Office of the Historian

895.00/677

The Ambassador in Japan (Morris) to the Acting Secretary of State

Tokyo, March 18, 1920.
[Received April 5.]
No. 532

Sir: Referring to Mr. Consul General Miller’s despatch No. 21 dated at Seoul on the 6th instant, with regard to the political agitation on March 1st, I have the honor to report that Mr. Miller forwarded a copy to me requesting an expression of my views in the matter, and to transmit herewith enclosed a copy of my reply dated March 18th, for the Department’s information.

I have [etc.]

Roland S. Morris
[Enclosure]

The Ambassador in Japan (Morris) to the Consul General at Seoul (Miller)

Tokyo, March 18, 1920.

Sir: I beg leave to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch of the 6th instant, transmitting a copy of your report No. 21 of the same date to the Department, with regard to the political agitation in Seoul on March 1st and the attitude of the Japanese authorities to mission schools. You asked for an expression of my views in the matter as you anticipate that similar questions might arise in other mission schools.

[Page 46]

I have shown your report to the Department, to Bishop Welch, and have also talked to Mr. Appenzeller, the Principal of the Boys’ School who was dismissed by order of the government authorities, and have gone into the questions involved at considerable length. Bishop Welch has during the past few days been in confidential touch with Baron Saito, the Governor-General who is now in Tokyo, and has by request submitted to the Governor-General a memorandum, of which a copy is enclosed herewith, covering future policy toward mission schools in Korea. The Bishop believes that he will be successful in settling the Appenzeller case but has no jurisdiction to discuss the Smith or Mowry cases.

If you should be called upon to take any action on this general question it occurred to me that you might use Bishop Welch’s memorandum as the basis of a general and informal agreement on the policy to be pursued to [by?] the American mission schools. As I view the question it is one which should not be permitted to go to issue if an informal working policy can be devised.

I should feel obliged if you would be so good as to inform me of the safe receipt of this despatch.

I am [etc.]

Roland S. Morris
[Subenclosure]

Memorandum by Bishop Herbert Welch, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Concerning Plan Proposed for Avoiding Difficulty in Mission Schools

We recognize clearly that the principals in our Mission Schools, whether Americans or Koreans, are under obligations to comply with the laws and regulations concerning school management. In assuming the position of principal they assume also these obligations.

We understand that under Japanese law and practice the principal is expected to deal with cases of disorder and misconduct occurring among the students as a body, especially in the school buildings or on the school grounds. I am sure that our principals are ready without question to meet this obligation in any cases of wrong doing.

It will readily be seen, however, that where any political question is involved, in which foreigners must not interfere, it is impossible for a principal to take an active part in searching out offenders in such cases without seeming to the people to take an attitude of un-kindness to them. He is here to help build the Korean people up into a better citizenship, and his work among them is weakened or made altogether useless if he loses their confidence and affection.

Assuming, as I do, that the wish of the Government-General is to have us continue our school work and give such assistance as we [Page 47] can in the mental and moral upbuilding of the people, I believe that the authorities will stand ready to do anything which will render our work easier or more effective—so far as that can be accomplished without prejudice to the rights of the State.

If they should insist on the principals of the Mission Schools taking part with the police or even taking the place of the police in investigating semi-political offenses, they would seriously embarrass our endeavors. I ask therefore that the authorities show their friendliness to our work by relinquishing their technical rights in this particular case. Under these peculiar circumstances, could we not have an understanding that the police will deal directly with the students in cases of any future difficulty and allow the principals to confine their activities only to matters of school administration and school discipline? If we can receive this assurance it will greatly relieve the minds of the missionaries and it will greatly please our friends at home.