MARCH 12, 1918.
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
By Their Swords Were Great Men Even Known In Days of Old Japan
Tsubas, or Sword-Guards, Gave Indication of Personal Bank
All in Thayer Art Collection
Today a doctor is known by his little black catchet; not so long ago, all good lawyers carried the inevitable green bag; and from time lost in centuries, soldiers have worn the insignia of their rank. Even so the ancient mighty man of Nippon found the only human way to make others look at him and recognize his due station among them. He had a sword for defence, but the guard of the sword that dates back eight hundred years marked his as a politician mighty statesman, military strategist, poetic genius or just plain village magnate and corporal of the guard.
Pride of Past Now in University Treasure Store
What stories those hundred old sword guards in the Thayer Art Collection could tell if they but had tongues and the inclination to speak. What strange tales of war, feud, honor and love are centered about these old relics of the time when brute strength and dexterity of arm were the law and statutes of Japan. But the record of the bravons in bribery buried a deeply in Sabines as the defence of the warrior himself, covered with several centuries of Japanese soil. And the sword guard, or Tusba, as it was called, alone remains to tell what little it can of each owner's history.
EVERY MAN HIS OWN ARMORER
For one thing, those old guards are a direct indication of the old owners handicraft, the soldiers or officials having made them. Imagine the gay young warrior, working day after day with untiring zeal and perseverance, that his Tsuba might surpass the others and be a fitting mark for a man of his mettle. It was no small job to make one of them either, with the tools which the early Japanese had at their disposal. If the warrior was in a hurry he cast one out of brass or bronze, fastened it on his sword and was off to the war. But if he had the time and was expert as to his implements for a few months, took a mallet and a cold-chisel and whacked away until he had hammered some of the cold iron. And some of those old warriors did remarkably good work, too. Give the man of today a piece of iron and tell him to cut a fanciful design with a mallet and a cold chisel and at the end of three days he would be a raving maniac with nothing to show for his labor. But, with patience and skill, the ancient Japanese stuck to it until he had accomplished his task.
Those were in the good old days when the Taubas were made more for service than for beauty anyhow, and if the young Lochnivar did make a few mis-licks it didn't matter much. It was liable to be pretty well hacked up anyway the first time he and the fellow across the way broke loose and mixed it up to settle their differences as to which should marry that fair Japanese maiden whom they both adored. But at a later date professionals got into the game made a business of manufacturing word guards, not content to cut our plain iron ones, whose sole adornment consisted in their shapes, so they engraved pictures of gods, animals, human beings, reptiles, trees, houses, mountains and natural scenes and then filled these in with gold or silver. Nearly everyone contained some symbolism.
WILDLY IMPRESSIONISTIC DESIGNS
Among the Taubas on exhibition on the third floor of the Administration Building is one on which is inlaid, in gold and silver, a picture of the mighty Tonomori Tari, who, defeated in battle, has tied himself to a ship's anchor, preparatory to throwing himself into the sea. In the background is the Fuji mountain, which features in so many of the Japanese works of art, half and on the mountain is a tree, half as tall as the mount itself. Another of the masts in the collection is inlaid in a gold bull who is furiously tearing up the ground under a tree with gold flowers.
In general, the Taubas are slightly oblong or round in shape. There is a hole in the middle of each, the size and form of the sword blade for which it was intended. In the majority of the guards there are also two smaller holes, one on each side of the central one, through which the handles of the
ancient Japanese trench-knife and skewer passed. These two smaller instruments were stuck into the sides of the sword scabbard when they were not in use and hence the need for the holes in the guard.
GLORY NEVER DIES
The knife might have been for stiff short-reach blood drawing, but more likely was used to slice gourds for supper and to cut bamboo sprouts for garnishing the salads of the Oriental Avalon. No mistake about the meat; it was densely husked, utile in camp; the knight had to eat in order to fight.
But the Tasabas, the bossed and graven record of by-gone achievement and distinction, are the real evidence in the case. The sword did the work and the accessory instruments gave the energy,-but the Tasba bears the undying story. No two are alike, and never were; each tells of individual ambition's realization of what it could attain. For each one there is a hero in the Japanese section of Valhalla.
By the Way
Eatless Initiation Banquet.
Kappa Phi will hold a unique initiation banquet Wednesday night, at 6:30 o'clock in Myers Hall. Tables will be arranged with flowers, place cards and candles, but there will be nothing to eat. Regular assessments for the banquet will be collected, but the funds will be used to aid in the preparation of the banquet. It has been adopted by Kappa Phi. Initiation services for fifty-seven pledges will be held after the banquet, instead of before, as was announced earlier.
Club Dance.
Schumann Club, 1200 Tennessee,
will dance tonight from 7 to 8 o'clock.
Captain Lester A. Sprinkle, Eighth Cavalry, United States Army, and Miss Beulah Bartleson were married Monday in Topeka. Sprinkle was a student in the University until November 1916, when he enlisted in the regular army. He has been stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas, until recently, and was in command of a detachment which repulsed a Mexican raid shortly before Christmas.
A war saver is a life saver! Buy War-Savings Stamps!
You can't buy a Jayhawker Next Week>Adv.
CARTER'S
1025 Mass. St
1025 Mass. St.
Typewriter Supplies, Stationery
University Supplies
Agent for CORONA twnewriter
Zoo Cats Will Debate
Snow Zoology Club will meet Wednesday night at 8 a.m. in the building 100 'Mississippi. A debate will be held on the subject: Resolved That acquired characteristics are inheritable. The affirmative will be upheld by Alice Brown, Mary Larson and Wardie Weltmer. Those on the negative are Myrtle Rayburn, Emery McIntyre, and Minnie Moody.
