Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-04-29
!APAN'S JOY In living.
Whole Nation Contributing to
the War Funds.
AMUSEMENT HOUSES DESERTED.

Both Rich and Poor Are Stintinx
Themselves In Every Possible Way
For the Sake of the Men at the
Front and Their FamiIies-Women
of Every Class EconOmixing In All
observation-disclosures Cases of
Self Sacrifice.
Japan is stinting itself as America
did during the civil war and for the
same double purpose-that the armies
may be kept in the field and the bur
dens of those dependent on the nations
defenders lcssened if not altogether re-
moved, says the Tokyo correspondent
of the Washington Star. There is
pressing need of national and individ-
ual self sacrifice at this time. Already
over 1000 families of soldiers in TO.
kyo alone are dependent upon the ma
TONS charity for their daily bread--or
rice, rather-and what is true in the
capital is true throughout Nippon.
Japan is stinting from top to bot
tom. The high officials, peers and aris
tocrats have declared off all social en-
gagements The geisha houses are de-
serted, and many Of them have closed
from lack of patronage. So it is with
the restaurants. Feasts there and in
private houses-the japanese are ordi-
narily great indulgers in feasts-are
now the uncommon happening. In
deed, there has been no public feast of
any sort-and, dare say. scarcely
private one-since the second day after
the first battle at Port Arthur, when
the emperor entertained the high Off
Gals in celebration of the victory.
That has been the single indulgence Of
the war.
The public school teachers have vol
UNFAIRLY agreed to give over to the va
rious soldiers aid societies one-tenth of
their salaries as long as the war lasts.
The housewives in many precincts of
Tokyo are giving their pin money. In
one precinct they recently contributed
200 yen. Every actor is giving 30 sen
month. THE messenger boys have
banded together and so far contributed
$50 yen, at the rate of 20 to 80 sen a
month apiece, for caring for wounded
soldiers. The carpenters wives are
forming associations in every precinct
and giving according to their means
cutting down ON the family table that
they may do so.
In Shitaya precinct-a precinct CORE.
spends to an American ward-the JAM
tors in the office buildings have agreed
to cut down on their living expenses
and give 20 sen 40 cents per head q
week till peace comes again. In the
precinct of Shmbashi the Geisha asso
citation of 10 odd houses Is contribute
ing 200 yen month, most of this com
ing from savings, for the income OF
these houses. as already remarked, has
fallen off greatly.
The women. irrespective of class. are
economizing in all directions The La
dies One Heart society-the Fujiu
lsshiuaki-is representative of their or.
CARNATIONS. This society embraces the
women of tire middle class, and its
members are saving on their food and
their hairdressing and bath money
They visit the baths only once weel
now instead of daily. Indeed. every
member must make it a point to save
something daily for "a bandage for {
soldiers leg or rice for his mother
mouth"
Those who cannot pare their ex
penses because they are down to tn,
bone already are stinting themselves o
their leisure time. The errand boys o
the wholesale and retail districts hav
formed an association to make straw
sandals for the soldiers after workin,
hours. Each boy manufactures abou
fifty pairs week. Some of the boys
not content with this sacrifice, be-
waste paper from the stores and g
around peddling it, getting cents 70
every ten pounds of paper and turn
ing the proceeds into common fund.
The doctors, masseurs and midwive
are giving their services free of charg
to the families of soldiers, and the rick
shaw man, Mukubata Jisaburo, VIII
saved the cars life when the latte,
as czarowitz, was travelling in Japar
is contributing the pension which tn
Russian government granted him 70
his act. He says it is the only wa
by which he can ease his conscienc
for receiving money from the nation
enemy at such Il time.
Indeed, Nippon is so imbued with til
spirit of self sacrifice that it gets we
nigh hysterical at times to give. Thi