2
1st. Thursday. Cloudy. Rain 4-6 p.m.
3
Seoul home. 10 a.m. attended a meeting of the Board of Managers of the Korea Union of National Mobilization. It was unanimously decided to elect General Kawajimathe Supreme Director(總裁) of the Union.
4
I invited Mr. Tagawa M.P. and Mr. Niwa to lunch at Chosun Hotel 12 p.m. Mr. Tagawa's two traveling companions, a Takeuchi and another young men both connected with 經濟淸報 also present. They are on their way to Pekin. Mr. Tagawa said that neither the military nor the Cabinet nor anybody else seems to have found a satisfactory plan for making the best use of the victories so far gained in China.
6
2nd. Friday. Cloudy a.m. Sun p.m.
7
Seoul home. Last night from 7 to 9, I attended the Christians entertainment which the Central Y. and the Japanese Y. gave to the families of the Policemen and of the fire brigades. The big auditorium of the Citizens' Hall was packed. It is significant that the Korean papers of the city simply ignores any event the Y.M.C.A. stages for the benefit of the public.
8
By the way it is noteworthy that the phrase "Long-term Construction" has of date replaced that of "Long-term War" in the papers publishing the speeches of the Cabinet leaders.
10
3rd. Saturday. Bright.
11
Seoul home. 1 p.m. went to Chung Ryang Sa with Messrs. Hong P.S., Whang Y.S. and Hyon D.W. to have 冷麵 lunch there. But the room so dirty, the serving man so dirty, the environment all so dirty that I was thoroughly disgusted. Buddhism has touched the bottom of degradation in Korea. The priests and nuns so called are ignorant and dirty knowing no more of the principles of Buddhism than a hog. Yet these degraded followers of Buddha are having good time thanks to the silly women of leisure whose superstition and sensualism these dirty priests know how to exploit.
13
4th. Sunday. Cloudy. Rain 3:40 p.m. to 9.
14
Seoul home. This morning at 9 called on Mr. Saito, Chief of Higher Police Section of the West Gate Station to thank him for his lenient treatment of 光鉉. He believes that Paik Nam Woon, No Dong Kyu and Yi Soon Taik really conspired to make the C.C.C. the center of Communistic Revolutionary Movement in Korea. These three men, by coercion and cajoling, have been compelled to sign confessions to that effect. Saito thinks these men will have to serve a long term.
15
Rain from 3:40. Went to Station to see off the son of Mr. 羽根, Chief of West Gate Police Station, who left Seoul for Tokyo as a conscript to join a regiment.
17
5th. Monday. Bright. Cold.
18
Seoul home. At 2 p.m. went to the Bizen-Ya Hotel where the Standing Committee of the Korea Union of the Mobilization had a formal introduction to the new Supreme Director, General Kawajima, of the Union.
19
6 p.m. at the invitation of General Kawajima, I and the other members of the Standing Committee went to the Paik Woon Jang Restaurant for an elaborate Japanese supper.
20
Both Mr. Jo Byong Sang and Kim Tai Woo spoke of the little clique of intriguers―Hugh Cynn, Sohn Hong Won and others who spin round 鄭勳, the Korean Major of Military intelligence Department. Devil only knows what Hugh Cynn is up to now!
22
6th. Tuesday. Cloudy a.m.
23
Seoul home. A thin layer of first real snow in Seoul on the ground.
24
The inauguration ceremony of General Kawajima as the Supreme Director of the Korea Union of National Mobilization took place in the 1st Assembly Hall of the Government Building at 10 this morning. All the presidents of the Provincial Unions present.
25
At 2 p.m. the large auditorium of the Citizens' Hall was fairly packed to witness the congratulatory ceremony in honor of the two hundred volunteers who are to join different regiments as full fledged soldiers of the Imperial Army. I was one of the three speakers the two being the Governor of Kyong Ki Province and the other the new Mayor, Mr. Takahashi. The Meeting was arranged under the auspices of Keijo Nippo and Mai-il Shim Moon.
26
General Kawajima gave a dinner to the officials and Managers of the Mobilization Union.
