The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-04-30
DOLLAR A DAY
JUDGES STRIKE
Peculiar Phases of the Labor
Situation in the Mikad0's
Empire.
Correspondence Advertiser, Copyright
by Frederic J. Haskin.)

! by Frederic J. Haskin.)
YOKOHAMA, April 6-Whi1e nearly
all countries have had labor troubles
and strikes at one time or another,
Japan is the only place where the
judges Of the courts have refused to
try cases until the government agreed
to meet their demand for higher pay.
While such arbitrary proceedings may
appear undignified to legal gentlemen
of other lands, the necessity for re-
course to drastic measures is explained
by the statement that prior to their
strike the judges received only dollar
a day. The postmen were getting only
five dollars a month, and when their
petition for an increase was ignored,
they quickly brought the government
to terms by refusing to deliver the
mail. The policemen were the next to
make peremptory demands for more
salary, and they were equally success
full in their strike.
A noticeable. feature of strikes in
Japan is that they nearly always sue
coed. This is due, in a large measure,
to the destructiveness of the lower
classes when they are aroused. No
matter what the grievance may be, or
how fair the prospects of a settlement,
the strikers have a tendency to first
destroy property and then begin their
peace talk. They seem to feel that
their case will receive more considera-
ton if they make an exhibition of
viciousness. On this account. when
misunderstanding comes up, prompt
settlement or immediate protection
An enraged mob of japanese work
men will smash what belongs to the
government as readily as if it were
private property, and sometimes with
out any justification whatsoever. About
5000 men were employed at one place
near Yokohama to do a particular piece
of work. AS the job neared completion
1t naturally became necessary to cut
down the force. The first lot of men to
go were given three days extra wages.
When it became necessary to let out
another lot of 400, a protest was made
on the ground that the notice was not
sufficient. Although the objection was
not at all reasonable, an allowance of
five days extra pay was made merely
for the purpose of keeping the peace.
However, it developed that the insult
cause of complaint. The men simply
did not want to give up their jobs.
Having been put on the pay rolls they
objected to being taken off, no matter
whether they were still needed or not.
Before the police could be summoned
from Yokohama a nasty row was in
progress. The mob not only fired wall
liable buildings, but raided a govern
Iment boat and smashed the engines.
The outbreak at the Besshi Copper
mines was still more disastrous. The
strikers burned all the buildings in the
vicinity except the hospital, the school
and the laborer's quarters. They tore
up five miles of railway track, and set
the mine on fire. The manager of the
company was beaten and left for dead.
The rioters armed themselves with
guns and ammunition from the maya
zine Of the mine, then started out to
overrun the country. They organized
themselves in regular military fashion,
blowing trumpets and giving orders by
means of cipher codes and signal flags.
1t required three companies of soldiers
to round them up, and before they
were brought to bay their depredations
caused a property loss of more than
$500, 900.
Trouble with japanese laboring
classes, however, begins long before
the strike stage, as there is never any
peace from the time the relation of
employer and employe is entered into.
The Japanese laborer or servant takes
a holiday whenever he is so disposed,
and he will quit the service of an en-
ployer without notice. Responsibility
to his work is quality which he does
not possess. One street railway line
in Toxic employs 200 motormen and
conductors. On a rainy day these jobs
are not at all pleasant, and the Japa-
nese trait of independence is shown in
the fact that a stormy day means a