Evening Star Newspaper, December 26, 1929, Page 11

e £ W o — - JAANREENACTS ANCIENT CERENONY Bites - Antedating Christian! Efa Attended by Devotees at Temple of Ise. i I 3pesial Dispatch to The Star. TOKIO, December 26.—The curtain of cemtiiries rolled back in Japan on Octo- bet"2, when Teligious ceremonies ante- dating the Christian era were observed in>Ige, Yamada, the most sacred spot in Nippon. Only three American corre- spondents were privileged to see the processions and rites attending the re- moval of the sacred mirror to the new shrine, which is rebuilt and purified every 20 years. ‘The solemn chants carried the hear- ers back to the dawn of Anglo-Saxon civilization, to rites as ancient as Druid worship, first described by Julius Caesar | in his commentaries on the conquest of Briain. ‘The actual origin of the ceremonies is shrouded with the lengendry of pre- historic days. The Sun Goddess, whoss wondrous deeds are commenorated and whose relics are guarded in the temples of Ise, is the central figure of Japanese mythology, the ancestress ior nlgl’el: reigning imperial family. ce in al 5hesnwi'l«hdr$; into a cavern and the world became darkened. This solar eclipse is supposed to have been terminated by the device of an- other god. He placed a burnished mir- Tor near the mouth of the cave and lighted a fire beneath it. When she saw her features reflected in the brazen sur- face the goddess left the cave and brought back light to mankind. Gave Mirror to Grandson. “The Sun Goddess later gave this mir- ror to her grandson on the occasion of his descent to earth to become Em- peror of the Isles of Japan as one of the insignia of his sovereignty. She is| said to have told him net to neglect t0 worship it and make obeisance be- fore it as he would before her actual presence. She also told him that the duration of the throne which he was founding would be co-equal with heaven and earth. Other treasurers that have been pre- served include the sword which the brother of the Sun Gaddess is supposed to have obtained from a dragon which e slew, and the third was a necklace equally supernatural in origin. The mirror symbolizes righteousness and straightforwardness; the necklace, gen- tleness and benevolence, and the sword, valor and integrity. These are held to be the most sacred of the symbols of Japanese majesty and are preserved in the Ise Grand Shrine. Treasures Moved for Purity. ‘They passed from the possession of the demi-gods into the possession of Jimmu Tenno, the first ruler of whose existence there is any trace. They ‘were carried by him from the south of Japan when he set forth to conquer the north and east. Tradition says that at each stage of his progress he built for himself a dwelling similar to thdse occupled by the demi-gods, who ‘were still on earth when he was young. In one of the wings of his dwelling was a special place for these cherished peossessions. For nearly seven centuries the treasures were deposited in various parts of the Province of Yamato, ac- cording to the residence of the early sovereigns. ‘The ceremony of moving the shrine for, purposes of purification began in the reign of Emperor Jimmu Tenno. At this time Assyria under Sardanapalus at the height of its power. Not m after the 10 tribes of Israel were carried Into captivity. Rome was still akingdom. The present Ise Shrine is an exact duplicate of the firét erected more than 13 ago. -Buring the reign-of Emperor Suinin (29 to 70 A. D.) the sacred treasures were taken from the palace and deposited. at Ise. The pres- ent shrine preserves the¢ primitive sim- plicity of architecture of that ancient period without color or carving, either in,wood or in metal. ‘Will Move Other Relics. Relics of the earliest agricultural im- plements and weaving looms will also be moved to the new shrine. It is modeled with rigorous plainness, chiefly of cedar. No paint or varnish is used, but. the ends of the beams are capped . yith gilded metal for greater durability. ‘The roofs are thatched with rushes, ‘dexterously woven to prevent the attack ‘of moisture. The principal building, called the ‘Shoden and devoted to memorial rites in honor of the Sun Goddess, is 36 feet and 9 inches in length, 18 feet deep and 19-feet and 7 inches high. The two ‘wings in which the objects are stored are each 21 feet