All throughout Japan to-day employers are cutting or intending to cut down wages and workers are up in arms against this. In thread-fature plant at Shiga, in Mig Prefecture, however, matters. fare just the other way around. The plant belongs to a Mr. Goto, and employes, realizing that bus ness was not as good as it used to be, held a meeting and decided to work for smaller salaries.
'A deputation called on Mr. Goto and explained that the workers know that the factory was losing money due to the financial depression and the recent drop in the silk market, Therefore, they said, they believed it to be in the best interests of all concerned that their wages be reduced.
Mr, Goto was astonished and Press' reports say that his eyes well-cod with tears, He thanked his men for their loyalty, but said he could never consent, not at this stage anyway, to reduce their wages and that he thought the factory could struggle along until better times dawned. Then, he added, he would raise the pay of everyone. A little more of this spirit, a little more of the worker's appreciation of his employer's difficulties, and, one feels, Labour and Capital cam ce: operate splendidly towards each other's welfare, The Tokyo Share Market There has been quite deal of uetuntion in the stock and share The "Nichi Nichi" also contends that the limitation of armaments is a matter that comes within the province of the Cabinet and for Which responsibility devolves on the Government. It regrets that there has been a split between the Government and" the Navy General Star, but insists that, even though the Chief of the Naval General Star may be regarded directly attached to the supreme commander-in-chief, yet auch an officer does not constitu. tionally have the right to decide the Political wishes of the nation.
"The allegation that the Government has usurped the power of His Majesty, who is the: supreme commander-in-chief," it says, "is naive trid simply shows thatthe naval men have no idea of the Constitution, of law and of legal science, the past, some War Ministers and Navy Ministers were dominant over other Ministers and acted as though their" undue' authority" and influence has been guaranteed by the constitution. This. isa mis take; and we prefer to believe that {in the present instance it is only over-loyalty. that. is prompting. the Navy men te embarrass the Cabinet, For this we can respect them and we have no doubt that the Government is able to explain that the fears of the Navy men are ill-founded. If, however, the aim for the military and. naval to secure their old: privileges, then ave sure that, the nation will demand that they not be given' the least opportunity to make inroads into the political field, for this will seriously affect the political life of the nation.
The press also castigates the Opposition severely for obstructing the Government without any legitimate reason to do so, and particularly condemns the report that the Sei-Yukai (principal Opposition) party intending to introduce vote of non-confidence in the Government on he ground that it has jeopardized the ational defence, market of Tokyo, not altogether warranted by the economic situation which, though not flourishing, is! none the less far from being as steamy as it is painted for political reasons. The newspapers declare that the Opposition, for political Purposes, is trying to disturb the market and the directors of the Minseito (Government) party are making investigations.
According to Mr. Tomita, the chief manager of the Minseito, there fare indications that certain pro minent menibers of the Seiyukai, acting in collusion with brokers, have been attempting to engineer plot and bring about a debacle, with the object of making big profits! themselves and at the same time: furnishing the Opposition with a powerful weapon to wield against the Government. The directors of the Minseito communicated their findings to the Government, have urged the Home Mi take appropriate measures in time.
The Government immediately held special conference and decided to ko stern measures against anyone, irrespective of position, who sought to disturb the stock' and share market purposely. The police and. the prefectural governors have been ordered to exert strict control over possible mischief-makers and to act determinedly as soon as they become convinced that drastic measures are necessary.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.