New-York tribune., 1918-08-19
Mobs Are Stoning Capital.
istic Classes and Destroy
ing Property
Houses Pillaged at
Big Recreation Resort
200 Stores and Cafes in
Toxic Damaged; Troops
Are Called Out
(By Tho Associated Press)

tDy 4 no fiS3OCtuLe0 fTESS)
TOXIC, Thursday, Aug. 15.-There
was serious rioting in Toxic last night.
Mobs attacked and damaged property
in the business and theatre districts.
The rioters also entered and pillaged
houses in Asakusa, the great recreation
resort Of the middle and lower classes.
A number if disturbers were wounded
by the swords of the pol ife.
The newspaper comment here seems
to indicate that the food riots through
out the country are an expression of
growing social unrest among the people
and to reflect the belief that the empire
is advancing toward social crisis. The
riots are spreading like wildfre, involv-
ing alike the poor and the middle
classes, who feel impclled to protest
against economic conditions.
1t is remarked that the uprisings
often are anti-capitalistic in nature,
the mobs attacking and destroying the
property Of the wealthy and voicing
anger at evidences of luxury. Gesha
girls have been stoned as they have
driven through the streets in automo
biles and the houses of the rich have
been assailed.
Low Wages the Cause
While the war has created million
aires and increased the luXuries of the
rich, it also has increased the misery
of the poor because of insufficient
wages being paid. Factory hands
especially are stirred up by the ring
leaders of the riots, which are the first
of the kind to occur since Japan was
opened to Western civilization.
Disorders broke out in Toxic on
Tuesday night. A crowd of 5000 which
was prevented from congregating in
the park, marched to the Gina, the
great retail thoroughfare of the city,
where they stoned and damaged 200
stores and restaurants, raided rice
depots and unsuccessfuly attacked the
Ministry Of the Interior. Ninety ar
rests we're made and twenty policemen
were injured.
Toxic last night was occupied by
heavy detachments of police and in
fantry. The newspapers arc forbidden
to publish news Of any kind relative
to the rice riots.
Troops have been called out in nearly
every important city in japan. Even
the naval station at Maizuru is affected
by the unrest. Two thousand work
men there are roting in conjunction
with the populace.
At Nagoya, noted for it's manu-
features Of porcelans, mob estimated
to aggregate 10000 persons rioted. At
several places the soldiers fired on the
disturbers. At Kobe the soldiers and
police also we're obliged to use sabrcs
and bayonets against the rioters.
Five Hundred Arrested at Saka
The food disturbances are increas-
ing in violence. At Saka during a
demonstration, telephone wires were
cut and several tramways were forced
to suspend service after passengers had
been wounded. Troops, including cav
airy. were called out to suppress the
rioting, and twenty-five policemen and
manv rioters were hurt. Five hundred
persons we're arrested. In outlying
towns the people attacked the police
with bamboo spears.
The disturbances at Kobe resulted in
the burning Of great rice warehouse
and several factories and houses and a
large number of rice stores.
The seriousness Of the situation led
to special meeting Of the Cabinet,
which decided to appropriate S5,Oo0,-
coo for purchasing stores OF rice for
distribution among the people at
moderate price. The Emperor, moved
by the distress, has contributed 1000,
600 yen to the national rice fund
Streetcars are being utilized in Toxic
by soldiers who distribute rice in dis
trcts where suffering s reported.
The press joins in tribute to the
Emperor for his generous contribution
indicating the spirit Of the ruler and
the Weather classes. but the news
papers generally blame the government.
for its tardy remedies. The Conycrva-
tive newspaper "Jiji shimpo" especially
criticiscs the government, saying that
az Il result Of it's policy The nation finds
Itself in the throcs OF nsurrection.