Court officials, public servants, magistrates, and the like, were commanded to cut their hair.  Officials were evidently instructed to make every one who came under their influence have his topknot off.  The Il Chin Hoi, the pro-Japanese society, followed in the same line.  European dress was forced on those connected with the Court.  The national costume, like the national language, was, if possible, to die.  Ladies of the Court were ordered to dress themselves in foreign style.  The poor ladies in consequence found it impossible to show themselves in any public place, for they were greeted with roars of derision.

The lowered status of the white in Korea could be clearly seen by the attitude of many of the Japanese towards him.  I heard stories from friends of my own, residents in the country, quiet and inoffensive people that made my blood boil.  It was difficult, for instance, to restrain one’s indignation when a missionary lady told you of how she was walking along the street when a Japanese soldier hustled up against her and deliberately struck her in the breast.  The Roman Catholic bishop was openly insulted and struck by Japanese soldiers in his own cathedral, and nothing was done.  The story of Mr. and Mrs. Weigall typifies others.  Mr. Weigall is an Australian mining engineer, and was travelling up north with his wife and assistant, Mr. Taylor, and some Korean servants, in December, 1905.  He had full authorizations and passports, and was going about his business in a perfectly proper manner.  His party was stopped at one point by some Japanese soldiers, and treated in a fashion which it is impossible fully to describe in print.  They were insulted, jabbed at with bayonets, and put under arrest.  One soldier held his gun close to Mrs. Weigall and struck her full in the chest with his closed fist when she moved.  The man called them by the most insulting names possible, keeping the choicest phrases for the lady.  Their servants were kicked.  Finally they were allowed to go away after a long delay and long exposure to bitter weather, repeated insults being hurled after them.  The British authorities took up this case.  There was abundant evidence, and there could be no dispute about the facts.  All the satisfaction, however, that the Weigalls could obtain was a nominal apology.

Then there was the case of the Rev. Mr. McRae, a Canadian missionary living in northeastern Korea.  Mr. McRae had obtained some land for a mission station, and the Japanese military authorities there wanted it.  They drove stakes into part of the property, and he thereupon represented the case to the Japanese officials, and after at least twice asking them to remove their stakes, he pulled them up himself.  The Japanese waited until a fellow-missionary, who lived with Mr. McRae, had gone away on a visit, and then six soldiers entered his compound and attacked him.  He defended himself so well that he finally drove them off, although he received some bad injuries,