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24

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The Maidens Are Coming

THE EDITORS feel privileged to announce progress in a project which began almost two y e a r s ago.

On the occasion of our last visit to Hiroshima, in 1953, we became aware of a group k n o w n as the "Hiroshima Maidens." They consisted of some two dozen girls ranging in age from n i n e - teen to twenty-four. At the time of the explosion in 1945 most of the girls had just ar r i ved at a public school less t h a n half a mile from the center of the explosion. All b u t a few had been in the school basement, t a k - ing care of the various chores in- volved in starting u p the school day— getting chalk or erasers or other class- room equipment. When the bomb burst they rushed upstairs to find that the school had been totally demol- ished and t h a t most of the students and teachers h a d been killed.

In their r u s h for safety, t h e girls became trapped in the debris. All of them w e r e badly b u r n e d or i r r a d i - ated or both. Those who survived, like many thousands of o t h e r suffer- ers, received little or no medical or hospital t r e a t m e n t . The problem of caring for more t h a n 100,000 survivors was far beyond the capacity of the emergency medical crews. The U.S. Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission, riet u p by Act of Congress, lacked sanction to t r e a t t h e victims directly, but did what it could by making in- formation available to J a p a n e s e m e d - ical personnel.

In any event, as late as September 1953 people w e r e still suffering from the effects of t h e bombing. P e r h a p s the most poignant of these sufferers w e r e those k n o w n as t h e Hiroshima

Maidens. They had reached marrying age b u t w e r e so badly scarred or d i s - figured that they felt self-conscious about appearing in public. Some had obtained jobs as seamstresses or fac- tory w o r k e r s but w e r e compelled to give u p their work because of the con- tractions resulting from their burns. As the muscles and skin contracted, the legs, arms, and fingers tended to lose mobility.

The girls had w i t h d r a w n almost t o - tally from community life, seeking the company of each other and living on such meager subsistence as they were able to obtain from family and friends. They found a benefactor and c h a m - pion in the person of the Rev. Kiyoshi Tanimoto, Methodist minister who was one of the key figures in J o h n Hersey's "Hiroshima." Mr. Tanimoto devoted himself to the welfare of his new charges, finding work for them that did not involve their infirmities, giving them psychological and s p i r - itual rehabilitation, and providing for their recreation. H e also started a public campaign to send some of the girls to Osaka or Tokyo for plastic surgery.

On the occasion of our fourth visit to the city, in September 1953, we m e t the Hiroshima Maidens at the R e v e r - end Mr. Tanimoto's church. By this time they had achieved renewed con- fidence in themselves. They were far less self-conscious t h a n they had once been and had no hesitation in walking through the streets. Once a week t h e y would go to the moving-picture t h e - atre to see American films. "We like to see t h e pretty American girls and imagine t h a t we are they," one of the girls said.

The big pi'oblein now with the .i;jj:Js,"' Mr. Tanimoto said, "is medical ireatnient. We do not h a v e t h e means to go much furthe): with plastic s u r - ,;:»ery. The girls who h a v e h a d such surgery .^liow much improvement but it is a very complicated and expensive business. Each case r e q u i r e s several operations and I am afraid I do not know vvhere I can t u r n . "

w. ' E ASKED Mr. Tanimoto if he would 'Welcome efforts in the United States to bring the Maidens to America for the full course of surgery and h o s - pital caie. He replied that this h a d been his dream from the first moment h e became fully a w a r e of the n a t u r e of t h e girls' problem. A p a r t from e v e r y - thing else, h e felt that the project could become a powerful symbol of good will. Such a symbol was urgently needed in view of ugly movements against the United States t h e n s t a r t - ing u p in J a p a n .

"People are saying," h e continued, "that the United States k n e w in J u l y 1945 that the w a r against J a p a n would have been over in a m a t t e r of weeks, b u t t h a t the United States wanted to end the w a r in a m a t t e r of days before Russia came in as she had agreed to do when the war in Europe ended.

