Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-17
WOMAN QUESTION IN JAPAN.
Concern Over Hygiene in Housing
Female Operatives.

From the Japan Weekly Mail.
Writing in the Taiyo, DIR. s. Yokote
maintains that there is an urgent need
for Legislation bearing on the housing of
the thousands of women now employed
in factories and workshops. The way in
which these poor creatures are huddled
together in miserable lodging houses is a
disgrace to a civilized country. says Dr.
Yokote. Should an epidemic begin among
these operatives there are no means of
dealing with it effectually without depriv
ing the factories Of hundreds of hands at
a stroke
Certain industries are almost wholly de-
pendent on female operatives. and as
things are now situated factory might
be deprived of a large number of women
on account of the outbreak Of infectious
or contagious diseases in a lodging house
Ut. fokote after making special investi-
cations on this subject. has come to the
conclusion that the most elementary sani-
tary principles require that all lodging
houses for female operatives should fulfill
the following conditions:
Cd Lodging houses should be located in
healthy spots. if possible on high ground,
and should have no Objectionable sur
roundings. CD Each person should have
pfoper-sZed sleeping room instead of
having one mat only. as Is now often the
light and fresh air. CD Each house should
have baths and lavatories where there is
good supply of water, and arrange
ments should be made so that a large
number of women can wash at one time
Other arrangements connected with lava
tories need serious attention. They are
at present filthy beyond all description
(4 Kitchens arranged in new way,
with view to cleanliness, should be fur
nished. These kitchens should have plen-
fyv M lSght md ~
for study should be light and airy instead
Of the dungeons now employed for this
purpose. 30 building quite separate
from the lodging house should be pro-
vided for the accommodation Of sus-
piclouS cases OF sickness. Cd The food
supplied by purveyors should be inspected
by officials and the prices paid should
be kept within reasonable bounds. 81
Hospitals. or if not these then dispersal
ries, disinfecting rooms, rooms for the
treatment Of conta gious or infectious dis
eases and rooms for convaleScents should
be provided. 90 Each lodging house
should have a manager or superintendent
whose duty it should be to see that the
place Is kept in order. 1O) Each lodging
house should be placed under the charge
of medical man. who should have pow
er to insist on the observance Of sanitary
rules in the establishment
The factories would have cause to
complain were they required to take these
ordinary precautions against the spread
of disease, for even from their point of
view prevention is better than cure The
outbreak Of cholera or pest among their
operatives would cost the owners Of fac
tories much more than the observance of
the laws of health in their lodging houses
would involve
Then what the nation has to consider is
the inhuman manner in which thousands
of poor women are treated by capita
who are making big profits out of their
la Dor. The women themselves are not
likely to complain of improper treatment.
but 1t is the plain duty of legislators to
see that the money grubbers observe the
laws of health and the laws of morality