long, 14 feet deep and 13.feet and 8 inches high, so that the combined frontage is 78 feet and 9 | A ‘These edifices are surrounded | B inches. by an inner wooden inclosure 551 feet and 5 inches long and an outer fence about 1,111 feet long. All Classes Pay Homage. On the morning of October 2 pil- grims came up to the steps of the old shrine and with their eyes turned to- ward the new bullding, clapped their | g, hands in reverent Shinto worship, paused a few minutes and then passed on. Companies of midshipmen from the warships also made obeisance and stood reverently, representatives of new Japan showing homage to the oldest traditions of Japan and her imperial !lxny. t 4 o'clock, the along the cryptome; ined road where the procession passed. Although the drizzle at times became a pouring rain, the onlookers sat patiently on mats | under the protection -of vari-colored umbrellas. ¢ At 6 o'clock the entire body of of- ficiating priests was summoned by the beating of a drum to the appointed | OF place of convocation within the tem- ple grounds. Two imperial princes, Prince Kanin and Prince Kujo, the for- mer acting as the supreme director of the solemnization and the other the representative of the Emperor, led the priests in slow procession to the old shrine, attended by Premier Y. Hami- guchi, princes, the governors of the Province of Ise, ministers and numer- our delegates from the Central Board of Rites, including prominent officials ahd representatives of Japan. Many were clad in resplendent gafments of brocade in antique Shinto pattern, Carried Flare of Torches. ‘When they started the darkness was hroken by the flare of pine torches, Weird yet awe-inspiring music was played by trained devotees on ancient yeed pipes. For four hours the cere- monies continyed. Meanwhile new and untrodden mats ‘were laid in two parallel lines from the oid to the new receptacle of the treas- ures and between them was stretched & strip of linen about 3 feet wide. The mats were used by the bearers, but the linen was spread as a token of respect for the spirits that guard the symbols, where no feet are allowed to tread. A roll of rich silk was next unfolded and hung upon bamboo rods to form & hollow rectangle, 21 feet long and 6 feet wide. In the center of this the warders af the relics took their places. It was decreed that neither they nor the cas- kets they carry mifght be exposed to public gaze. A moving rectangle of silk passed as though propelled by unseen physical forces, the crowd pushed for- Ward and bowed to-the ground. They A witnessed the hollest ceremony In Japan. . | .German Inn 650 Years 0ld. ,YFREIBURG (#)—One of the oldest tators assembled | Made Jail Keeper MRS. ARTHUR RABB, Attractive matron of Bloomsburg, Pa., who has been named furnkey in the Columbia County, Pa., jail, to take of- fice January 6. The jail usually has 25 to 30 prisoners. Her appointment to the job was made by her husband, the sheriff-elect. “I've never been in jail before,” she commented, “but I'm eager to get there. I think I'l like it.” —Associated Press Photo. / iaw of Heredity Now Being Tested On Science Lines Research at Federal Agri- cultural Farm May Solve Blue-Eye Problem. BELTSVILLE, Md. (#).—A law of heredity that explains why parents of a brown-eyed child both may have blue eyes is being tested for practical values by a scientist of the Department of Agriculture. Gregor Mendel, a monk, based the law that bears his name on eight years of experimentation with garden peas; Dr. Morley A, Jull, Federal poultry husband- man, is carrying on research in the ani- mal kingdom with chickens. A completed portion of the project proves the validity of the fundamental principles observed by Mendel, that in cross-breeding there are certain charac- ters which are dominant and others re- cessive, Dr. Jull demonstrated the mechanism of the law by crossing white and black bantams. All of the first generation were black, but when mated amon; themselves, one-quarter of the secon generation were white. White is the recessive character which will not appear if the individual carried also the dominant gene for black. The white bantams, mated among them- selves, produced no black offsprings; two out of three blacks were carriers of white, while one was pure. The remaining portion of the project, which amounts