When things seemed rapidly ripening, President Wilson made his famous declaration of the rights of weaker nations.  One sentence went round among the Koreans, and its effect was electrical.

“What is the task that this League of Nations is to do?

“IT IS TO PROVIDE FOR THE FREEDOM OF SMALL NATIONS, TO PREVENT THE DOMINATION OF SMALL NATIONS BY BIG ONES.”

Here was the clarion call to Korea.  Here was hope!  Here was the promise of freedom, given by the head of the nation they had all learned to love.  If any outsider was responsible for the uprising of the Korean people, that outsider was Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States of America.

“Now is the time to act,” said the people.  For a start, they resolved to send delegates to present their case to the Paris Conference.  Three leaders in America were chosen but were refused passports.  Finally another young leader, Mr. Kiusic Kimm, succeeded in landing in France.  Perhaps it would not be wise to say, at this time, how he managed to get there.  He soon found that his mission was in vain.  The Paris Conference would not receive him.  President Wilson’s declaration was not to be put into full effect.

The people resolved, by open and orderly demonstration, to support their delegate in France.  There were some who would have started a violent revolution.  The Christians would have none of it “Let us have no violence,” said they.  “Let us appeal to the conscience of Japan and of the world.”

There were no constitutional means for them to employ to make their case heard.  But if ever there was an effort at peaceful constitutional change, this was it.  Instructions were sent out, surely the most extraordinary instructions ever issued under similar circumstances:—­

          “Whatever you do
          DO NOT INSULT THE JAPANESE
          DO NOT THROW STONES
          DO NOT HIT WITH YOUR FISTS. 
          For these are the acts of barbarians.”

It was unnecessary to tell the people not to shoot, for the Japanese had long since taken all their weapons away, even their ancient sporting blunderbusses.

A favourable moment was approaching.  The old Korean Emperor lay dead.  One rumour was that he had committed suicide to avoid signing a document drawn up by the Japanese for presentation to the Peace Conference, saying that he was well satisfied with the present Government of his country.  Another report, still more generally believed, was that he had committed suicide to prevent the marriage of his son, Prince Kon, to the Japanese Princess Nashinoto.  The engagement of this young Prince to a Korean girl had been broken off when the Japanese acquired control of the Imperial House.  Royal romances always appeal to the crowd.  The heart of the people turned to the old Emperor again.  Men, women and children put on straw shoes, signs of national mourning, and a hundred thousand people flocked to Seoul to witness the funeral ceremonies.