2
1st. Tuesday. Sun a.m. Cloud p.m.
3
Seoul home. This being the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the New Regime the Government General staged a grand celebration of the event by conferring certificates of meritorious service to over 10 thousand people. I was one of the 286 men and women who received the Merit Certificates as 民間 功勞者 or Private Individuals who have rendered meritorious service to the state. Dr. Underwood and Barnhart among the number.
5
2nd. Wednesday. Cloudy―Cool.
6
Seoul home. 9 a.m. the Directors of the General Board of the Korea Methodist Church held a call meeting at the C.L.S. Bishop Jung Choon Su submitted a resolution on the Revolution of the Christian Church(基督敎會 革新案) comprising 5 headings. No. I. Leading thoughts in right direction. Ⅱ. Renovation of Religious Instruction―to introduce the Nationality of Japan (國學) in Theological Seminaries, middle schools and colleges; to emphasize military drills in theological seminaries as in middle schools and colleges; to separate the Jewish traditions from the pure Gospel of Christ, illustrating or harmonizing the Oriental ethics and philosophy with the teaching of the Gospel. Ⅲ. Social Education(社會敎育) to propagate the Ko-do or Imperial Way(皇道) . Ⅳ. Assisting military affairs to persuade believers to join the volunteers. Ⅴ. Consolidation of the church organization―to unite the Korea Methodist Church with the Japanese Methodist Church; to place all church activities and organization on financially independent basis; not to put a foreigner in any position of leadership or representation; to reorganize or revolutionize the Methodist Theological Seminary; to dissolve the Central Council which connects the church with the foreign missions, the resolution was of course unanimously adopted.
9
Seoul home. Our 明姬 gave birth to a girl this afternoon. Both are doing well.
12
Seoul home. The city is flooded with sightseers from provinces to see the Great Chosun Exhibition. The railroad trains from all over the country and the street cars in all directions are so crowded night and day that there is no standing room in the cars.
14
5th. Saturday. Lovely.
18
Seoul home. No cereals of any kind is allowed to be brought into the city or be transported from even one village to another. People living in Seoul in sheer despair try all sorts of subterfuge to get ride from the country to eke out their shortage of food stuff. But they are mercilessly searched and even a handful of rice or rice-cake or rice flour or even rice-made candies are confiscated. Why this unnecessary cruelties?
21
Seoul home. 11 a.m. at the request of Bishop Jung, I went to his office. There were Hugh Cynn, Kim Yung Sup, Yu Hyong Ki, Pak Yung Suh, Yi Dong Wook, besides Bish. Jung. He called the meeting to appoint two committees, one to negotiate with missionaries on matters of financial and personal re-adjustment under the New Order, and another on routine business matters―such as the seminary etc. Bishop Jung nominated on the Negotiation Committee Cynn, Yu, Kim and me. To my great surprise Dr. Ryang was not mentioned even. I protested on the ground Dr. Ryang is indispensable on committees of this kind. Hugh Cynn said in his sub rosa way that those who received money from mission shouldn't be on the committee.
23
8th. Tuesday. Cloudy a.m. Pale sun p.m.
24
Seoul home. 9 a.m. the Korean Federation of Young Men's Associations(朝鮮靑年團大會) held its biennial meeting at the Kun Jung Jun(勤政殿) ground. Representatives from all the Provinces 3,000 strong were gathered under beautiful banners. There were usual addresses and exhortations from the Governor General and other high officials.
25
6 p.m. General Kawajima, president of the Korean Federation of General Mobilization of the National Spirit(國民精神總動員聯盟) , gave a welcome dinner to the leaders of the Provincial Young Man's Associations at the Han-to Hotel.
27
9th. Wednesday. Lovely.
28
Seoul home. The Young Men's Associations held its open-air meeting at the Seoul Stadium. Together with a thousand volunteers, the entire assembly presented a fine sight of 4,000 young men all moving in military order. There were march―past and wooden sword drills etc. before the Governor General.
29
At 12 the young men who marched through the main streets to the Chosun Shrine had a religious ceremony before the adjournment at 1:30 p.m.
32
Seoul home. Hugh Cynn by a stroke of dirty trickery got himself appointed the Principal of Pai-Chai Middle School. He by cajoling and coercing Bishop Jung through the military and police channels, is making him his tool. Cynn is driving Ryang out of the Korean Methodist Church affairs because Ryang knows too much. Cynn is out with his thinly veiled serpentine plotting, intriguing tricks. I hate to have anything to do with him.
34
11th. Friday. Beautiful.
35
Seoul home. Had a chat with Mr. Barnhart. Advised him to resign from the Central Y. Board of Directors and also from the Zaidan Legal Person. He readily consented to do as he wouldn't like to make his presence an occasion of embarrassment to his Korean colleagues.
37
12th. Saturday. Beautiful.
38
Seoul home. 12:30 attended the Beam-raising Ceremony(上樑式) of the residence for Jong No Police Chief at Nak-Won-Jung.
40
13th. Sunday. Cloudy. Warm.
41
Seoul home. Per 9:20 a.m. train went to Pal-Dang-Ri with 蘆泳洙 to see our field surveyed by a surveyor from the Tax Affair Office. Returned to the city nearly 8 p.m.
43
14th. Monday. Beautiful.
44
Seoul home. A large number of Japanese and Korean friends gave a farewell dinner in honor of General Kawajima who has recently resigned his post as the President of the Korean Federation of the General Mobilization of National Spirit(國民精神 總動員 朝鮮聯盟總裁) . General Minami is to take his place.