"I do not speculate on such things because I have no knowledge," h e added. " B u t what I do know is t h a t the American people h a v e been just and generous to J a p a n in defeat. And I h a v e great confidence in America, for I h a v e studied t h e r e and been t h e r e since the end of the war. I am certain that if b y some miracle these girls could b e given the medical t r e a t m e n t they so badly need, it

. . . so badly disfigured that they felt elf-conscious about appearing in public."

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Years after the explosion "contractions" from the h u m s prevent the use of hand?.

would be a wonderful thing for both countries. Of course I would welcome your efforts in this direction. Is it at all possible?"

We told Mr. Tanimoto that we would be glad to explore the matter, but we had no way then of estimating its chances.

The n a t u r a l agency in the United States to h a n d l e this project, we felt, was the Hiroshima Peace Center A s - sociates, a group of Americans i n t e r - ested in Hiroshima who had a d m i n - istered the Moral Adoptions P l a n started by t h e r e a d e r s of The Satur- day Review in 1949. The H P C A board agreed to sponsor the project.

D u r i n g the first six months after our r e t u r n from J a p a n things went slowly—dismally so. We went to foundation after foundation, seeking money for doctors, surgeons, hospital care, h o m e care, transportation. And foundation after foundation t u r n e d us down. One was fearful t h a t if one of the Maidens died on the operating table the foundation would be held responsible. Another foundation was concerned about t h e political views of the girls a n d was reluctant to furnish ammunition to some future Congres- sional investigating committee. Still another felt that, unless all the H i r o - shima victims could be cared for, it might be a mistake to do something for any single group. Any n u m b e r of foundations expressed sympathy, b u t said their c h a r t e r s did not provide for mercy projects of this particular n a - t u r e .

TH LHEN things began to look up. The Saturday Review's physician. Dr. William M. Hitzig, said h e believed that some of America's most eminent

plastic surgeons might be willing to volunteer their services. He said he would also be glad to bring the p r o j - ect to the attention of t h e director and board of the Mt. Sinai Hospital in New- York, with which h e was affiliated. The discussions with the surgeons and hospital were most satisfactory. Dr, A r t h u r J. Barsky, of New York, one oi the nation's most prominent plastic surgeons, agreed to t a k e charge of all operative work. He will be assisted by m e m b e r s of his staff. The Mt. Sinai Hospital volunteered to supply oper- ating facilities a n d hospital b e d - c a r e free of charge. Since four or five oper- ations p e r patient may be necessary, it is possible t h a t each girl may have to spend four to six mo n th s in the hospital. It may t a k e a y e a r before the p a r t y can r e t u r n to J a p a n . Thus, the contribution of the surgeons a n d hospital is both substantial and heroic.

Having gone this far, t h r e e jobs r e - mained: transportation, o u t - o f - h o s - pital care and lodging, petty cash fund. T h e transportation problem held u p the progress of the project for more t h a n a year. We tried the airlines, only to r u n into official regulations concerning free passage. We went back to the foundations, with no gr eat er success t h a n before. Then we had the good fortune to discuss the project with Miss J a n e t Tobitt, one of the "moral adoptions" p a r e n t s who had recently r e t u r n e d from a year's work in J a p a n as director of the American Girl Scout Association, F a r East. Miss Tobitt suggested t h a t Mr. Kiyoshi Togasaki, resourceful p r e s i - dent of the Nippon Times, English language newspaper of Tokyo, might be p e r s u a d e d to w o r k on the t r a n s - portation problem. It t u r n e d out to be an inspired idea. Mr. Togasaki e x - plored every approach, first making certain t h a t t h e plan to bring t h e girls to America h a d the blessings of the American Embassy and the J a p - anese G o v e r n m e n t itself. His solution to the transportation riddle was as ingenious as it was effective. He went to G e n e r a l J. E. Hull (U.S. Army, F a r East Command) and asked w h e t h e r the U.S. Air Force would fly the girls. G e n e r a l Hull wanted the most d e - tailed information; Mr. Togasaki took off for Hiroshima in quest of same. When h e r e t u r n e d to Tokyo and put the m a t t e r before General Hull again the answer was Yes.

