold still keeps me in my room.
77
Given a world as it is, a world in which international or interracial ethics haven't reached the stage of inter individual morality imperfect as it is; a world which the law of jungle reigns supreme; in which might does make right; a world in which wars of ambition or of aggression will never cease until no nation or race having valuable resources which it has neither the ability to develope nor the power to defend encumber this suffering earth; given a world as it is inhabited by human beings with nature as it is, there is nothing condemnable in the imperialistic doings of Japan, England, France, Russia―in fact all the European Powers can't throw the first stone at Japan in the matter of aggression on weaker neighbors or nations. Hence therefore there is a reason for vindicative satisfaction in the fact that Japan has smashed up the whiteman's aggressive arrogance in the Far East. Japan has abolished forever, I hope the twin brothers of whiteman's pride―the extraterritoriality and the tariff discriminations which the Anglo-Saxons have imposed on the Far Eastern nations. Shanghai, the embodiment of the Angle- Saxon brutality with its placard of "No dogs and Chinese admitted," nailed at the gate of the Broad Garden―I hope that Shanghai will go to hell forever.
79
21st. Friday. Bright. Cold.
82
22nd. Saturday. Lovely. Very cold.
83
Seoul home. Biting cold in the morning. 11:20 a.m. went to the Government Building where the Governor General had invited the members of the Central Council and a number of private men to inform them of the great national policies which the Government had lately adopted in regard to a prolonged war against China―as long as China refuses to accept the Japanese program―and to the oneness or unification of the Japanese and Korean peoples into One Harmonious Nation. He also referred to epoch making decision of the Central Government to create a purely Korean regiment composed of volunteers. The Imperial sanction to this measure is expected to be given a month or so later. The Governor General's address was direct and clear. A simple lunch was served after the meeting.
85
23rd. Sunday. Cloudy a.m. Cold.
86
Seoul home. Another little snow in the early morning.
87
Worshipped in the Jong Kyo Church.
89
24th. Monday. Bright. Cold.
90
Seoul home. Called on Dr. Paik In Jay(白麟濟) who had lately returned home from a year's trip to Europe. Went to Myong Wol Kwan Restaurant to―.
92
25th. Tuesday. Dark. Cold.
93
Seoul home. A little show between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. turning the streets in the late afternoon into glass paved streets.
94
According to the information Koo J.O. has Mr. Shiozawa, the all powerful Director of Education asked Hugh Cynn to organize a "Fascist" party―which Cynn the born plotter consented to. It was Sohn Hong Won who recommended Cynn to Shiozawa for the important task. Miss Kim Melizza's version is that Sohn Hong Won recommended Cynn to the Army leaders to concoct a plan or plot to wipe out the missionary influence in Korea. For this purpose Cynn has been busy in conferences with his co-plotters, Sim M.S., Kim In Yung etc. etc. etc.
96
26th. Wednesday. Bright－Bitter cold.
97
Seoul home. Found a thin layer of snow on the ground in early morning(2 a.m.) . Must be least 20° below zero this morning.
98
Accepting the invitation of Mr. Pak Yung Chul and Mr. Matsuzawa, the Chief of the Foreign Affairs Section, I went to Chosen Hotel at 5 p.m. A number of Koreans reputed to be well-to-do and a few of the Principals of High Schools and Colleges, all Koreans were among the invited. Mr. Hiwatari an ex-Colonel, was introduced as the Honorary Principal of the Dong Kwang Middle School for Koreans in Mukden. He was accompanied as usual by number of Korean young men interested in the school. The object of the visit was to raise ￥200,000.00 in Seoul for the endowment of the new school. I was surprised to hear Mr. Pak Sung Bin who is not known as a liberal giver, say that it was entirely an easy affair to raise that much in Seoul among the koreans. I understand Mr. Pak Yung Chul has given or pledged ￥30,000.00 to the Fund. Mr. Cho Dong Sik, the Principal of the Dong Duk Girls' School was also eloquent in his support of the plan. We all know that man has nothing to give. A committee was appointed to prepare a plan for the organization of "Supperters" of the School.
100
27th. Thursday. Bright. Bitter cold.
101
Seoul home. Had pleasant birthday with dear children.
103
28th. Friday. Bright―Bitter cold.
104
Seoul home. Last night from 6 p.m. to 11 the Ewha Riceland Company, so called, had its first shareholders' meeting at Grey House. Present Dr. Ryang, Miss Helen Kim, Miss Soh Grace, Mr. Yu O.K., Miss Hull, and Mr. Pak Yung Kyun. The last mentioned member of the Co. who is at the same time the Business Manager, presented the documents which he said were absolutely necessary to a properly formed joint stock Company but which none of the rest knew much about. Everything was passed as Pak advised.
105
This morning I called on Mr. 曺秉相 and asked him if he had heard anything about a plan being under preparation by the request of Mr. Shiozawa for organizing a form of Nazi party. Mr. Jo said he hadn't heard anything about it.
107
29th. Saturday. Bright. Cold.
108
Seoul home. Called on Mr. Han Sang Ryong and asked him if he had heard any rumor that a certain Korean has been requested by the Director of Education to formulate a plan for more thorough control of the Christian Churches. Mr. Han said he hadn't heard anything about it. But he said Kim Tai Woo is "tumbung tai"-ing too much. Han advised me to see General Minami about it.
109
Mr. 曺秉相 called this afternoon and informed me that Kim Tai Woo simply ridiculed the very idea that the Government General should be so childish to do anything as rumored.
111
30th. Sunday. Bright. Very cold.
112
Seoul home. Dr. Ryang tell me that had a chat with Mr. Kim Tai Woo. To Dr. R.'s blunt question if it was true that the Educational Bureau had asked Hugh Cynn to formulate a plan affection the Christian institutions and missionaries in Korea. Kim evaded answering what the plan was, but admitted that Hugh Cynn and Pak Yon Soh did come to him saying that he(Cynn) would do "it" if the authorities helped him. Kim had told Cynn that it is one thing for the authorities to help him if he did "it" and quite another thing for him(Cynn) to do "it" if authorities helped him. Kim assured Ryang that there would be nothing bad whatever the plan may turn out to be.
114
31st. Monday. Lovely.
115
Seoul home. This is the First day of the First Moon of the Lunar Calendar of 戊實.
116
To the Station to welcome Bishop Moore from Shanghai where he had to spend over a month to put thing in some sort of order after the war devastations which the mission institutions had sustained in Sung Kieng, Soo Chow, Shanghai, etc. The train pulled in a little past 3:35. Mr. Oda of the Government Genera seemed to have come on the samel boat and on the same train with the Bishop just by a happy coincidence.
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