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TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS "IMPHO TOKYO"
Imperial Hotel
Tokyo

(3)

art, and that the only possibility of selling would be to hold an exhibition, which of course is ridiculous because of expenses and the fact that only inconsequential things would sell, with a very vague and remote possibility of selling something important. The museum status is just nil, any idea of creating a great museum rivaling Europe or America being furthest from their minds (and what nasty minds they are--I haven't time to exchange views or opinions on the Japanese or their country. I can only say that they are most unattractive and awful. Elaborations will be manifold when I see you. Were we not staying on to see what can still be done, would flee this country as quickly as possible.) 

MR. & MRS. B.W. FLEISHER:Head of the Japan Advertiser, best American paper here, and Edith Blum's Uncle and Aunt. It was she who gave me a letter to them.If your memorative faculty does not fail you this time, you may not be totally surprised at what I am about to say, (for they said they knew you), but you will be amused to know that Mrs. Fleisher is an older edition of Edith, only a little more talkative and demanding. However, they certainly seem to enjoy a very important position in society here. He is an invalid, and rarely goes out of the house. She makes up for it by ruling everything and everybody in Tokyo, and is on every conceivable committee. At the moment, she is taking care of the American Garden Club, which arrived today, one hundred women strong, and are staying the week. Of all the damn fool organizations, and yet it has practically turned the city upside down, and private houses and gardens are being open to them everywhere. As a result, Mrs. Fleisher is trying to let me tag a long, "with great difficulty as the lists are full", and in that way I may meet some important people. It is all very vague. We are supposed to go to a big banquet in that connection tomorrow night. Mr. Fleisher said he could get me in almost any Japanese collection, and is arranging one or two, but I am not very hopeful. He jumped on my question about introducing European art, and said there was not a ghost of a chance. Certainly, if I ever wanted to exhibit here, I would have a good start toward a list of patrons, what with them, Yashiro, and the Ambassador, whom I see tomorrow.

Transcription Notes:
Reopened for Editing 2024-02-06 20:18:50 MS -added paragraph break -fixed typos back to review ---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-02-06 01:16:01