2
1st. Sunday. Snow. Mild.
3
Seoul home. Praise God from whom all blessing flow, Praise Him all Creatures here below, Praise Him above ye heavenly host, Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
4
Went to the Chosun Shrine to pay new year's respect 9-10 this morning. Snow from 8 till about 11 a.m. Usual new year calls on the principal dignitaries of the Government General. Hugh Cynn went round with me.
6
2nd. Monday. Bright―Cold.
7
Seoul home. Some 25 centuries ago the then known China was divided into 6 or 7 independent states. They fought each other like cats and dogs, each little state believing that its happiness and prosperity were altogether dependent on the wretchedness and poverty of its neighbors. But Chin-Shi Whang, the King of the strongest nation of time conquered all the little states and made them provinces of the first Empire of China. The peoples and lands which had refused into one homogeneous whole and the interstate wars ceased. In Europe each country thinks it would get richer and happier if only it could destroy the wealth and happiness of its neighbor―witness Germany versus France―Italy against England and France etc. etc. etc. Indeed there will be no permanent peace in Europe until the little independent states become one great nation either by being brought under one mighty government(which is improbable) or by creating a Federal Government, American fashion, under which each state remains independent member of the Federation.
9
3rd. Tuesday. Gloomy―Chilly.
12
4th. Wednesday. Snow a.m. Sunshine p.m.
13
Seoul home. Mild―so much so that the winter overcoat became too heavy in the sunny afternoon.
14
Extra report that at 10:30 this morning the entire Cabinet in Tokyo resigned. It is rumored that Mr. Hiranuma, the President of the Privy Council is to be the next premier. Why this sudden change of the Cabinet? Is the nightmare of the Russo-Japanese war to be translated into horrible facts?
16
5th. Thursday. Bright―Bitter cold.
17
Seoul home. Bitterly cold. Paper report that Baron Hiranuma was ordered by the Emperor to form a new Cabinet last night. The Baron is 73 years old. What a wonderful man he must be to be the right man for the great and difficult post of the Premiership of Japan today.
18
Our 寶姬 and 暎姬 went to Song Do this morning for a holiday trip.
20
6th. Friday. Bright―Bitter cold.
21
Seoul home. Our 璋善 and 琦善 left Seoul 4:15 for Tokyo. God crown them with loving kindness and tender mercies every day and every where.
22
6 p.m. was invited to supper at Chosun Hotel by Dr. Ryang and Bishop Kim. They had for guests, Mr. 阿知和, the High Priest of Chosun Shrine, Mr. Ohta, Principal of Sook Myong High School for Girls, Mr. Niwa and Mr. Kondo, the Private Secretary to General Minami, Dr. Ryang made a report of the Shrine visiting tour he and four others had made to Ise Nagoya and Tokyo. Mr. Yu Hyong Ki interpreted.
23
Returned home about 10.
25
7th. Saturday. Gloomy a.m. Snow till 10.
26
Seoul home. At noon went to the Hanto Hotel where an engagement luncheon party was given by Mr. Kim Ki Tai(金□郃) whose daughter was to be formally engaged to Han-Sun, the 4th son of cousin Chi Soh. Bo-Sun, the eldest son of cousin Chi Soh is opposed to the match on the ground that the girl who is a daughter of Kim Ki Tai, a nouveauriche, by his No.3 concubine and that the girl even in her school days was notorious for bragging about her wealth and for extravagant habits. The Hanto Hotel as pretensions yet vulgar as a rustic nouveauriche provided a poorly cooked luncheon. The bride's mother looks certainly plebeian enough!
28
8th. Sunday. Lovely―Cold.
29
Seoul home. A beautiful day.
30
Entertained Mr. Kim Tai Woo and Kim Helen to a homemade supper―elegant and appetizing thanks to the skill and taste of wife as a cook. 光鉉, 永善, and 光善, helped me to entertain the guests. Kim Tai Woo seemed to enjoy our hospitality. I shall always be grateful to him for his sympathetic attitude toward me and Helen Kim during the trying months of last summer, from May 19th to September 3rd, while the West Gate inquisitions lasted. Kim T.W. suggested that I should invite Mr. Shiobara, the Director of Education Bureau, to dinner sometime soon. I told him I would be only glad to do so if I were sure he would come Kim promised he would find out and let me know.
32
9th. Monday. Gloomy. Chilly.
33
Seoul home. 3:20 p.m. Mr. Nagasaki, the "Thought Procurator" 思想檢事 left Seoul for Shin-Ui-Ju to which city he had lately been transferred. I feel rather grateful to him because he was courteous and lenient when he had to ask me questions as to my connection with the so-called Hung Up Club. There was a large turn-out of police officers and others to see him off.
34
Invited Hong P.S. of Y. and Mr. Matsu-o of Hon Machi Station to supper.
36
10th. Tuesday. Gloomy and chilly.
