"Mourning Squeaks'

With the death of His Imperial Majesty Yoshihito Tenno (TIME, Jan. 3) there began last week the usual sacrifices of loyal subjects in his honor. Hundreds of young girls cut off their hair and burned it ceremoniously in the temples. Stalwart youths pierced veins and painted in blood devout ideographic prayers for the Tenno.* Finally Baron Mansasuke Ikeda, lifelong companion of the Tenno, set up a portrait of the "Heavenly King" in his house near Tokyo, cried, "I followed you in life, I follow you in death," and shot himself. . . .

Meanwhile the respected Rintaro Nishimura, hereditary hearse-maker to the Imperial House, arrived at Tokyo from Kyoto, the ancient Capital, with 50 workmen and began work on the great two-wheeled cart in which the Tenno's remains will journey to the grave. For constructing the Imperial Hearse he will receive the princely fee of 100,000 yen ($50,000). No one else knows the secret of constructing the wheels of the funeral car so that they will emit the traditional "mourning squeak." At the hubs a mechanism capable of emitting loud groans will be installed. Finally the hearse will be made of unvarnished cypress, oak, teakwood and fir, 12 feet high, 23 1/2 feet long, the whole polished to glassy smoothness.

A committee of the Diet reported favorably last week the funeral budget bill, providing for a total expenditure of 2,980,000 yen ($1,490,000) on the state funeral which will be held late in February. Among other expenses will be the permanent support of the oxen used to draw the Imperial Hearse, since these animals never thereafter perform labor of any kind.

*"Heavenly King."