2
1st. Thursday. Pale sun. Chilly to the bone.
3
Seoul home. The adoption of the Japanese style of new names is a problem that worries and perplexes almost every head of Korean family. The authorities from Governor-General down all emphatically declare that the matter is altogether left to the choice of the individual and not compulsory at all etc., etc., etc. But we all know only too well that the authorities do want the Koreans to adopt the Japanese names and that they will frown on those who refuse to do so. The Keijo Nippo the Government organ, in an editorial yesterday said something like this: "The number of the Koreans who adopt the Japanese names is increasing daily. That's what ought to be, as the realization of the New Order can only be thus possible. Those who through prejudice attempt to hinder this movement will be dealt with by the authorities with "iron clubs." These people are opposed to the adoption of new names through their nationalism (Korean) and political motives." (Korean independence hence anti-Japanism)
4
Now it is plain that the authorities will regard those who stick to their Korean names as anti-Japanese, hence dangerous fellows.
9
3rd. Saturday. Bright. Bitter cold.
10
Seoul home. This being my 76th birthday we had a family reunion. Thanks be unto God, the Givers of all good gifts, for the grace that has brought me safe thus through so many dangers and snares. We didn't invite anybody as our uncle and cousin Chi Byong had so lately left this world.
12
4th. Sunday. Bright. Biting cold.
13
Seoul home. 6 p.m. went to Kikui Restaurant where the Commander of the Gendarmery, General □...□, had invited a few Koreans to Japanese supper. Messrs. Han Sang Ryong, Song Jin Woo, Choi Rin, Paik Kwan Soo, Min Tai Sik and I were the guests.
15
5th. Monday. Cloudy. Chilly.
16
Seoul home. Called on Mr. Yaki, Chief of Education Section which has charge of colleges at 2 p.m. and asked him if he would kindly exert his good offices in behalf of Yu Uk Kyum to restore him to his former position as the Vice President of the C.C. College. He politely told me that the documents about Yu U.K. had not reached him so that he couldn't promise off hand what he would do until after he had investigated the matter.
18
6th. Tuesday. Cloudy a.m. Icy chilly.
19
Seoul home. Under the auspices of Dong-Nim-Hoi, a kind of roundtable dinner party was given to a large number of Koreans and Japanese. The chief guests were Hon. Miyamoto, the Director of Law Bureau and Captain Muratani. After the dinner, Mr. Miyamoto gave a lecture on the establishment of 氏 or family names in Korea. I can't understand the distinction of (氏) and (姓) . The Koreans have had their surnames or 姓 handed down from father to son for last 1,000 years. Why this change? To make the one-ness of the Korean and the Japanese more concrete and more close.
21
7th. Wednesday. Bright―Icy chilly.
22
Seoul home. Cousin Chi Oh tells me that his youngest son, 英善 and his youngest brother, 大榮 left Seoul a few days ago for parts unknown. His son wrote a letter to him from somewhere saying that he couldn't stand the "hell-like homeland" any longer that he wouldn't return to Korea until he has made a fortune abroad. I can deeply sympathize with the young fellow. He has no mother and lives in his elder brother's home. Seems there is no love lost between him and his sister-in-law, an excellent woman though she is. But 大榮's case is little different. His mother is still middle-aged and is quite able to take care of him. After all what could these fellows, moneyless, inexperienced, find to do in Manchuria where they seem to have gone. They will return to Korea inside a month, I suppose.
24
8th. Thursday. Bright―Icy chilly.
25
Seoul home. This is the First Day of the First Moon of the Cyclic year of Kyong Jin 庚辰 according to the Lunar Calendar. In spite of all the efforts of the rulers to discourage the people from keeping the Lunar New Year, it is kept by the Korean population with silent but unabated fervor. Old customs die hard.
27
9th. Friday. Bright. Icy chilly.
30
10th. Saturday. Bright a.m. Cloudy p.m
31
Seoul home. A little milder than yesterday. From 9:30 a.m. to 12 the Annual Meeting of the Ewha Board of Managers was held at Gray House to pass on the budget for 1915, etc.
32
2 p.m. had a refreshing bath―first one in 24 days―since I was vaccinated!
34
11th. Sunday. Cloudy. Mild.
35
Seoul home. A solemn Shinto celebration of the 2,600th Anniversary of the Founder's Day(紀元節) was staged at the Chosun Shrine attended by a huge mass of people from 9:30 a.m. to 11. From the Shrine went to the Kyong-Ki-Provincial Office to receive an Imperial donation of ￥500.00 to the Seoul Orphanage.
37
12th. Monday. Pale sun.
38
Seoul home. Today being the 5th Anniversary of our Mother's death, we had a family memorial service conducted by Rev. Cha Jai Myong.