While in Hiroshima, Mr. Togasaki met w i t h Mayor Shinzo Hamai and the R e v e r e n d Mr. Tanimoto. In writing to us about his visit h e said it was the feeling of the J a p a n e s e that the A m e r - ican doctors ought to come to H i r o - shima in order to pass on the girls who were being screened for t h e trip. It was believed that everything ought to be

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done to avoid sending any maiden to the U.S. unless t h e r e was a r e a s o n - ably good chance that her disfigura- tion or contractions might respond to surgery. Also, it was important to have advance American medical opin- ion on the general health of the girls.

Another suggestion made by Mr. Togasaki was that two or t h r e e J a p - anese surgeons be permitted to a c - company the p a r t y on the trip to t h e U.S. and be given opportunity to study American plastic surgery t e c h - niques at first hand. Then, on their r e t u r n to J a p a n , the surgeons could work with other sufferers.

These suggestions w e r e readily a c - cepted by the American Committee. Both Dr. Barsky and Dr. Hitzig s w a l - lowed h a r d when they w e r e asked to give u p a month's practice in addition to paying all their expenses to J a p a n , but recognized the validity of the special considerations mentioned by Mr. Togasaki. They agreed to u n d e r - take the trip if we would accompany them. Mt. Sinai Hospital agreed to offer full hospitality to t h e J a p a n e s e surgeons accompanying the Maidens.

This completes the plan for the project. (The petty-cash fund ought to present no problem.) By t h e time this issue appears Dr. Hitzig, Dr. B a r - sky, and the w r i t e r should be on a P a n - A m e r i c a n " S t r a t o " Clipper, d e s - tination: Tokyo. If all goes well, we will be r e t u r n i n g to the U.S. w i t h the Hiroshima Maidens by the end of the month.

One final note: the man who first did something specific about the plight of the Maidens, the Rev. Kiyoshi T a n i - moto, has been asked to join the group and will act as guide and spokesman for the girls. He h a s w r i t t e n to say he is a very happy man. —N. C.

The Tanager By C o n s t a n c e Carrier

DU N - C O L O R E D birds, t h e days fly past in endless flocks, the rushing of their wings like w a t e r over rocks, a sound the silence mocks,

till, sudden in t h a t gray monotonous as mist, t h e r e d a r t s the scarlet b i r d you t h o u g h t could not exist, and perches on y o u r wrist.

Though he is swiftly gone, and none comes as h e came, wrist felt his lively weight, eyes h a v e beheld him, t a m e a moment, and t h e h e a r t has quickened to his flame.

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26

TOO MUCH COLONIALISM

P H I L I P WOODRUFF'S article "Votes, W i z -

a r d s , Roads, a n d B r e a d " [SR M a r . 12] w a s a n able defense of colonialism. B u t in describing English e x p e r i e n c e in India, is Woodruff justified in his g e n e r a l i z a - tions a n d t h e i r implied extension to all Asia? H e claimed I n d i a w a s stagnant, a n d t h a t s t a g n a t i o n b r e d c r u e l t y a n d c a l - lousness to h u m a n life, as i n t h e p r a c t i c e of suttee. T h a t m a y b e t r u e . Yet S p a i n a t h e r z e n i t h u n d e r P h i l i p II p e r m i t t e d t h e b u r n i n g of h e r e t i c s , a n d did not E n g l i s h insistence on t h e i m p o r t a t i o n of o p i u m i n t o C h i n a after t h e O p i u m W a r show a c e r t a i n callousness?