37
Seoul home. Invited Mr. Barnhart and Koo to a lunch at Chosun Hotel. Was glad to see B. again in the city.
38
Barnhart said that during the two months he spent in Tokyo he didn't meet a single person, Japanese or foreign, who seemed to know when and how the China Incident would end.
39
Went to Cousin Chi-Oh's home at 4 p.m. where cousin and brothers met to have a family memorial service for the 1st Anniversary of the death of our aunt.
41
11th. Wednesday. Bright―Cold.
42
Seoul home. If this protracted war in China fails to bring a result that may adequately justify to the intelligent and valiant masses of Japan, the tremendous sacrifices in money and men, some great social eruption may shake the entire Empire like a gigantic earthquake. I wish the military leaders would realize that no victory or series of victories however brilliant, could keep 70 million great nation in tame silence when their last copper and last man go to the front lines leaving them in hunger and cold with no substantial benefit in sight from the war.
44
12th. Thursday. Bright―Cold.
47
13th. Friday. Bright. Cold.
48
Seoul home. Mr. Pak Yung Chul tells me that there are 500,000 mine owners or mining maniacs. Of this vast number only 13 have succeeded in becoming "narikins." More money has been sunk in to the mines than taken out of them. Our crazy Candler is one of the worst sinkers.
50
14th. Saturday. Snow 10-11 a.m. Sun p.m.
51
Seoul home. 1:35 p.m. General Kawajima, the Supreme Director of Korea Union of National Mobilization, arrived with his family to take up his residence in Seoul. The Station was crowded with men and women representing the different wards of the city to welcome the General.
52
So far as I can see at present, the Union is a superfluous body costing hundreds of thousands of Yen, to do the business which can be as well done―perhaps better done―by the already established channels of bureaucracy.
53
On my way home from the Station called on Mr. Yi Kwang Soo, the novelist. Found him well and busy writing stories. Had a pleasant chat, he giving me much interesting information to prove that the Japanese civilization owed everything to Korea before Japan had direct intercourse with China.
55
15th. Sunday. Gloomy. Chilly.
56
Seoul home. Old farmers say or believe that this year will have a good crops because we have had snow fallen while men slept three times.
58
16th. Monday. Bright―Cold.
59
Seoul home. At noon I entertained Mr. Nakajima, the 敎學官, a new official to look after the "National Spirit" said of the educational system in Korea, to lunch at the Chosun Hotel. He was the teacher of Morals in the 6th High School in Okayama when Jung Kwang Hyon was pupil there. So I invited Kwang Hyon, Yu O.K. and Helen Kim to meet him. I found him a very pleasant gentleman.
60
Wife went to the Adventist's Sanitarium at 11 a.m. Dr. Rue thinks she will have to stay in the sanitarium for a few days for a thorough examination.
61
I invited Mr. Shiobara, the Director of Education and Mr. Kim Tai Woo to a Korean feast at Chun Hiang Won at 6 p.m. They were very sociable, drinking and eating apparently in good spirit. Four dancing girls to entertain them. Was disgusted to see these girls swallowing 2 or 3 tumblers full of sake. The party broke up about 8:30. Cost ￥86.84 + ￥10 tips.
63
17th. Tuesday. Gloomy. Mild.
64
Seoul home. Went to the Sanitarium to see wife 9 a.m. Returned to the city 11:30.
65
Entertained the officials of the "Patriotic Thought Union" (思想報國聯盟) to a supper at Chosun Hotel. Guests 朴榮喆, 李升雨, 堤永明, 栗田, 橫田, 本田, 矯, 金漢卿, 河敬鍾, I had Jung K.H. to help me.
67
18th. Wednesday. Snow all a.m. till 3 p.m.
68
Seoul home. Snow all the morning until nearly 3 p.m. But for the instant thawing which turned the streets into muddy canals, this has been the biggest snow we have had in Seoul this year.
69
Went to the Sanitarium to see wife 9:30 a.m. Returned to the city 11:30 p.m. Dr. Rue told me that he might be able to reach a conclusion about wife's physical condition tomorrow.
70
12 morning I asked Dr. Hugh Cynn to take lunch with me at the Citizens' Hall Restaurant. Cynn told me (1) that the authorities(military) suggest that the Christians should send a visitation party to China to pay respect to a few of the Japanese garrisons; to visit and encourage the Korean residents in the occupied areas and to call on the new political organizations in the conquered territories. Cynn further intimated that one or two mining millionaires―like Choi Chang Hak are to be requested to contribute, say, a ￥10,000 each to defray the expenses of the party and that I must head the movement. Mr. Choi Rin of the Mai-il Shin Po will go too. I promised I would think about it.
71
1 p.m. the youngest daughter of cousin Chi Soh was married to Yi Jai Yung.
73
19th. Thursday. Bright. Icy cold.
74
Seoul home. Went to see wife at Sanitarium.
76
20th. Friday. Bright―Very cold.
