The sun., 1919-01-20

ought to show and have shown the
Government that affairs ut home de-
! serve its first attention. Nor ought
| honest men to suffer for the follies of
those who in 1910 hoped to right the
wrong by crime.
In word, progress in alleviating
the mlseries of the masses In na-
ton suddenly dragged out, one might
almost say. by strenuous Yankee Ell.
! terDrise, from feudal slumber into the
activities Of the curb. the stock ex-
change and the factory, seems leaden
footed. THE laws delay" In japan
Is not poetry or rhetoric; 1t Is n pitt
! full fact. If statistics alone held the
'rostrum, the night Of despair might
well settle down. Yet, IL one bears In
mind what one actually saw in Japan
nearly fifty years ago, when for the
working man as such nobody cared a
jOt, when beggars and Outcasts lined
the public roads and sat in crowds
In the temple courts, when gamblers
diced away not only clothes but even
wives and children, when one million
were not reckoned human nor counted
! in the census, and when the mechan-
les had no rights known to the law
and hardly even that of life before
the sword wearers, what has been
actually achieved seems wonderful,
while that which Is Of promise Is as
the flaming of the morning sky.
| Unfortunately, as we have intimat-
ed. the hopes and efforts Of genuine
labor in Japan were not only frus-
trated, but received chronic handi-
cap, when In 1910 some consplrators,
reputed to be socialists" plotted to
destroy the life Of the Mikado, Of
noblest name and fame and virtual
the humanistlc movement a most ul-
deservedly bad name, as Of partner
ship with treason and all things vile.
| Yet wherein does history in Japan
differ from history in other lands,
even the most enlightened, even in
| America?
Briefly stated. the japanese work
Ing men. now nationally affiliated.
even though the imperial Govern
| ment while encouraging benevolent
| activities still refuses to give labor
unions Il legal status, make what we
consider moderate claims. At their
grand national convention, held in
Osaka in April, l91S-the mere fact
Of such gathering being ii modern
| wonder 10 a man with less than a
! hfty-year-old memory--it was decided
TO petition the Government, first. for
an eight hour system; second, mini.
mum Of one yen fifty cents) daily
| wnSe; and third, the establishment of
labor insurance. Even though the fac
tory law Of September /, 1916, Is only
tentative in force and slow In opera.
ton. there has been visible progress
while the new Cabinet, made up Of
experienced statesmen, though un-
titled, and actual business men risen
from the ranks, Is steadily helping
the toiling masses.
Despite greed, the cruelty Of man
10 man, the constructing power of old
traditions-always harder to change
In spirit than in form-Mr SUZUKI
and all who feel with him may take
cheer. Let this land of freedom still
be his beacon, for here among us
every year on the headlands of the
once unknown new lights Of hope are
kindled. American history means
the steady gain of man." In reen-
forcement the recent elections in Eng
land and the legislation and trend Of
affairs in the United States mean
that with the English speaking ma
tlons the lines of progress still con-
tinue TO be on those Of patience, ell
lIghtenment, law and order. Along
these lines also, as Mr.. STUNTS rec
ord proves, may be found the hopes
Of labor in japan.