The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1908-05-01
|DOLlAR A DAY
JUDGES STRIKE
Correspondence Advertiser, Copyright
by Frederic ]. Haskin.)

I(Correspondence Advertiser, Copyr.gh
by Frederic ]. Haskin.)
YOKOHAMA, April 6.-While nearl
Ian countries have had labor trouble
and strikes at one time or another
Japan is the only place where tn
Judges of the courts have refused L
try cases until the government agree'
to meet their demand for higher pay
While such arbitrary proceedings ma,
appear undignified to legal gentlemei
of other lands. the necessity for re
course to drastic measures is explained
by the statement that prior to theil
strike the judges received only a dollar
day. The postmen were getting only
| five dollars a month. and when theii
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 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-
10 Of
viciousness. On this account, when a
misunderstanding comes up. prompt
settlement or immediate protection
from the police is necessary.
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. A bout
5000 men were employed at one place
near Yokohama to do a particular piece
of work. As the job neared completion
it 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
fciency of notice was not the real
cause of complaint. The men simply
did not want to give up their jobs.
Having been put on the pay rolls they
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 val
liable buildings, but raided a govern
ment 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
was beaten and left for dead. |
The rioters armed themselves with |
runs and ammunition from the maya |
line of the mine. then started out to |
'verrun the country. They organized |
themselves in regular military fashion, |
blowing trumpets and giving orders by |
means of cipher codes and signal flags.
t required three companies of soldiers
o round them up, and before they
we're brought TO bay their .depredations
aused a property loss of more than
400, 600
Trouble with Japanese laboring
lasses, however, begins long before
he strike stage, as there is never any
eace from the time the relation of
mployer and employee is entered into.
he Japanese laborer or servant takes
holiday whenever he is so disposed,
nd he will quit the service of an en-
loyer without notice. Responsibility
his work is quality which he does
OF possess. One street railway line
Toxic employs 700 motormen and
)nductors. On rainy day these Jobs
re not at all pleasant. and the Japa- ,
ese trait Of independence is shown in
lie fact that stormy day means a
tort supply of labor. On one bad day
gently, 300 of the 700 men failed to
low up, notwithstanding the inevir-
Die fact that the worse the day, the Z
eater the traffic.
One of the highest authorities on
.hroeder, editor of The Eastern World T
Yokohama. Mr.. Schroeder has lived '
Japan for more than a quarter of J
century, and is happily married to Il
japanese woman. He has been a s
1se student of labor conditions in this a
untry. He says: t
Suppose one is head of a house V
I'D, and has to refurnish his home. n
goes 10 a furniture makers shop,
'rees upon the terms and makes a b
ntract- He asks when the job will t
finished. In ten days. That is too "
ng, as he is in a hurry. 1t will have t
be done in three or four days or not T
all. The little shopkeeper cannot r,
derstand why he should be in a rush Il
nply because his customer is in a II
Try There are no near prospects W
the collapse of the universe. and fl.
ere is an endless succession of to- al
'rrows to draw upon. Therefore h
~ should anyone be in a hurry? He i'd
eldes that 1t probably is some foreign VI
Inn that must be humored and re- %
es that the work will be finished IN W
IT days at 10 o'clock in the morning.
The four days pass and the work pl
not yet delivered. A messenger TT
ngs word that it will be sent that in
ernoon at three o'clock. An hour oil
er a boy comes TO say that it will ha
delivered the next morning without III