I met one Korean whom I had known in America. He was educated in the American universities. He was in every sense of the word a gentleman and an intellectual.
He told me that the older children of his family had taught the nine-months-old baby to raise its hands in the air above its head whenever the word "Mansei" was spoken.
I got an electrical shock of patriotism the day I saw that tiny child lift its little arms above its head when that sacred word was spoken. It was like a benediction of freedom!
"This posture of the child is more significant," said Mr. ——, "when you know that the most cruel method of torture that the Japanese use is that of stretching a man, woman or child up by the thumbs to the ceiling with his toes just touching the floor."
In that same posture of torture Koreans rise to their toes when they give their national cry of "Mansei" for all the world like an American student giving his college yell.
"It means life and death to give that cry as you know," said this intelligent Korean.
"Then what will your children do when they grow a bit older and go out on the streets and yell this cry?" I asked this intelligent father.
"Be killed, no doubt, by some ignorant, ruthless Japanese gendarme!" he said with finality.
"Then you should not allow them to teach its tiny lips that word!" I said.
"I would rather my child were dead than to have it forget that cry!"