The New York herald., 1921-10-04
Confined from FIRST PG0s.

the Japanese, whose emotions are
easily aroused. They even rejected
the plan OF staying on in the shops
but doing no work.
| In the meantime the YuailSai as
sumed direction of the strike, solicited
and obtained largo sums OF money
from sympathizers throughout the
country. and counselled peaceful meth
DDS. Most OF the credit for this un-
paralleled condition of affairs is given
TO Toyhiko Kagara, who seems to
possess unusual skill as an organizer.
When he found that the strikers were
not organized and were almost entirely
without a reserve fund he selected
| lieutenants from among the men capa-
BILE OF controlling them and issued an
appeal for help to labor sympathizers
throughout the country. Tho results
Of both undertakings were gratifying
to the toilers and disturbing to the
employer class.
Early in August the Mitsubishi
! Company, through Mr.. Takeda. its
president, suggested plan of compro-
mise which would have adjusted wage
differences. but made no provision for
J Lfo IcCOkulLlOll VI lAC QfllOAl dil0 COut-
pletely rejected the suggest IN Of col
lect.ve bargaining. The strikers who
voted on this proposal appeared to De
less concerned over the offer Of a per-
manent wage scale. approximately a
| 10 per cent increase, than regarding
the other features OF their programme.
| Instead OF accepting It. the execu-
tive committee OF the Kawasaki dock
yard strikers retorted with a resolu-
! ton insisting upon the dismissal of
! foremen who had remained at work.
Under the passive protection OF the
military, strike breakers were intro
duced in the plants affected, but even
this move failed to goad the workers
| into committing violent acts OF repri-
sal. Unlike it, previous policy Of COP
| ing with strikes. The Government ap-
peared to proceed with caution by not
throwing the full force Of its power on
| the side OF the employer classes and
against the laborers. The works Of
the concerns affected were no more
than adequately protected and there
was no attempt made to coerce the
strikers into surrendering.
An innovation with an Oriental
slant temporarily ended the Kobe
strike in the middle of August, but by
no means stabilized the labor problem.
The labor leaders ordered the men to
return to work without conditions OF
any kind They refused to accept the
terms offered by the employers and. in
fact, rejected attractive concessions
regarding wages which the latter Of
fered.
The sole explanation given for this
unexpected move was that ''the fight
is one of principle, in which wages are
not the most important part We will
return to work and defer the adjust
ment Of the dispute until some future
time. The men need to work to sup
port their families, but they have not
and will not surrender their rights
and when conditions become more
stabilized, the whole labor problem Of
Japan will be approached under more
favorable conditions"
The employers are greatly puzzled
over the decision Of the labor leaders
to call off the strike and attribute It
TO the determination Of the employ
ing classes to organize al labor of the
country along the lines followed in
Great Britain and the United States.
The uncertainties OF the labor sit
uation, coupled with the rising tide OF
democratic spirit throughout the coin-
try, are exercising a good deal mors
influence in Government circles than
the leading officials care to admit.
This was pretty clearly established at
the end of August by the action of tho
Minister OF Home (Intcrior) Affairs
in urging the Cabinet to approve the
plan for establishing a Labor Depart
ment with power to arbitrate in labor
disputes and to further provide Gov
ernment employment agencies. the
adoption of a workmen's compensation
and insurance law. A bill making
these concessions to labor win prob
ably be introduced at the next session
OF the Diet and have the support Of the
Government.
Some of the labor leaders with
whom I have talked assert that the
troops sent by the Government to sup