To the Editor of the "Nomtu-Cuina Dairy News"
Si—The following are extracts froma letter just received from a. British silk manufacturer:
Take, for instance, the cloth. that the Japanese have made standard and which "is "known as Spun Crepe-de-Chine "stripe, "which Maccleshetd launs to have been the fist to take, but which I proved. before 'a Com: miltise of the Silk. Association. that started making at the same time that they ala. nis lat coats us ere. 48d, per yard, to leave us avery reasonable profi; "and. the Japanese. are selling {iijm London anywhere, from 24d 'Bury, which amounts to round about and out of this. they' pay" the 432d," plus their commissions, freight. 'Insurance and alt other charges! 20 Teatculnte that' the mar The very fact that they (the Japanese) made this cloth 20 cheap fand put such vile colours into tt and horrible designs, has now killed the nour market." No matter, what tasteful. designs we put on the fabeie now and offer "them, we find the Buyers wil not purchase.
It is obvious that most serious issues are raised by this letter of which the most Important is "Do the respective prices of 48d. and 9d. represent the "lying" and "technique" efficiencies of the two countries—Britain and Japan? If they do, then Japan is right in her present attitude and we may. expect her in the near future to take her rightful position as the world's. most skilful technical nation, this involving not only the elimination of th Inboriously built up skill of the European manufacturing countries but also the relegation of such a country a8 China to the position of the prom ducer of the raw materials for the Japanese' manufacturer, with the con-Sequent result of the Inability of China to develop the purchasing power of the Chinese people to anything like the extent that Japan, through her Industrial developments, has developed the purchasing power of her people. What this "may mean to Australia, should. also be noted? instead of development of China as a wool-consuming country she will develop into, 8 wool-producing country. competing with the Australasian wool-geower in the markets of the world. And let it be' noted that this Is not the only world-industrial change" which will come about. Japan is already prom ducing machinery and she will attempt in this market that which she {is well on the way to achieving in the textile markets of the world. Thus there will be no exchange of Japanese silk for British locomotives. But the question should fairly and squarely be faced: If the Japanese are so skilful in the "economies of living" and if they have such wonderful "technique" then the only thing to be done is to accept the position and wish Japan well in the development of her in~ dusteles for "world service'
Unfortunately for Japan, if not for the world, the last paragraph quoted from the. letter, just voices a doubt. What ff Japan' be not the efficient nation she Ig represented to be either In the "economies of living" or in. "technique?" What if she be supplanting the developed skill of the West by an inferior Japanese skill? What If she is already suppressing the natural development of nations such as China and. is about to involve Australia in dimculties by an attempt to develop wool-growing rather than wool-consumption? Then may she not become a menace rather than a blessing to the world?
'May T again emphasize the question which must be faced and upon the answer fo which so much depends—"Do the respective prices of 48d. and 9d, represent the respective "living' and technique' skill of Britain and Japan?" Perhaps those of your readers, who know more of Eastern conditions than I can lay claim to, may be able to answer this question.
Shanghai, Oct.
Avores F, Barker.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.