The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-02-07
THEHASKINLETTER
JAPANESE HOTELS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

WASHINGTON, D. c.. Feb. 5,-Jap-
anese hotel keepers expect grand
rush of tourists in the near future, and
hotels are being spruced up to meet
the exactng demands of the foreigner
according to II. S. Yamaguchi, the jap
anese hotel magnate'
Japan energies from technical state
of war into an era of prosperity lts
financial condition Is similar to that OIL
the United states A great deal OF mon
ev is in circulation, the value OF me
ven (eoua to our half dollar) Is les
sended. and prices are on the rise. me ne
visitor to Japan can not estimate ms
expenses on the scale OF the ehean Jap
TOYS and trinkets sold in our Oriental
shoDs and 10-Cent stores. lie Will, Il
he goes to frst-class European plan
hotel enjoy practically all the Injuries
Of a first-class hotel in this country,
and the size of the bill Will reminu
him very much Of America.
The Jananese hotel business is 60
ing through revolutionary period
saws Mr. Yamaguchi, who is touring the
United states to learn innovations for
his three hotels. Japanese hotels have
made progress in the last five years
that we never dreamed Of he contln-
ned "I have 50 tons of things in New
York now--machinery and equlpmeht-
ana nave HOl lllllSllNN w i'S'
Most Of these purchases, he explains,
are labor saving devices. Japanese Ia :
bor is neither so cheap nor so plehtllul
as II formerly was, and so motors TO
freeze ice cream, Chop meat and WASH
dishes must replace hand labor, even
in the Orient where human service is
to he had at the lowest rates
Five dollars a month is the present
nav for a hotel maid in Japan. 70
| mis- the management adds food and
clothing. which bring the cost OF a
| girl to about SIS, The japanese maid
| fnlv earns her salary, clothing and all.
She knows little of eight-hour aglta-
! ton, but works steadily for 10 hours
sometimes longer. The short-hours ep-
| idemic has reached Japan, however and
| labor is beginning to demand a 9l-hQul
week in place Of IS hours or longer.
If the japanese hotel keeper regrets
| the high cost of labor he is still more
dovncas st when he considers food nrir"s
| Seaweed, rice and fish are within the
range of the ordinary Jap pockelo0sh
| hut the European hotel is expected &c
serve western food, -, cooked IN fren ntl,
| or American style. The Japanese hote
manager has to consider butter at 7!
| cents a pound and eggs at five cents
| aniece. He serves them. and his rates
mount in rropcr American ~ W ''N
dollars day. Mr.. YamaGuchi tells US
| is now the pii'e OF r"o'n a. ' .,s,a ~
| Japanese hotetS. MS hl''u"'9 "a 10
electric lights. waters IN e''hihi
| clothes. a regular bed and a degree OF
| privacy unknown 10 the FAMOUS ha'N'
inns. , ,.,
Mr.. Hamaguchl mas glVen I.uC,
| thought 10 the polcy OF inc JdPdl H
| hotel Most or the guest at l,l' uTS
| hotels there are Am'FiTi,lS' All" 'h'
NEXT in number are tnellsh, .,, ,,o
These people ne SAYS, ro st nT
go to japan TO see thH N"le.na s,S.
Of building and still they want Amer
| lean conveniences. We put up hotel'
that shall have Japanese ellect on
| they must he simple, easily cIeaheu dii'
sanitary-no elaborate carvings as II
Jarnn"so inns
Western food and furniture combined
with Japanese decorations come as hcp
to suitirg everybody as possible III
| finds Mr.. Namaguch mas VISITED New
Yorks largest hotels, and those o
| Washington and White sulphur springs
| He is now on his wy to New orleans
then across the continent 10 NlVerside
| Cal. and other Western cities
The results Of his study VIII he IN
| Corporated in his newest hotei now be
| ing built near Yokohama, the new no
tel is to be a concrete structure, 81
stories high and containing 100 rooms
! A six story building is quite SIX
scraper in Japan, and is only mad,
possible bv the use OF concrete Wh'cl