Organ Theory

Strictly off the record, eight Japanese statesmen out of ten will readily admit to not believing the official legend that their Emperor is descended from the Sun Goddess. "We regard our Emperor with the respect Catholics feel for their Pope," they often say in private. Yet last week in the Japanese Parliament, sturdy old Premier Admiral Okada was put sternly on the record. Did he or did he not, demanded Baron Kiyozumi Inouye, hold with Japan's eminent Constitutional authority Dr. Tatsuki Minobe who has just created a nation-wide furor by alluding to the Son-of-Heaven as "an organ of the Constitution."

Instantly fire-eating patriots organized the Organ Theory Destruction League with shouts of "Death to Dr. Minobe!" and last week they were only too eager to put Premier Okada on the spot. Cried the Admiral-Premier: "When I contemplate Japan's august national structure I am overwhelmed with awe! Of course I do not agree with the Minobe theory and I will carefully consider what my government can do about it."

Baron Inouye, whose purpose seemed to be to bait the Premier and his Cabinet, then made the supposedly superpatriotic and Emperor-worshipping Defense Ministers sweat by demanding: "Will the Army and Navy drive this theory out of Japan?"

At the possible risk of their lives War Minister Hayashi and Navy Minister Osumi negatively replied: "Such is not the duty of the fighting forces!" They dumped responsibility in the lap of Education Minister Matsuda who, with panic in his face, vowed, "We are trying our very best so to educate students that they will not entertain any such theory!"

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