Diplomacy and Friendship
Hiroshi Saitō, Japan’s ambassador to the U.S. during the crucial pre-war years from 1934 to 1938, is remembered for his commitment to peace. In this 1934 speech, he describes a three-day “Cherry Blossom Festival” celebration, sponsored by the District of Columbia Commissioners. He also recalls the arrival of the blossoms in 1912 when his diplomatic career in Washington was just beginning. Saitō’s text concludes with a quote from The Present Crisis by poet John Russell Lowell (1819–1891): “For mankind are one in spirit, and an instinct bears along/Round the earth’s electric circle, the quick flash of right and wrong.” President Roosevelt expressed special gratitude for Saitō’s contributions, arranging for the U.S. Navy cruiser Astoria to return his ashes to Japan after his death in 1939.
Hiroshi Saitō, Japan’s ambassador to the U.S. during the crucial pre-war years from 1934 to 1938, is remembered for his commitment to peace. In this 1934 speech, he describes a three-day “Cherry Blossom Festival” celebration, sponsored by the District of Columbia Commissioners. He also recalls the arrival of the blossoms in 1912 when his diplomatic career in Washington was just beginning. Saitō’s text concludes with a quote from <em>The Present Crisis</em> by poet John Russell Lowell (1819–1891): “For mankind are one in spirit, and an instinct bears along/Round the earth’s electric circle, the quick flash of right and wrong.” President Roosevelt expressed special gratitude for Saitō’s contributions, arranging for the U.S. Navy cruiser <em>Astoria</em> to return his ashes to Japan after his death in 1939.