The Washington herald., 1908-04-23


guilds, trade-unions. and cooperative
stores. There are combinations of all
sorts of skilled laborers, such as plaster
ers, sawyers, stone masons, BARRIERS, iron
workers, shipbuilders. &c. Organizations
also exist among actors. gamblers. wres-
tiers, piekpoekets, and even the beggars
have had their union. The guilds are most
bewiIdering to the foreigner because OF
the secrecy and deception which surround
their operations. They are relics Of an
eient feudal Japan, and were borrowed
many centuries ago, with the most of
Japanese learning and customs, from
China.
The guilds are entirely different from
the trades unions as known in Europe
and America, although they use the same
weapons OF strike and boycott to enforce
respect for their demands. They have no
federation or alliances with each other
yet each individual guild is secure from
attack from the outside, because no other
guild viii encroach upon its preserves
The adoption OF Occidental civilization in
Japan has had but little effect on these
organizations, although a few of them
American labor unions For the most
part. the guild workers are in the lower
ranks Of society, and TO these the West
ern ideas adopted by the governing class
have not yet penetrated.
II one decides to build a house. a con-
tract is made with the boss OF the car
penters guild. Work is begun. and in a
short time the men are likely to decide to
take q holiday. Although they may re-
main away from work for days. even
when the need for rushing the job TO
completion is Haost urgent, there is no
use trying TO secure other workmen to
take their places They will return in
time, and until they do the builder may
as well possess his soul IN patience. IT. in
the course Of six months or year. il be-
comes necessary to have repairs made
on the house. the men of the same guild
must be called 10 do the work. No Others
will touch IL.
The cooks guild has its own peculiar
way OF doing business. 1t not only de-
termines what particular cook shall go
10 certain household, but fixes the
wages that he shall receive. The cooks
guild maintains a close working agree
nish the food supplies. For instance, the
cook brings forward price list from the
butcher but it is understood that the
man who provides the meat must give
the cook a certain commission. Unless
the housekeeper is vigilant, second-class
meat will be charged for at first-class
prices. thereby affordng still further
profit for the cook. In order to escape the
eXhOTbitaut charges of the butchers
guild, 2G0 foreign families in Kobe orga-
nized what is known as the Kobe Meat
Club, and started market Of their own.
The foreign residents of Yokohama took
similar action in providing a steap laun-
dry when the washers guild became un-
reasonable in its charges.
Another large source OF profit to the
cooks OF Yokohama is the control of the
supply Of green groceries. 1t was found
that nearly all the cooks insisted upon
Patronizing a certain market, The rea-
son for this preference was not because
the manager offered special inducements
in the way Of liberal commissions. but
because the cooks themselves owned most
of the stock in the business. Owing to
the many forms Of graft radiating from
the Oriental kitchen, the East is a cooks
ers in Korea are men who went there IN
the humble capacity of chefs. yet who
pTOfited 50 we'll By the practice OF high
finance in the cuisine that they are now
rated among the bloated plutOcTats Of
the land.
The Grand Hotel in Yokohama is the
best stand In Japan for ilnrikisha men.
and the guild that controls the work at
this place is the closest of corporations.
While the rates are higher from here
than from other portions OF the city.
the men realize additional profit from gen
eTOus tips. Rich Americans will fre-
quently give s. or SO when the tariff IS
not more than Is cents or ST. The guild
puts up a deposit Of 200 yen with the
hotel management to guarantee good ser
vice, and elects one Of its members as
doorman. If at any time a member
leaves, he is permitted to take down his
share of the deposit money, and to realize
what he can from the sale of his men,
bership in the guild, provided there is
no objection to the successor and that
he can produce his share Of the deposit
money. II is said that coolies pay high
for the privilege Of joining the little band
that gets such fat piekings from the
tourists who frequent the Grand, but
the exact amounts that have changed
hands in the sale Of these memberships
are not known,
There are upward of 400 different kinds
Ct guilds In Japan and the long list in
eludes, among many other novel Occupa-
tions, thieves union. The robbers or
ganization does a fiourishing business
but it is supposed to confne its opera
tions exclusively to the lower classes.
When one OF its members preys Ilpon a
person of official position or high social
standing. the police send for the boss of
the guild and demand that the booty be
returned. In such cases restitution is
generally made without delay. That the
japanese thief is not wholly lacking in |
o sense Of courtesy, when called To task. |
was Illustrated in the case OF a pick |
pocket who snatched a watch from a |
ladys belt. The chain ring was broken |
by the violent jerk When the watch |
was returned, Il was found that the cuI- |
prtt had not only gone to the expense of |
having the damage repaired. but had |
sent note of apology for the poor work |
manship and the delay Occasloned by |
having it fixed.
Sometimes the thieves make their own /
terms when the police call upon them to /
disgorge- clever rogue picked the |
pocket Of the American consul general !
while that distinguished gentleman was /
taking journey on a train. The matter
was reported TO the police, and they, of |
course sent word 10 the guild that the /
money. amounting to quite a sum. must
be returned at once. In the course OF |
time the report came back that the thief /
had already invested the proceeds Of his
maui TO good advantage but would re-
turn the exact amount if allowed 10 keep
LOT three months His guild stood as
security to the police. who In turn gave
their pledge to the consul general and