39
Wife very ill from dizziness, loin ache etc. She has been suffering from high-blood pressure and diabetic for the past 4 or 5 years. The trouble is she wouldn't keep the dietary cautions of the doctor, not only but she will eat and eat to excess those things which doctors tell her not to eat. Besides she thinks about and talks about her numerous aches with gruesome details morning till night. She thinks that's aristocratic.
42
Seoul home. From early hours of the morning some rain first then snow until 6 p.m. This is the biggest snow we have had in last four months. I hope this snow is a propitious beginning of a good bumper year of plentiful harvest.
43
Hong Pyong Sun tells me that a Japanese friend of his confided to him a fear that something like the racket of February 26th, '37, might happen inside 3 months from now. I don't know what that means but one thing seems certain that the great mass of the Japanese nation is beginning to be discontented with the outcome of the China Incident, especially as no adequate compensation for the tremendous sacrifice in men and money, the nation has made during the last three years is in sight.
45
14th. Wednesday. Pale sun.
48
15th. Thursday. Bright and cold.
49
Seoul home. I once had the fool idea that Holland gave a benevolent and generous colonial government to her vast East Indian Empire. Under the caption of "Life blood of the Netherlands" a writer in the December '39 number of "Asia" says among other things: "More than one foreign diplomatic official in Java has expressed to me the opinion that the Dutch are concerned altogether with what they can get out of their islands and with the welfare of the people of those islands only in so far as that is essential to exploitation of the land's resources." "There is a high tariff wall between the mother country and the colonies. Moreover protective duties levied on imports naturally increase the cost of living for all classes in the islands. Rice is the principal instance of this. Part of the Java crop is of a high grade and mostly exported for Dutch benefit. A cheeper grade is brought in from Indo China. Siam and elsewhere for native consumption and must of course pay duty. The Indonesian resent the top-heavy official structure with the Government General at its peak receiving something like125,000 a year. And from the peak down to the base of the pyramid there are included 25,000 Dutch functionaries with hardly a score of full blooded Indonesian in positions of any importance. To pay estate workers six cents a day and managers 50,000 guilders a year is nothing less than an abuse of the power of the over lords."
51
16th. Friday. Cloudy. Chilly a.m. Bright p.m.
54
17th. Saturday. Cloudy a.m. Bright p.m.
55
Seoul home. Over ten days have passed since Grace entered the obstetric department in the Government Medical School Hospital(醫專病院) ; yet no sign of delivery. Wife is having a hard time of it to take care of Grace's first child now about 2 years old.
56
Mr. Yi Hun Koo, the Vice President of the Chosun Il-Po Co. told me that his paper also had a warning from the Publication Bureau of the Government General to discontinue the paper at the end of the month. He thinks both Dong-A and Chosun-Il-Po will have to close down.
58
18th. Sunday. Cloudy a.m. Bright p.m
59
Seoul home. 4 p.m. the 2nd Anniversary of the death of aunt was celebrated at cousin Chi-Oh's home.
60
Mrs. Yi Ung Joon(李應俊夫人) called this afternoon and told me that she had lent ￥6,000.00 to Kwang Sun and asked me to pay her the debt. Kwang Sun is a heartless, thoughtless and senseless profligate. I told her I would tell my eldest son to investigate the matter.
62
19th. Monday. Foggy and chilly a.m.
63
Seoul home 10 a.m. went to the office of Methodist General Board, to attend a meeting of the Committee on Endowment to discuss the means and ways of raising ￥200,000.00
64
At noon Bishop Jung Choon Sou invited the members of the Committee to luncheon at A-Suh-Won, the Chinese Restaurant. Jung told us that when Bishop Moors was here he(Jung) tried to entertain the Bishop and the missionaries and some Koreans―altogether about 150 person to a dinner at Chosun Hotel on the 19th ult. All arrangements were made accordingly after having consulted some of the missionaries on the program committee. But other members of the committee cut Jung out and flatly told him they couldn't spare the hour. It was an insult pure and simple. However that saved Jung the sum of ￥450.00! He should never have thought of giving such an expensive entertainment.
66
20th. Tuesday. Bright. Chilly.
67
Seoul home. With Hong Pyong Sun, Whang Yung Soo went to Shin Hung Sa temple for a country dinner from 1 to 5 p.m. Mrs. Hong joined us later.
69
21st. Wednesday. Cloudy and chilly a.m.
70
Seoul home. Grace gave birth to a girl at 3:17 a.m. Both are doing well. Another burden to me for which I am not inclined to thank anybody.
72
22nd. Thursday. Bright. Very chilly.
73
Seoul home. Rev. Kim Woo Hyon, editor in chief of the Christian News, gave a supper at Chiyoda Grill to a score of Methodists and Presbyterian leaders of the city. He told us the financial difficulties he has had in keeping up the paper during the last year and proposed that a Joint Stock Company be organized with a capitalization or say, ￥50,000.00 to put the paper on a working basis. He intimated that a rich man has promised to give ￥40,000.00 if the balance were under written by the three denominations interested in the paper. viz: the Presbyterian, the Methodist and the Holiness Churches. No decision was come to by those present.
