The sun., 1919-01-20
Japan In Industry and Commerce.

Comparison. detrimental to the
latter, Is often made between the Chi
nese and the japanese, largely be
cause of lack of historical perspec.
| tive. In China, trade and industry
have been respectable for over 1000
years, for it was long ago that feu
dalism was abolished and the Great
Wall was built In token Of n united
nation. In Japan, on the contrary
until TOWNSEND HARRIS In 1857 won
the treaty of trade and residence, all
foreign commerce was under ban
The merchant, or he who made
money by buying and selling, held
the lowest place In society. He stood
on par with the peder or chap
man In feudal Europe, when every
body that was anybody was either
knight or ye0man. The money.
maker, il caught on the road, was
fair game. Hence, in the old Jap
ancse ship Of state its established
feudal divisions were as water tight
craft guilds, by which petty annoy
ances to employers could be inflicted.
rather than justice obtained; but no
large union and no national organi-
cation Of labor interests was pos
sible NJ that period.
On the contrary, in China, close or
ganizatlon, ramifying over the en-
pire, was common. There was time
enough-and it requires centuries--to
demonstrate what is now held to b.
automatic, that honesty Is the best
policy Hence, as rule, when a
foreign firm deals with a Chinese, the
latter represents responsibility and a
backing greater than his own. To
save face" In Chinese business mat
ters, suggests always a very com.
posite photograph. In Japan there
has not been time for such cohesion
and the same measure Of associated
business integrity, for the merchant
was not recognized as having social
standing until 1871.
In n word, between the Chinese and
japanese there is, we think, no In.
herent, ethical difference, any more
than between the draft on q bank
purchased, let us say, up State and q
personal private check. Both may
possibly be invalid, though presump-
lions greatly favor the validity Of the
associated rather than that Of the in.
dividual document.
In absolute demonstration Of Japan's
progress in the industrial as well
as the commercial world and of some
thing like a revolution in methods OF
both organization and the dictates Of
humanity, we point to the arrival
among us OF Mr.. BUNJI SUZUKI, the
delegate Of Jarln's trades unions to
the Peace Congress at Versailles. Few
families in modern japan can show a
more brilliant array of intellectuals
and of men In the finer arts than
his can. Yet neither the fat red vol
nor the Japan Year Book" for 1918,
in its more select honor list, admits
his name 10 Its columns. What odds ?
He was student In the University
and Law School in Toxic. The youth
later came under the good influence
OF DR.. CLAY MACAULEY of Boston and
Washington fame.
Shall we be charged with America
chauvinism in saying that Mr..
SUZUKI saw from afar his beacon of
hope in the United States? Be this so
or not, the plain fact is that this is
his third, though shortest, visit among
us. He is an accomplished lawyer
he is unusually well read In the his
tory Of economics and the story OF
freedom. Thrilled by the records os
the race, he has devoted his life t,
improving the condition of Industrial
humanity in his native land. For
veal or woe. Mt the time when Town
SEND HARRIS proved to the proud her.
MI lcuuhiisto thul tiauC was uOlluT =
able, and when an American teacher
before the Supreme Council In Toxic
made good his argument that labor
with the hands did not disgrace a
gentleman, and SO obtained a techni-
cal school, the industrial portion OF
Japan's population was scarcely a
sixth OF the whole. Now, In the age
Of machinery and also of factories
and city congestion, 1t Is a full fourth,
In a population that has doubled.
From her cottage or Individual in.
dustries, Japan leaped at bound into
capitalism and concentrated manu-
features controlled by corporations. In
the Government reports. In the six
teen closely printed pages OF the un.
partisan and unofficial Year Book, and
in the missionary reports, all for 1913.
there Is unanlmity OF verdict. with
profuslon Of details and statistics. The
effect on an American reader Is at
once encouraging and sickening. Many
thousands OF sweating humanity In
Japan even long for the old feudal
days TO come back! The long hours,
the horrible conditions, the increase Of
lunatics, the disabled and the broken
down OF both sexes--30 per cent. of
the women going home to die, after
being worn out In the factories are
depressing to the economist and heart.