Zoo Club Will Debate
Mary Smith. c'19, has been ill this week and is unable to attend classes.
James Hardaere, c'18, news editor of the Kansan went to Kansas City today to vote.
Ruth Massey, e21, of Wellington, has been forced to withdraw from the University because of eye strain.
Miss Bertha Banker of Sapupla, Ok., has been the guest of her sister, Martha Banker, c'21, at the Chi Omega house.
Mrs. Charles Shaw, of Thomas, Ok., is the guest of her daughter, Margaret Shaw, c'20, at the Gamma Phi Beta house.
Alva James, ph20, has gone to his home in Jewell because of illness. He expects to be able to return to the Hill in a few days.
The K. U. Dames will meet with Mrs. N. P. Knight at her home, 923 Indiana Street, Wednesday at 3 o'clock. Mrs. J. S. Parker will be the leader and the meeting will be of a patriotic nature.
You can't buy a Jayhawker Next Week—Adv.
Send the Daily Kansan Home.
When in Kansas City Stop at the Hostelry of "Good Service"— HOTEL SAVOY
9th & Central Sts.
ROOMY ROOMS
Excellent Cafe and Grill
—Popular Prices—
Make the "Savv"!
Your Headquarters!
FISCHER'S SHOES ARE GOOD SHOES
Women Like Styleful Shoes
display in our North window readily bears out the fact that Fischer's footwear for Spring are full of style, and just the kind of shoes millady wants!
Style is second nature to the fair sex—the manner in which their eyes have been attracted by the Spring footwear
OTTO FISCHER
GET YOUR FOLLIES TICKET TODAY
The FOLLIES
For Fun
Thursday, March 14
8 o'Clock
Several K. U. men were successful applicants for admission to the officers' training school for the aviation section of the signal corps who were announced by the Kansas City recruiting office Saturday.
Walter A. Raymond, Louis W. Barbond, Ronald W. DeWitt, and Joseph H. Nevin were among those who qualified. Candidates passing the course of instruction at this school will be awarded lieutenant's commissions.
Four K.U. Men Qualify For Training School
At the Gym—Date Rule Off 25c
Spend, but spend wisely; save, and save earnestly; buy War-Savings Stamps!
You can't buy a Jayhawker Next Week!-Adv.
SHOE REPAIRING Best materials used. Work guaranteed I make a speciality of Neolin soles because Neolin is better than leather.
A. E. KOONS 930 Masa. St.
LANDER
THE JEWELER
Makes Watches Run Right
917 MASS. ST.
Did you know that a pound of chocolates is equal to a pound of beefsteak or a pound of eggs in nutritive value? Wiedemann's chocolates are always pure, fresh, wholesome and delicious—Adv.
Kennedy Plumbing Co.
Student Lamps
National Mazda Lamps
Cord, Plugs, Sockets, Etc.
Phones 568 937 Mass.
BOILED WATER
Boiling cannot prevent contamination in handling. Mount Hope Water in five gallon bottles thoroughly sterilized and filled under the most sanitary conditions is the ideal water.
is not pure water.
Phone 2670
Mount Hope Water Co.
Send the Dally Kansan home.
Beautiful Silk Underwear
In Crepe de Chine and Wash Satin. White and Flesh.
Flesh.
Camisoles, Teddy Bears, Bloomers, Skirts and Gowns. Prices range from ... $1.25 to $8.50
Come in and see the new styles and combinations
WEAVER'S
No CAMOUFLAGE HERE!
A man is known by the company he keeps—an annual by its feature sections.
In the feature sections is found the real character and worth of a year-book.
Editorial excellence only implies merit. Extensive feature sections guarantee it.
These Are Jayhawker Features:
1. View Section.
2. Military Section.
Sixteen absolutely new campus pictures, reproduced in two colors, on Cameo Plate paper. The handsomest view section ever printed in a K. U. annual.
Page after page of "dope" on what K. U. is doing in the war. Pictures of prominent students now in the service, photos of the K. U. Regiment," pictures and articles on K. U. women and their war work. Snapshots from training camp and trench.
3. "Our Kansas Girls" Section.
4. Funnybone Section.
Eight pages of photographs of K. U. Beauties. These will be handsomely printed in colors on specially prepared paper.
Fifty pages of sure-fire humor, interspersed with cartoons and snapshots. Don't fail to see the famous "Batting Girl Pages" and "The University Catalog As It Ought to Be." Some of those snapshots are worth the price of the book, alone!
5. Elaborate Art Work.
No Jayhawker ever used as many and as large color plates as this year's book. Professional artists have drawn many of the plates; and amateurs of considerable skill have furnished the rest. They're great!
There's no getting away from the fact that the 1918 Jayhawker is the most valuable annual published at K. U. in many years. You'll be sorry if you don't buy a copy.
You'll Be Sorry
If You Don't Buy
A "JAYAWKER"
DOWN will secure a copy for you. The other $3 can be paid in May, on receipt of book.
VARSITY TODAY BOWERSOCK
Mary Pickford
IN
"A Romance of the Redwoods"
(Return Engagement)
VIOLA DANA IN
"The Weaver of Dreams"
THURSDAY and FRIDAY
"HUCK AND TOM With Same Cast as "Tom Sawyer"
The Dainty
Vivian Martin
IN
FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT'S "Fair Barbarian"
The management, after viewing this clean, clever comedy last night, endorses it as being one of the best in years.
TOMORROW and THURSDAY
CLARA KIMBALL YOUNG IN "The Marionettes."