28
7th. Wednesday. Bright.
29
Seoul home. 12 morning invitation from Governor General to a big luncheon party given to the members of the Mobilization Unions nearly 150 in all. I was honored by being given a seat at the Governor General's table at which Generals Kawajima, Nakamura and Fukuzawa sat. Three civilians besides me at the same table were Vis-count Yun D.Y. Messrs. Yanabe and Shinoda. Only I hope I shall not be appointed an official in the Union.
31
8th. Thursday. Cloudy―Fine sleet a.m.
32
Seoul home. Last evening I invited Helen Kim, Yu O.K. and Dr. Ryang to a sukiyaki supper at the 第一莊 to talk over the question of the principalship of the Ewha College. We all agreed that if Miss Appenzeller really wants to make Helen Kim the Principal, she might go to the Director of Education herself and ask the favor of naming her successor in case she resigns. I am to see Miss Appenzeller this afternoon and find out what she really wants to do in the matter. We all are afraid that Hugh Cynn will do his best or worst to keep Helen Kim from succeeding Miss Appenzeller.
33
Rain from 12 morning until 4 p.m. I entertained Mr. 玄俊鎬 from 光州 at a luncheon at Chosun Hotel. Brothers Chi-Wang, Chi-Chang and cousin 致暎 also invited to meet Hyon. Our grandmother 9 generations back, the mother of the two famous brothers 尹斗壽 and 尹根壽, came from Hyon's family 400 years ago. We were deeply interested in some of his family history.
34
4 p.m. Miss Appenzeller called. From what she said I could gather that she didn‘t relish the idea of vacating her chair in favor of Helen Kim, if she could help it. (1) To my statement that the Japanese don't want to let foreigners educate their children, she emphatically said "They do in Japan proper." (2) "Everything seems go smoothly now and I don't see why Helen wants a change." (3) "Horace Underwood wouldn't resign. He advises me to hold on."
35
(Talk with Miss Appenzeller continued)
36
Miss Appenzeller asked me what she might do as Helen Kim wishes to resign. I told her to keep quiet until she has found out what the Education authorities might do in case she(Miss A.) resigns. Any false step might plunge the Ewha College into a maelstrom of confusion worse confounded, thanks to the subterranean intrigues of certain individuals (Hugh Cynn etc.) . She seemed to understand my meaning and agreed to wait and see until I find out from certain persons what the authorities might do in case Miss Appenzeller resigns her principalship in favor of Miss Helen Kim.
39
Conversation with Kim T.W. continued. I told him that Miss Appenzeller is willing to retire if she could be sure that Miss Helen Kim would be allowed to succeed her. I asked Kim to find out what the Education authorities might do in case Miss Appenzeller resigns. Kim surprised me by saying: "The authorities would approve of the change if you should consent to become the Principal to direct the policies of the College while Miss Kim, as the Vice Principal, attends to the routine work of the school." I told him I couldn't possibly assume such a burden. He promised to let me know as soon as he finds out the opinion of the Education authorities.
41
10th. Saturday. Cloudy.
42
Seoul home. 10 a.m. went to the 義州通 Tobacco Monopoly factory Building where the employees were gathered to celebrate the organization of the Monopoly Branch Union of the Korea Mobilization. General Kawajima, Director of Education Shiobara, Governor of Kyong Ki Do Kanja, President of Chamber of Commerce and Industry Kada were the principal guests invited.
43
11 a.m. as soon as I was through with the Tobacco Monopoly ceremony, I went to Severance Hospital to see brother Chi-Wang. Took a nice lunch there.
45
11th. Sunday. Bright. Mild.
46
Seoul home. 2 p.m. with wife, Mrs. Ryang and our baby Joseph went to Mitsukoshi to take lunch. Mrs. Ryang who had returned from Peking the other day told us that the Chinese school children in Peking were made to parade the streets with flags etc. to celebrate the fall of Han-Kow and that they tore up the flags as soon as they returned to their schools. Now it was a great mistake on the part of the Japanese conquerors to force the Chinese children to "rejoice" over the fall of one of the greatest cities of China.