77
Seoul home. 10 a.m. called on Mr. Mitsubashi, Director police Bureau, and asked him which might to the wiser plan either to send the Cheer bags to the troops in China through the military channels or to send a visiting delegation taking the bags with them. The latter plan would cost us from ￥2,000.00 to ￥3,000.00. To spend 3,000.00 yen to take a gift worth 5,000 yen would look rather silly. The Police Director also said it would be so. Hence he thinks it would be wiser to send the gift through the military authorities. Besides he said the transportation problem is so great in the occupied areas that the military authorities would be put to a deal of trouble to provide transportations for the visitors etc. Now this shows Cynn's plan didn't come out of the Police Bureau. So far as I am concerned I don't think I shall go unless explicitly requested by General Minami or at least the Director of Police or by the Commander of the Army here.
78
Went to the Sanitarium 11:30. Wife looks very well―very pretty―had she a little more refinement I might have been contented.
80
21st. Saturday. Bright―Very cold.
81
Seoul home. A thin layer of snow on the ground in the morning. From 9 a.m. snow in tiny flakes till 1 p.m.
83
22nd. Sunday. Pale sun a.m., then lovely day.
84
Seoul home. Lovely but cold. 9 a.m. walked to Sanitarium and stayed until 5 p.m.
86
23rd. Monday. Bright―Cold.
87
Seoul home. 9:30 taxied to Sanitarium. Found wife gone to massage room where her daily treatment last one hour. As I had to leave for city at 11 a.m. I didn't see her. Dr. Rue thinks she is doing fine. Her trouble is diabetes and combined. Her heart is enlarged and her blood pressure high. She needs most careful dieting. No rice, no bread, no meat and no sugar! Milk, eggs, butter and vegetables only!
89
24th. Tuesday. Bright―Cold.
90
Seoul home. Went to the Sanitarium 9:30 a.m. returning to city 11:30.
91
To the Station 1:30 p.m. to met Admiral Takarabe and General Yoshida from Tokyo representing the Scientific Research Association. They have come to organize a Korean Committee of same. Admiral Takarabe is 72 years old. What I admire in these Japanese warriors is their affability and soft speech. When they are in civilian dresses one can hardly realize that they are among the fiercest fighters on land and sea the world has seen.
93
25th. Wednesday. Snow all day.
94
Seoul home. 10 a.m. with 兪億兼, 元翊常, and 金禹鉉 called on.
96
26th. Thursday. Lovely―Mild.
97
Seoul home. Went to the Sanitarium to see wife 9:30 a.m. Retuned to city 2 p.m. Dr. Rue tells me that she is doing well.
98
Went to Citizens' Hall to hear Admiral Takarabe on "The Time and the Scientific Research Association." He read a long paper but looked too tired. General Yoshida spoke on "Arms and Science." Dr. Hayashi, on the Problem of Population. The lectures were followed by moving pictures bearing on air Planes etc.
100
27th. Friday. Bright―Cold.
101
Seoul home. Went to Sanitarium to see wife 11 a.m. Stayed with her until 4 p.m.
103
28th. Saturday. Bright―Mild.
104
Seoul home. 8:30 went to Sanitarium to see wife. Returned to city 12.
105
Went to Station say good bye to Admiral Takarabe who left Seoul by 3 p.m. express.
106
Miss Kim Melissa tells me that the Education Office of the Province has asked her to resign her Principalship of her school on the ground that she is deaf, old, and dumb so far as her ignorance of the Japanese tongue goes. She is naturally very sad and indignant especially as this blow comes from a conspiracy between her teachers and the Provincial Educational officials. I sympathize with her since the school as it is, is the creation of her energy and hard common sense. She is one of the most remarkable personages in Seoul, among Koreans. A deaf and ignorant and poor woman has done a work that a rich and educated man or woman couldn't have done. Yet it would be best for her and for her school to hand it over to someone who knows how to run such a work under the requirements of the authorities.
108
29th. Sunday. Dark. Chilly.
111
30th. Monday. Bright―Mild.
112
Seoul home. To Sanitarium at 11:30. Returned to city 2:30 p.m.
113
6 p.m. went to the Japanese Y.M.C.A. where a fellowship supper was partaken by a score of Japanese and Korean Christians―Mr. Niwa presiding.
115
31st. Tuesday. Cloudy. Mild.
116
Seoul home. So mild that even a light overcoat feels uncomfortable in walking.
117
9 a.m. attended the funeral service for Mr. Hyon Hun(玄櫶) in a Buddhist temple. General Kawajima invited the members of the Standing Committee of the Korea Union of National Mobilization, the Governor of Kyong Ki Province, the Mayor of Seoul, Director of Education and Mr. Kim Tai Woo and a few others to a supper at Bando Hotel 6 p.m. As usual I didn't enjoy the evening. All that they talk about and plan for are of and for the pleasures or profits of the Japanese. I always feel like a drop of oil in a bucket of water.
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