Woodruff claimed t h e English b r o u g h t India o r d e r a n d u n i t y , a n d m a d e a n i n - vidious companion w i t h China, a c o u n t r y w h i c h did n o t "follow t h e colonial w a y . " T r u e , China r e t a i n e d h e r sovereignty, p a r t l y b e c a u s e s h e w a s considered too g r e a t a prize for concession t o one power, a n d one only. B u t h e r final fall, after m a n y i n t r a - c o l o n i a l s q u a b b l e s , c a n m o r e j u s t l y be b l a m e d on too m u c h colonialism r a t h e r t h a n too little, a n d s h e w a s l a t e r on a battlefield for J a p a n e s e colonial a m - bitions from 1931 on. Significantly, Mr. Woodruff d i d not m e n t i o n J a p a n , w h i c h a r r i v e d at i n d u s t r i a l m a t u r i t y w i t h o u t benefit of colonialism—benevolent o r o t h e r w i s e .

Woodruff told of t h e English d e v e l o p - ment, i n India, of a polished, l i t e r a t e , e d u c a t e d class. J a p a n possesses o n e of t h e highest l i t e r a c y r a t e s i n t h e w o r l d . China, w h e r e t h e g o v e r n i n g class h a s a l w a y s b e e n polished a n d highly l i t e r a t e , developed a g r o u p e d u c a t e d , too, i n t h e W e s t e r n h u m a n i t i e s a n d sciences. E v e n before t h e R e p u b l i c t h e C h i n e s e I m p e r i a l E x a m i n a t i o n s r e p r e s e n t e d a n ideal by n o m e a n s u n w o r t h y . S c h o l a r s w h o succeeded i n t h e r i g o r o u s e x a m i n a t i o n s , after y e a r s of s t u d y in C h i n e s e h i s t o r y , philosophy, a n d l i t e r a t u r e , p a s s e d by m e r i t alone. T h a t g o v e r n m e n t s h o u l d devolve u p o n t h e s e m a n d a r i n s w a s a recognition of t h e s u p e r i o r claims of m e r i t a n d l e a r n i n g over b i r t h a n d w e a l t h . A n d h a s not Woodruff, in this g e n e r a t i o n , h e a r d of t h e Chinese l i t e r a r y r e n a i s s a n c e i n s p i r e d b y s u c h s c h o l a r s as H u Shih, o r of t h e mass e d u c a t i o n m o v e m e n t c a r r i e d o n b y J a m e s Y e u ?

Woodruff m a n a g e d t o p a i n t a p i c t u r e of p a t e r n a l colonialism, b y a careful s e l e c - tion of e x a m p l e s , b u t h i s t o n e of a v u n - c u l a r p a t r o n a g e w a s disconcerting, a n d m a d e m e feel t h a t , if t h e "fork of t h e colonial p o w e r is h a r d , " t h e lot of t h e colonized is u n e n v i a b l e .

B . L. C H A N N .

O a k l a n d , Calif.

CORRECT SOURCE

BERTRAND RUSSELL i n h i s e d i t o r i a l " C a n

T h e L i b e r a l S u r v i v e ? " [ S R M a r . 19] a t t r i b u t e s t o G o e r i n g t h e s a y i n g " W h e n I h e a r t h e w o r d c u l t u r e I r e a c h for m y r e v o l v e r . " N o t long ago G i l b e r t H i g h e t

"Figure it out for yourself: There are getting to be more and more of us. Sabre-tooth tigers are getting scarcer and scarcer. Obviously in another few years the human race will have starved itself out of existence."

used t h i s r e m a r k on t h e radio, a n d also c r e d i t e d G o e r i n g . It is also a t t r i b u t e d to Goebbels a n d sometimes t o H i t l e r himself.

Since t h e saying seems t o s u m u p so s t r i k i n g l y t h e nihilistic s a v a g e r y of t h e t o t a l i t a r i a n outlook, a n d is so often r e - peated, it m i g h t b e i n t e r e s t i n g to get it s t r a i g h t . It w a s coined by H a n n s J o h s t , a favorite s c r i b b l e r of t h e Nazi era, a n d w h a t h e said w a s : "Wenn ich das W o r t Kultur hoere, entsichere ich meinen Re- volver"—"When I h e a r t h e w o r d c u l t u r e I t a k e t h e safety catch off m y r e v o l v e r . "

RICHARD HANSER.