46
15th. Tuesday. Cloudy.
47
Seoul home. Cloudy morning. A most welcome shower between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
48
11 a.m. went to Sam Chung Dong to attend the dedication ceremony of the residences for Jong No Police Officers which are now being built.
50
16th. Wednesday. Beautiful.
51
Seoul home. 1:30 p.m. General Minami called a meeting of those who were officially connected with the General Mobilization of National Spirit at the First Conference Room and formally announced (1) the fact that the "Korean Federation of the General Mobilization of National Spirit" has been changed into Korean Federation of Total Strength of the Nation(國民總力 朝鮮聯盟) ; (2) and that he has been made the President of the new set-up.
52
Spent the rest of the afternoon at our new home with wife.
53
6 p.m. attended the farewell supper party which General Minami gave in honor of General and madam Kawajima. There were over fifty guests of whom 12 were ladies. Only one Korean lady, Mrs. Han Sang Ryong present. Madam K. is a beauty.
55
17th. Thursday. Beautiful.
56
Seoul home. 9:30 a.m. went to Chosun Shrine where an imposing ceremony was celebrated in connection with New Harvest Offering. Returning home about 12, went to Mitsukoshi Restaurant with Whang Yung Soo for lunch.
59
Seoul home. General Kawajima and his wife left Seoul per 2:23 p.m. train for Tokyo.
60
Hear Vis-count Yun Duk Yung died last night. In him is gone one of the rottenest meanest, haughtiest specimen of the old-time Korean aristocracy.
62
19th. Saturday. Beautiful.
69
Seoul home. 4 p.m. the Board of Director of the Central Y. had its regular meeting.
70
I had to recommend that the few foreign members be asked to resign their membership in the Central Y. and that no foreigner shall from this on hold any authoritative position on the Board or on this Zai Dan Hojin. I had to take this unpleasant step to prevent Hong and Hugh Cynn from capturing the Central Y. by telling the police or the military authorities that I harbor foreigners in the Y. to use it as a spy organ.
72
22nd. Tuesday. Lovely.
73
Seoul home. Koo Ja Ok is an honest fellow―so far as I know. But he has no personal magnetism. When I exerted my best to put him in as the General Secretary some years ago I told him to win over the good will of Hong Pyong Sun and Hyon Dong Wan by consulting them in the management of the routine work. Koo has neither dignity or pleasantness of manners. He is repulsively short tempered and sharp tongued. He can't hide his dislike of Hong. Now the relation between Hong and Koo has become irreconcilable I think Koo should resign as he has no power to control the staff and no ability to conciliate them. He is despised and hated. Hong, a perfectly unreliable character is reported to be in close alliance with the snaky Cynn who longs to make himself once more the undisputed master of the Central Y. whose income or endowment fund will enable him to have good time with Pak In Duk.
75
23rd. Wednesday. Cloudy.
76
Seoul home. A number of people met at Y.M.C.A. to adopt a resolution to ask the C.L.S. foreigners to devolve the management of that institution to the Korean Church. Pastor Kim In Yung seems to be in the lead. He is a henchman of Hugh Cynn.
78
24th. Thursday. Bright. Cold a.m.
81
25th. Friday. Lovely a.m.
84
26th. Saturday. Lovely.
85
Seoul home. The more I admire the magnificent ambition, the boundless energy and the wonderful ability of working together for common purpose, the more I feel discouraged with the Koreans as a people. The utter lack of the sense of responsibility; the absolute inability to pull together for a common good; the proneness to sacrifice public interests to selfish gains―these short comings make the Korean an unreliable and inefficient factor in any enterprise that requires integrity and faithfulness. That explains why the Koreans haven't succeeded in running a decent ank or a joint stock company. That explains why it is almost impossible to get an employee who is intelligent and honest at the same time. In my Chang Moon Sa Co. experience and in my private affairs I have met none but thieves. In this cesspool of ingratitude and dishonesty I have found pastors, elders and Christians so called no better than non-believers. No hope for the Koreans getting on equal treatment with the Japanese until they have learned to do as well for others as they do for themselves.
91
Seoul home. Major General Maida left Seoul per 3:50 a.m. express for Shizuoka. A big crowd to give him a rousing send-off. He gave me a warm handshake wishing me a long life advising me to take care of myself doing nothing "muri" (unreasonable) . I was deeply moved by his kind words―especially as I had never had any intimate intercourse with him.
93
29th. Tuesday. Cloudy a.m.
94
Seoul home. This morning paper reports war has begun between Italy and Greece. 200,000 Italian troops have already entered Greek territory. Greece has appealed to England for help on the strength of the British promise made a year ago to protect the independence of Greece. Funny Greece should have placed any trust in the promise of England in the face of the fact all the little nations that trusted in England have been miserably disappointed.
96
30th. Wednesday. Beautiful.
97
Seoul home. 10 a.m. went to Citizens' Hall to receive a Certificate of Merit for Educational Work.
99
31st. Thursday. Beautiful.
100
Seoul home. Governor GeneralMinami invited Messrs. Cho Byong Sang, Yi Sung Woo and me to an informal luncheon at his official residence at 12 p.m.
101
After the lunch we had a tea talk in a Korean house back of the residence. The general said among other things that he was going to Tokyo to attend the Grand Celebration of the 2,600th Anniversary of the Founding of the Empire; that rumor mongers would again set gossip going as to his resignation etc.
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