The Washington times., 1923-12-25
MEASURES
ONMONEY
PLANNED
New Sources of Revenue to Be
Observation-Disclosures
j Work Progresses.
international News Service.


- Japan is accomplishing a rapid
recovery from the devastating shock
Of the earthquake. and with domes-
tic and foreign trade increasing
and financing of rehabilitation pro-
Jects satisfactory, the economic sit
uation is almost normal, according
to survey of the situation issued
today by the Department of Com
merce
Christmas Day the Japanese diet
Is to meet with elaborate plans for
reconstruction of the ruined areas
and to consider new >money-raising
measures.
According to Department of Com
merce statistics, the damage was
not as heavy as was at first feared.
The loss in Toyko, hardest hit by
the earthquake, was approximately
10000. 900.
20 Per Cent. Wrecked.
Eeventy-four per cent of the build
inRs of Tokyo were wrecked. YoKo-
hama, according to the report, did
not fare so well. Practically the
entire city was destroyed, due prin-
ctpally to the fact that the shock
was greater there than at Tokyo.
The damage in Yokohama was, Of
course, considerably less than In
Tokyo because of the smaller size
of the city.
Most of the factories, temporarily
put out of commission in japan,
have resumed operations or will re-
sumo in the near future, the de-
partment learned.
The natural outcome of the de-
gtrucfion of factories will be, no
doubt, to place manufacturing on a
more economic basis the report
said. "Amalgamation among the
small units and Standardization of
products win be the order Of the
day"
transportation Is Good.
Il was shown that telegraph.
telephone and cable companies are
functioning smoothly and transpor-
tation systems are giving excellent
service, although there is a serious
shortage of rolling stock. The scar
city of street cars in Tokyo will
being rushed to Japan from other
+ +tOne noteworthy development has
been the Introduction of labor saw
ing devices following the disaster"
the Department of Commerce found.
Automobile trucks, steam shovels
and other mechanical devices are
taking the place of human labor.
1.-The necessity for quick action
and the lack of manual labor were
largely responsible for this move.
Contrary to the popular opinion
Japanese day labor has never been
plentiful or in late years cheap.
THE speed and efficiency with
which the debris was cleared away
has been an eye-opener to the
japanese. and the effects of the in
novations should be far-reaching
and may cut the gordian knot of
high wages and high production
costs III industry at the same time
open a market for American spe-
cfalized automatic machinery"
Better Construction Seen.
The report indicates that the mar
row streets and the poor construc-
ton of the japanese empire may
be entirely eliminated as a result of
the earthquake.
The Diet, meeting today, il was
pointed out. will have before it
plans on widening and Strengthening
the streets, improvement of
wharves, elimination of conditions
causing freight congestions and the
removal of schools and colleges
from business and manufacturing
districts
Land in Tokyo, razed of improve
ments. is about one-fifth of it's for
mer value. according to the report
The japanese press proposes that
the government take over the land
at a normal price, lay out the city
on a modern planning system and
then resell to the people, giving for
mer owner priority.
Diet to Discuss Plan.
This plan must be decided upon
by the Diet.
"Japan's strong financial position
has been a great factor in enabling
the nation to weather the disaster"
1t was declared. $50 far, in view
Of the heavy purchases abroad of
reconstruction materials, yen ex-
change on the New York market
has remained comparatively firm,
due to the country's banking or
ganization and the governments
control of the situation. Loans
proffered by foreign banks have so