L a r c h m o n t , N.Y.

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

I N SPITE of t h e occasional r a s h e s t h a t come o u t on n a t i o n s , s u c h as o u r o w n r e c e n t one t h a t is n o w p e t e r i n g out, I a m firmly convinced t h a t l i b e r a l s ( a n d c o m - m o n sense) will s u r v i v e . A s B e r t r a n d Russell points out, t h e r e is a b a l a n c e t o b e achieved b e t w e e n i n d i v i d u a l s a n d g o v e r n m e n t a l ideals, a n d I b e l i e v e w e a r e achieving it. A s a p o i n t for t h o u g h t , I m i g h t suggest a r e c e n t s t e p t a k e n , b y o u r o w n G o v e r n m e n t , a n d one w h i c h o t h e r n a t i o n s can copy w i t h p r i d e . I t is t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t of a n office i n o u r g o v e r n i n g body for t h e specific goal of peace.

ATLANTIS HALLAM.

B e v e r l y Hills, Calif.

LIBERALS I N OPPOSITION

I WANDERED from t h e J o h n s H o p k i n s Medical School i n B a l t i m o r e t o P a p u a w i t h B e r t r a n d Russell, a n d s o m e w h e r e , i n a fog, lost Russell's liberal. Loose u s a g e of t h e l a b e l " l i b e r a l " o b s c u r e s t h e t w o

poles of " l i b e r a h s m . " T h e label " l i b e r a l " confuses; it h a s b e c o m e a m a l a p r o p ; it d e s e r v e s clarification.

W a l t e r L i p p m a n n h a s analyzed l i b e r a l - ism in a w a y Russell could follow. L i b - e r a l i s m possesses t w o c e n t r a l ideas, o n e w h i c h d e m a n d s t h e i n d i v i d u a l b e p e r m i t - ted t o live in a condition of freedom, a n d a n o t h e r t h a t free m a n c o n t r i b u t e s m o s t to h u m a n i t y . E a c h idea is noble. H o w - ever, a condition of freedom is s o m e t i m e s too difficult for people. T h e u n s c r u p u l o u s h a v e too often considered freedom as t h e h i g h w a y t o i n d i v i d u a l g a i n s r a t h e r t h a n common benefits. A n d h o w t o cope w i t h this d i l e m m a h a s p r o v e n too m u c h for all p r o t a g o n i s t s of liberalism. I n s t e a d of finding a c e n t e r of g r a v i t y , t h e t w o c a m p s of l i b e r a l i s m a r e i n c o n s t a n t opposition.

JOE M . TOCKMAN.

Las Vegas, N. M.

CATEGORICAL PUBLIC SCHOOL

BERTRAND RUSSELL, like all l i b e r a l p h i l o s o -

p h e r s from t h e b e g i n n i n g of history, is i n s e a r c h of a conceptualized, affirmative, c o n c r e t e f o r m u l a t o reconcile, t o s y n t h e - size, t o e q u a t e " l i b e r t y " a n d "discipline" —so far, a d m i t t e d l y , w i t h o u t r e s u l t . N e v - e r t h e l e s s , Russell g r o p e s i n t h e r i g h t direction: " F r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g of civil- ized t i m e s , " says Russell, " t h e r e h a s b e e n a n oscillation b e t w e e n e m p h a s i s on i n d i v i d u a l l i b e r t y a n d e m p h a s i s o n o r d e r . "

T h e p u b l i c school d o e s n o t r e s o l v e all t h e a n t i n o m i e s of civilization, b u t i t is u n i v e r s a l l y a c k n o w l e d g e d a s a s i n e q u a non, a categorical i m p e r a t i v e i n t h e p r o g - r e s s of civilization a n d t h e b a l a n c e of " l i b e r t y " a n d "discipline."

P H I L I P W B I S S . St. Louis, M o .

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