47
4 p.m. wife and I went to Myong Hie's home. Had supper and returned home about 8.
49
12th. Monday. Gloomy―Chilly.
50
Seoul home. To Jung Dong Church where the funeral service for Pastor Kim Yung Sup's mother took place.
51
6 p.m. to 天香園 where Koreans 15 in all gave a farewell supper in honor of Col. yoshita(吉田) who is to leave Seoul for Hankow. He was active in planning for the training of the Korean volunteers. He thinks the Government General people hurried the volunteer scheme a year too soon. He fears that the volunteers have been too much lionized―so much so that they might be discouraged when they get into real ba rack life with its coarse food, rough discipline and vermin infested beds. I liked his face and his frank yet courteous manners. He may someday return to Korea as the Commander-in-Chief of the Army of Korea.
53
13th. Tuesday. Bright. Mild
54
Seoul home. 3 p.m. went to Seoul Station to big farewell to Col. Yoshita who left Seoul for Han-Kow.
56
14th. Wednesday. Bright p.m. Cold.
57
Seoul home. The cheer-bag(慰問袋) movement as the Christmas presents to the Japanese troops in China by the Christians of Korea is in itself a laudable act, and if successful, will win the good will of the Japanese Military authorities toward the Christian Church. More than 3,500 letters have been sent out to so many churches throughout Korea asking them to send 2 Yen to 5 Yen to Central Y.M.C.A. no later than the 25th, December. Yu O.K. has been most active in promoting the movement. Hugh Cynn is as indifferent as one could be but if the movement succeeds in getting money enough to provide 2,000 bags @￥2.00 each, he will be unblushing enough to come out to the front advertizing himself as the author and finisher of the movement. He is a disgusting specimen of a self-seeking schemer.
59
15th. Thursday. Gloomy. Mild.
60
Seoul home. Took breakfast at the Severance Restaurant. Heard that Hyon Jey Myong, the music teacher of C.C.C. was arrested on the charge that he had bribed the ex-Mayor Sayeki with a piano in the hope of being reinstated in his professorship which he had been compelled to resign for having been a member of Hun Sa Dan.
62
16th. Friday. Gloomy―Mild.
63
Seoul home. To finance the gigantic war expenses, the Imperial Government have enacted laws upon laws to control all materials―such as cotten, rubber, metals of every kind, gasoline, coal etc. etc. etc. so that they may only be used for war-like industries to the partial or total sacrifice of peaceful industries. One of the means to get money out of the people's pocket is to compel them to deposit so much theoretically according to their ability but actually beyond their means. This is bearing hard on the poor farmers in the country. As an instance I am told that Mr. Nam Koong Ok, whose income averages about ￥600.00 a year is forced to deposit ￥217.00. Others have to mortgage their little farms and miserable cottages to get money to make patriotic deposits. The question is how long can the poor villagers stand this sort of squeezing? I wish the Governor General could be informed of these things. He is a good man and wouldn't tolerate such things, but the officials of lower rank go on squeezing the people in the name of patriotism to make fine reports for themselves.
65
17th. Saturday. Gloomy a.m.
66
Seoul home. Supper at 光鉉's home. He had invited three men of the Honmachi Police Station who treated him kindly while under arrest.
68
18th. Sunday. Bright―Cold.
69
Seoul home. Allen tells me that brother Chi-Wang mortgaged his valuable 和泉町 estate, 2,000 or more tsubo to Choi Chang Hak, the Mining Millionaires for ￥150,000.00. Chi-Wang also sold his 和順 rice fields for ￥60,000.00. This great sum has been all used up to pay pressing debts. He has already sold his harvest of this year of ￥18,000.00. He will have to live on debts rest of coming year. With such tremendous debts he spends money as if he were a millionaire. His private car costs him ￥2,000.00 a year! He is building fine house on his 羽雲亭 lot at the cost of ￥30,000.00. But the building and furnitures will cost him some 50,000.00 Yen by the time the house gets finished for occupation. A man whose new income a year amounts to about ￥15,000.00 is unafraid of a debt over ￥200,000.00. How is he going to pay this crushing debt?