to a quest for “super- breeds,” must progress for several years bellgre results will be evident, Dr. Jull said. His main plan is to determine the inheritance of egg production, white Leghorns and Rhode Island Reds hav- ing been crossed for five years. There are three allied studies—of size tn eggs, ut’ugzpeme'pmdolllumbody weight. Bantams and barred Plymouth Rocks have been crossed for new facts on body size; white Leghorns and silver pencil Plymouth Rocks are mated in the study. of egg shape,“and barred *Plymoul Rocks and white Leghorns are crossed in research on egg size. Se . L 3,000 Rail Men Laid Off. SACRAMENTO, Calif., December 26 (#)—About 3,000 rairoad men, working for the Southern Pacific Co, in Sacra- mento, were laid off Tuesday for a period of 10 days o two weeks. The company explained the move was be- cause of lack of continuous work and to enable it to remain within its 1929 labor appropriation. SHIPPING NEW. Arrivals at and Sailings From New York. ARRIVED, Madison—Norfolk +...December 24 DUE TODAY. Maya_Puerto Ban et t. Johns. ermuda—Bermudi Arcadian—Bermuda . DUE TOMORROW. Baracoa—Puerto Colombia. DUE SATURDAY, Nieuw Amsterdam. De Grasse—Havre . 2 remerhaven DUE MONDAY, DECEMBER 30. American Merchant—London Aurania—Southampfon .. Berengaria—Southampton Coamo—Santo Domingo Milwaukee—Hamburg Minnetonka—London Munamar—Santos . Oscar II—Copenhagen orto Rico—San Juan Eaturnia—Trieste " . Teno—Valparaiso Transylvania—Glasgi DUE TUESDAY, Antonia—Liverpool Anto i ana ... 1d—Buehos OUTGOING STEAMERS. SAILING TODAY. American _Trader—London, Caronia—Havana. Rochambeau—Havre. San Lorenzo—San Juan and Santo Domingo ty. Ebro—Havans, Canal Zone, Callao and Val- paraiso. Havana-— Falcon—8San bello and_M: Executive—Beirut Progreso and Vera Cruz. 7, La Guayra, Puerto Ca- caibo. n—Accra Broompark—8t. Thomas. SAILING TOMORROW. Mauretania — Plymouth, Cherbourg uthampton. Columbus-—Cherbourg, Southampton Bremerhayen. Carmania—Havana and Nassau. Santa’ Cruz—Kineston. ~ Cristobal. Talara and Callao. Pan-America_Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Mon~ tevideo and Buenos Aires. Arcadian- Bacchus and Marae Higho—Bahia. SAILING SATURDAY, DECEMBER 38, Dorie—Cobh _and Liverpool Cameronia- Moville and Glasgow. Deutschiand—Chernours. Southampton and Hamburi piand—~West Indies cruise. Virginia—Havana, Cristobal and Sen Pran- and and Bermuda, nagu; Port-au-Prince, Curacao Puerto San Jose de Gi Colombia, Oristobal and emala. Pastores—Havana, Cristobal and Port d Newfoundland, Muya—Santiago, Kingston snd Puerto Bar- Puerto Cortez. —Puerto Colombis. & Auctralic—Accra. Chineh s ‘Gity_Buen Tt Pazeivn BAILING MONDAY, DECEMBER 30. § in Germany. “The Sign of the . .. recently celebrated its 650th an- ‘nivévsary. ‘A court record of 1379 ishowed the place was a century old at ‘Waat time. - Madison—Norfolk. BAILING TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31. President Roosevelt—Plymouthy Cherbours and Hamburs. THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1929. EUROPEAN SOCIETY STARTS SOUTHERN TREK Well Enown Folk Go to Monte Carlo and Canne: Season Opens. LA —A great many well known folk are already making their way south. Maj. Gen, Sir Herbert and Lady Mansfield, Admiral Sir Ernest and Lady Gaunt and Lacv Eardley-Wilmot are at Monte Carlo and Dame Clara Butt has arrived at her daughter's villa at Roguebrune to spend the Winter for the benefit of her health, Dame Clara goes to most of the concerts at Monte yCarlo and she plays roulette. Sir John and Lady Lavery have taken i-utiful villa at Cannes and Lord N N\ A December 26 ShoesrforJ and Lady Trent have returned to their delightful Manoir de Peyrolle. At Christmas time the squash rackets championships of the Riviera are to be played off at Monte Carlo for new challenge cups presented by Sir Walter and Lady de Frece. ‘They are expecting Bill Tilden to make his long-promised appearance this Winter. Senorita de Alvarez will come on from St. Moritz as usual and Miss Betty Nuthall expects to be out early in January. . First Dictionary Issued. DIRRE DAOUA, Abyssinia (P .— Abyssinia's first dictionary is on the market. It is a 1,700-page volume of the Amarigna language, translated into French by Baetman, a Lazarist mission- ary. Amarigna is the one language uni- versally understood in the country. WARSHIP GOES BEGGING AS BILL ACCUMULATES Vessel Ordered by Greece Held Up by War Until Cost Becomes Too High. HAMBURG (#).