The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-12-16

Japan for children under 70 years of
age to work twelve and even fifteen
hours a day in textile mills, and
eventually 1t will be against the law
for children of tender years to be en-
ployed at all over there in the land
of cheap lives. Yoshikatsu Katayama
Councillor of the Department of Agri-
culture and commerce of the Imperial
Japanese government, who is now
stopping a few days in New York be-
fore going to England and Germany
to study the factory laws Of the Old
World, explained the new factory law
of Japan yesterday in his room at the
Hotel Aston.
II had been borne in on the I'm.
perial Ministry, he said, that Japan
was too prodigal of the lives of its
workmen and that under the untram-
meled factory system which has been
the outgrowth of recent years of swift
industrial development the whole ply
steal fiber of the Japanese people was
threatened with deterioration. The law
which was passed by parliament a year
ago was the initial step toward putting
the brake on the rapid pace of manu-
featuring at the expense of the work
ers
1T is but the beginning Katayama
said. Nothing like this law had ever
been enforced in Japan before and it
is naturally defective and inadequate.
But it is a step in the right direction.
1t was necessary to preserve the health
of the masses Of working people en-
plOyed in manufacturing arts.
1T is my duty to go to England and
Germany and make a study of the fac
tory laws of those countries so that
may report back to my department
recommendation for further legisla-
ton. My time is limited because the
necessity of more laws is pressing;
therefore, | have not been able to
study the factory laws of America
They are so varied and so far from
to devote all of my time in England
and Germany, where the laws are
more regular
Mr.. Katayama seemed surprised that
the average American did not know
that until the recent law was promul-
gated fifteen and even sixteen hours a
day, seven days week, was the COM
mon limit of labor in Japanese mills.
He admitted that this was very bad"
and that the necessity of a change was
imperative.
But" as he put it, there are so
many poor people in Japan who are
willing to work any number of hours
for living wage that the manufac.
turers themselves would never think
of limiting hours of labor and taking
precautions to guard the health of
their employees. The government had
to do il.
That clause of the law prohibiting
the employment of children under IL
years will not become effective for two
years." the Councillor continued. "The
law further says that children under Is
and women must not work longer than
twelve hours day. In the textile mills
fifteen and sixteen hours for both
these classes of laborers has been the
rule.
by the new law night work is linn
tied to men more than Is years old, |
except when there are two shifts a
day at the machines. Two holidays
a month are enforced; heretofore
there were rarely any holidays the |
year round. In cases where night
work is enforced there shall be four
holidays.
Women and children under Is are
not allowed to work at dangerous en- |
ployment or to handle dangerous ma |
terials Sick men and women who ex-
peCt motherhood or who have recently !
become mothers must not be employ |
ed
The Minister of Agriculture and /
Commerce is empowered to make spe- .
cial regulations to govern the safety /
form fire or earthquake and the danger
Of machines of all employees. The mat |.
ter Of the liability of employers is
recognized by the new labor law, but
the provisions under this head have
still to be worked out,"-New York |
Sun.