71
19th. Monday. Bright. Cold.
74
20th. Tuesday. Pale―Sun. Mild.
75
Seoul home. Wife, 文姬, 光鉉, 麟鎬, 明姬 went to Station to welcome our 璋善
76
who arrived 3:40 p.m. Thank God he is well.
77
One of the crying evils of social life of Japan is the extravagant "Yen Kai" or entertainments. Politicians, business men and bureaucrats of all ranks treat and expect to be treated with interminable "Yenkais." These yenkais cost the host from ￥20.00 per person in a Korean restaurant to ￥30.00 or more in a Japanese Ryoriya. A guest doesn't think he has been treated right unless wined and dancing-girled for hours on end. Koreans who has the weakness to imitate every thing bad from our neighbors, are indulging in thoughtlessly expensive "Yenkais" in entertaining Japanese officials or business men. No wonder high officials have to resort to corrupt practices in politics and in business because their salaries are all together insufficient to foot the bills of these "Yenkais." It is fair to say that Christians are not guilty of these extravagances in entertainments.
79
21st. Wednesday. Smoky. Gloomy. Mild.
82
22nd. Thursday. Gloomy and smoky.
85
23rd. Friday. Snow from 10 to 12.
86
Seoul home. 12:30 wife and I went to the Jai Dong Primary School to see the Artistic Exhibition(學藝會) of the little girls and boys. The program composed of 2 parts, one with 16 events and another with 14, was entirely too long by 10 events. What the girls did was attractive―but the songs not worthwhile to exhibit.
88
24th. Saturday. Sun p.m. Very cold.
89
Seoul home. The coldest day we have had so far in Seoul.
90
Wife, 樟善 and 珽善 went to Song Do per 8:15 train which didn't start until 9.
92
25th. Sunday. Pale sun. Cold.
95
26th. Monday. Bright. Cold.
96
Seoul home. Our Lambuth arrived home this afternoon from Tokyo. God be thanked.
98
27th. Tuesday. Pale sun. Cold.
99
Seoul home. 9:30 went to the Women's Seminary to attend the 2nd Session of General Board of Managers of the Korea Methodist Church. One of the most important items of business on the program was the election of a Committee of Seven to negotiate with a similar committee to be appointed by the Japanese Methodist Church regarding the proposed union of the two churches. The members named 梁柱三, 金鍾宇, 柳瑩基, 金氷燮, 申興雨, 李允榮 and myself.
100
5 p.m. attended the year end meeting of the Central Y. Board of Directors.
102
28th. Wednesday. Pale sun. Very cold.
103
Seoul home. 14° below zero―reported. 9:30 a.m. went to the Women's Seminary to attend the 19th session of the Central Council. Only routine work.
105
29th. Thursday. Sunshine. Very cold.
108
30th. Friday. Gloomy. Cold.
109
Seoul home. Felt quite unwell.
110
5 p.m. invited Miss Helen Kim, Yu Kak Kyong, Yu O.K., Koo Ja Ok and cousin Chi-Yung to a sukiyaki supper at Yedogawa. My health has been running down lately and I felt almost sick. Great Heavens I wish I had a help mate who cares more for my well-being than for her own ease and luxury, who helps me with sympathy and encouragement to bear the burdens of life! In spite of all her faults I love her and prize her for being the mother of our precious children.
112
31st. Saturday. Pale. Cold.
113
Seoul home. This is the last day of the 1938. A terribly hard year this has been to me. The worries and anxieties I had to suffer on account of the Hung Up Club affair. The imprisonment for 6 months of Jung Kwang Hyon charged with having taught Communism in C.C.C. The fearful burden of debt(￥28,000.00) which the folly of Candler forced on me to save him from beggary. The burning of three of the shops outside our residence but belong to me. Truly but thankfully I may say: Through many dangers, toils and snares
115
Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far
116
And grace will lead me home.
117
With Chi-Wang and Chi-Chang took sukiyaki supper at Yedogawa. Chi-Wang admitted he as a debt amounting to ￥210,000.00. He thinks he can get out of the debt in three years.
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