—Warships are a drug in the market and a 10,000-ton cruiser is going begging here. She is the Salamis, ordered in 1912 by Greece from the Vulcan Yards. Completion of the vessel was interrupted by the World War. Then, in 1924, the Greeks turned out King George and set up a republic. The maritime court of the League of Nations decided that the Greeks were either to accept delivery or else pay the Vulcan Yards for their ex- pense, Years rolled on, and the German bill accumulated interest until has reached 22,000,000 marks—roughly, $5,500,000, Last year Premier Venizelos intimated that the Greek treasury was in no con- dition to meet this, and now Greece has formally washed its hands of the whole business. It is said that the Salamis is worth about $3,000,000 to any nation which will complete her as a worship. Broken up, she would realize only $100,000. . Will Reopen Dresden Church. DRESDEN (#).—The Protestant Epis- copal Church of St. John, the American church of this city, has been reopened with Rev. Edward M. Bruce as rector. "%75"%7’@5 321 F Street STETSON HATS 'BOSTONIANG The ensation 45 Two-Pants Suits These 1,200 St. Albans Suits include fine cheviots in blue and oxford; unfinished worsteds in blue and dark gray; the heavyweight blue serges in single and double breasted models. There are styles for both the young fellows and their elders, with regular sizes from .33 to 48, with special sizes for short, slender and stout. trimmed throughout. lapel, as you wish, $ 3 50 Two-Pants Suits Dark blues, oxfords and dark mixtures, all silk lined and silk trimmed. Many exceptional values. 60 St. Albans Suits Handsome materials of superquality; silk lined throughout; equal in every respect to the best cus- tom-made garments. 50 Tuxedo Suits ¥ 35 Superb materials; hand-tailored with every cor- rect style feature; silk sleeve linings ,and silk Either the peak 'or notch For dinner, for dancing, for the theater, you have all the “dress” of evening clothes, with the comfort, of a lounge suit. BIG CASTOR OIL ORDER STUNS AFRICAN DEALER Three Strangers in Desert Post Ask for Five Gallons—but for Plane. ZINDERNEUF, French West Africa (P).—An order for five gallons of castor oll, given at the only local drug store by three strangers in this desert post, shocked the proprietor, a coal black negro. “Pive gallons!” he almost shrieked, “why that's enough for a herd of ele- phants.” The three customers were the avia- tors Bailly Reginensi and Marcot, four days out from Madagascar on their 11 records| se trip lin! Tommarrakine st o that they wanted the.ofl for their “The negro harmacist quickly covered his rau-l;nmny," m:’mml said. “He recove: to such an extent that he charged us $20 a gallon. phath o vosns Radio’s Future Studied. NEW YORK, December 26 (#).—Scien= tists are wondering what the next 2,000 years will bring in international rela- tions with radio or its offsprings as the medium of communication. Comment~ ing on international exchange of Christmas radio program, Dr. Alfred N. Goldsmith, vice president of the Radio Corporation of America, said it had taken 1,929 years for words spoken at Palestine to be spoken again and heard by all mankind at once. Hours: 8 A M. to 6 P.M. $t. Albans Clothes FOR MEN & YOUNG MEN No “special purchases” for this sale—nothing that has been “carried over.” Every garment men- tioned is new stock—the latest models of our own exclusive line of clothes. 345 A Holiday Smash in Clothing Prices Overcoats Dark blues and the smartest oxfords in smooth vicuna and short-nap chinchilla finishes; single and double breasted models with velvet or self collars, More than 300 in this line. Take Note of This The heavy overcoat of light color is no - longer being worn by correct dressers. simply out of date — — passe. It's Light colors are no longer cheap at any price, for no one wants to be marked with a style that is taboo. *50 Boucles $3 7'50 Double-breasted blues and oxfords; with velvet or self collar; silk lined throughout. 60 Worumbos?®44 -50 In black, oxford and dark blue; silk lined; all double-breasted models. *75 Montagnacs $5 9 . Single-breasted models in blue or black, with vel- vet eollar; silk lined throughout, and wonderful values.