Outcome of Misapprehension:
Appeal to Shanghai Chinese From Oce Ows Conncsroxoent Tokyo, Jan, 12, The Inbour dispute at General Motors of Japan, Ltd., which began on December 28, threatens to grow into an acrimonious issue, and added bitterness, it is feared, will be in-ceted into the trouble owing to the danger of the factor of racialism' entering it, The cause of the {trouble originated in the firm deciding to discharge 30 operatives and to lay off another 250, owing to the bad business prospects and the necessity for curtailing production. These 250, however, the firm said, would be re-employed as soon as, business returned to such a stage jas to permit the taking on of extra 1 operatives and a general strike followed on December 26, the takers and their sympathizers simultaneously presenting a series of demands which the company definitely rejected.
According to General Motors offis, this is the annual slack sea-' son and the firm docs not mind having to close the plat for a while, especially as their dealers, throughout the length and breadth of Japan, have heavy stocks of their Jears on hand. At the time the strike first occurred, the firm was expecting that the trouble would soon fizzle out. The indications, however, ave pointed rather to a prolong: ed and intensified struggle between the company and the workers, and, as a result, General Motors yesterday closed its big Osaka plant completely and issued notices to the effect that the plant would closed for some time to come. large number of the foreign staff, Jat the same time, proceeded on trips to Hongkong, Shanghai, and Manila: Tt was then reported that the firm was considering moving to Shanghai or to Manila, but this has since been dened by Mr. James Bird, the advertising manager, and one of the executive of the company. The strikers have since been parading daily before the closed plant, holding mass meetings, appealing ce the sympathy of the citizens to back riem and bitterly denouncing the officials of the company. A special posse of police guards the plant Jind the district of Shukugawa, in Osaka, which was popularly known as "General Motors colony," especially as the majority of the foreign staff lived there, is absolutely deserted to-day, exception being made parades staged by the strikers and their sympathizers and vigilant. policemen.
Yesterday, a gang of 51 workmen vaded the Oriental Hotel, in Kobe, where Mr. E. M. van Voorhees, the managing director, was living since the plant was closed. The police were immediately informed and a number of plain clothes men were detailed to seo that no disturbance with reverence.
'A. romantic story about her is printed in Chinese newspapers, but there is no means of verifying this. According to this story, the "Widow Chang" was once the wife of a well-to-do and respected man, Her husband was repeatedly robbed by, soldiers and bandits. Then, one night a group of bandits broke into his house and killed hi His widow became partially me sane, She turned bandit, and organized alittle group. She was so successful that she gained many recruits. Now she leads one of the Inrgest bandit gangs in Honan.
The "Widow Chang" has a propaganda corps which goes in ad vance of her fighting unit, according missionary reports. They plaster a town with posters bearing such slogans as "Rob the rich," "Save the poor," and "Widow Chang is the salvation star of the poor peo pie The residents of Honan have given her the highest Chinese military title of "Marshal," and she is addressed as "Marshal Chang" even by her victims. Some. government officials have offered her high rank in the army if she would give up her lawless life, but she has refused the offer—United ress.
Tux Fukien Provincial Foreign Affairs Bureau was abolished on January 21, and a foreign affairs department has been established in the Fukien Provincial Government fo deal with matters involving for-signers. through a
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.