74
宋榮子 called. She left Tokyo on the 18th. Our boys will miss her so much.
76
23rd. Friday. Bright. Chilly.
77
Seoul home. Went to C.C.C. 8:45 a.m. train to attend the Annual Meeting of the Field Board of Managers from 9:30 to 3 p.m. with luncheon in between.
78
Returned to city about 4. Asked Mrs. Pak(宋榮子) to supper.
79
The Annual Meeting of the Central Y. from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thank God, the meeting passed off smoothly. The rumor that Cynn's clique had planned to raise a racket about the Yi Household deal didn't materialize. Shim Myong Sup who was to lead the attack according to the rumor strangely enough read the 12th and 13th verses of Matt. 21st Chapter. He plainly insinuated that Koo and the present Board of Managers had made the Central Y. a den of thieves. Hugh Cynn who is too arrogant and indolent to attend such a meeting was present with quite a number of his followers. I was very uneasy fearing that a dirty trick was to be staged by the anti-Koo crowds. Was very much relieved when nothing happened and the meeting adjourned. By the way Reverend Shim is the last person in Korea who can throw the first stone at anybody.
81
24th. Saturday. Cloud a.m. Pale sun p.m.
82
Seoul home. A Grand Spirits Consolation Ceremony in honor of the soldiers of the 24th Division who had given their lives to their country in North China, was celebrated at the Army Drill Ground from 2 to 4 p.m. The spirits of the horses, dogs and pigeons which perished in the battle fields were included in the Consolation Service.
84
25th. Sunday. Beautiful―Icy cold.
85
Seoul home. At 12 morning a few Koreans and Japanese gave a welcome luncheon at Chosun Hotel in honor of Lt. General Kawakisi(川岸) who is now in the city. He, as the Commander of the 24th Division stationed in Korea, rendered meritorious services in fighting the first series of battle in North China.
87
26th. Monday. Lovely. Icy cold.
88
Seoul home. How we wish it would snow or rain all over the country for two or three days consecutively!
89
Went to Station to see off 宋榮子 who left Seoul 8:05 a.m. train for Shin King to join her husband. She gave our 琦善 real first lesson in piano nearly 8 years ago. She rendered him invaluable helps when he went to Tokyo to stand the entrance examinations for the Uyeno School of Musics. For the last two years she proved the best friend our two boys had in Tokyo. So sorry she has left the Metropolis.
91
27th. Tuesday. Cloudy a.m. and most of p.m.
92
Seoul home. The Seoul Orphanage Managers held its annual meeting at Lily Garden. Everybody present gave ￥50.00 each to help 朴周奉 to mary a girl from Whang Hai Do. He seems to be one of the very few orphanage boys who have turned out good. He and his wife are to work on the orphanage farm at An-Yang, he as the foreman.
94
28th. Wednesday. Bright―Icy cold.
95
Seoul home. 5 p.m. there was held at Chosun Hotel the share holders' meeting of the Ewha College Land Investment Co., so called. The dummy shareholders, Dr. Kim Helen, Ryang J.S., Yu U.K., Kim Sang Yong, Miss Soh Un Sook and myself sat there like so may mummies trying to catch what Pak, the Manager or Juggler, tried to explain. He plainly told us that the elaborate report he has made in the Annual Report is all fictitious figures and statements intended to hoodwink the tax office. He is one of the most clever high financier I have seen. If he is so minded he can swallow up the Land Investment Co. as neatly as the whale did Jona with the difference that the Co. will never come out of his specious stomach. Supper at the hotel.
97
29th. Thursday. Bright. Chilly.
98
Seoul home. At 4:30 p.m. there was a meeting of the trustees of the Central Y. Zaidan. From 5:30 the first meeting of the Central Y. Board of Managers. Koo Ja Ok reported that on the 26th, the representative of Kim who had bought the Yi Household land from Central Y. came to the Jong No Police Station to sign an agreement with Shiga, the business manager of King Yi Household returning the land to the Household, in the presence of the Kim Hyong Chin, Chief of the Public Safety Section. Before signing, Kim's agent said: We are returning the land to the Yi Household under the pressure of the Police Station. But we reserve the right to sue for damages in case the Household sells the same land to a 3rd party. Upon hearing this plain declaration, Shiga the foxy manager spent nearly an hour in consulting with the authorities in the Household and then told Kim's agent he couldn't sign the agreement at present. Koo says a Yi, the agent of Pak Hung Sik was also present at the meeting. The truth is the Pak Hung Sik through police compelled Kim to return the land in order to buy it from the thieves of the Yi Household.
99
The most important fact is that Kim agreed to return the land to the Household but the latter declined to take it thus freeing the Central Y. from the charge that it had sold the land to him unlawfully.
100
Nam Sung Pil is tricky and the business manager etc. of the Household are thieves.
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