Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-01-14
HOW LONG CAN JAPAN HOLD OUT ?
Inner History OF the Struggle as Recorded by British
War Correspondent-The Simple Life as Source Of
Both Strength and Weakness
mr. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

penditure, and to prepare for hard
times, The people obeyed the advice
with the greatest fathfulness. emil
dren starved themselves until they
tainted from hunger In school. All pnr-
chases of Injuries, silks. furniture and
the like ceased in a day.
The people saved. but their saving
had the inevitable economic effect No
one bought new silks, consequently the
thousands OF silk weayers, save those
employed on foreign orders were
thrown out OF employment. The furni-
ture trade was contracted, and one lum-
Der district, that the year before had
sold millions worth of stun, now found
itself voorhees,. Thousands OF workers
all over the land found their occupa-
ton gone,
Half million men--the number is
greater nowhere withdrawn from ac-
tive employment. At the same time
trades which were the mainstuy Of
whole districts ceased Thirty thou.
sand Japanese fishermen usually set out
IN March from the western coast 10
drag the Korean waters. Last March
the capitalists withdrew their usual OF
fer Of loans, and the fishermen, when
last heard Of them, were staying at
home idle. The great steam mercantile
marine which Japan has built up 50
rapidly was Withdrawn from commerce
to serve for war transport, and the
| cmargo business ceased or went TO
foreign ships.
The government cut down. and Is cut
ting down. every expense ct home.
Nothing is wasted on the field. Mill
tary supplies are good and the ma
chimes of death are the best the nation
can secure. But the accessories OF the
| armies are made I'm the cheapest possi-
| bic way. The khaki with which the
| troops were clothed I'm summer was OF
| such poor quality that Il washed almost
| white by the end Of August, making
! the soldiers clear marks Tor the enemy.
The nation faced the situation clear
| eyed. While the self-denial moves were
| not wholly wise, other much more sens
/ lille moves were made, Men brought
out their family treasures of art and
| quietly offered them abroad to raise
| money for the war loans. The heavy
! taxation for war expenses Is being
| cheerfully borne. The government has
! taken over the tobacco trade, making
! fl a state monopoly aud IN the ordln-
! airy course Of events Is bound to make
! great profits out Of IT, The salt monop-
| oily is also being cheerfuly borne.
The surprising thing In Japan just
now Is the small evidence OF real dis
tress 10 be seen. The splendid rice and
! silk crops this autumn have helped
many, and are regarded by the COM
! mon people as a direct interposition Of
heaven ON their behalf The eXpendi-
tue OF part Of the loan money In the
country i'm the purchase OF supplies has
also helped. Much Of the clothing and
food OF the soldiers can be made and
raised In Japan, and wherever possible
these are being purchased there. Wo-
men, old men and boys are doing the
work formerly done by the men now
fighting or dead In Manchufla, The abb
sence Of the former breadwinner at
| least makes one less mouth to feed,
Japan is not yet at the end Of its f.
naucial resources. The law Is likely 70
be altered IN the Immediate future 70
allow foreigners TO own real estate
within the empire. This win enable the
government to raise n loan upon lts
railways or to sell them outright. The
new tobacco monopoly, already men,
toned, affords another tangible asset
And the people are willing TO hypothe-
cate their last national asset and 10 sell
their last domestic heirloOms before
they abandon the fight.
Those who desire the actual figures Of
Japanese finance today can easily OBJ
tain them. Above are the facts that liz
behind the figures.