Safety Cultivated

White-robed Shinto priests purify War Minister-General-Count Juichi Terauchi by pouring holy water from a dipper over his hands before he goes in to pray for the Army (see cut). Last week on his sole responsibility the pious count gave the Army its greatest shaking-up of all time, ordered promotions and transfers affecting 3,000 officers. This came as what Minister Terauchi hoped will be the last drastic step needed to restore the Army to subordination after part of it got out of hand last February, tried to murder the Premier and for a time defied the Emperor. With infinite patience General Terauchi has scrutinized the records of innumerable officers, trying to shift into key positions those of whose loyalty the Throne can be sure.

With some asperity last week Tokyo's famed Nichi Nichi commented, "The War Minister has perhaps cultivated safety too much, searching for honesty rather than for strength of character."

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