The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-21
BRETON SCRAMBLE. FUR JAP CUISINES
Indications, However, Are Nipponese Products Will Be
 Used Largely In Building

LONDON. Oct. 20.-(By Associated Press.)-British exporters are in the midst of the worlds scramble for the big orders which are expected from Japan in the wake of the de- vastation in Yokohama and Tokio. Hardly since the bonanza days of the Russo-Japanese war, when Jap anese government contracts for eV- erything from bully beef to battle ships were to be had for the asking, has such an opportunity been pre- sented to business men with connec7 tions in the Far East.
 In rebuilding the devastated areas, however, Japanese products particu- larly in the industrial district of Osaka, will probably be used to a greater extent than foreign business men anticipate, for Japan has pro- gressed far along the road of indus trialism since the days Cf the war with Russia when the island empire was almost entirely dependent upon the western countries for factory products. Nevertheless, reports that the destroyed areas will be rebuilt along the lines of western cities en- couraging exporters to hope that they will be sending shiploads of material to the Orient.
 Assists English Firms.
 The federation of British industries is leading in the efforts here to as- sist English firms to land contracts and has announced project whereby group of non-competipg manufacturers hopes to maintain it's own representative in Japan. The scheme is intended for those manu- lecturers who do not maintain their own men in the Japanese empire and therefore it does net involve competition with already establish ed firms. The British group plans some sort of permanent exhibition of British products in Japan and per- manent representative acquainted with American methods In exporting, for 1t Is expected that the principal competition in contracting for the reconstruction work will be mainly from the United States.
 The English farmers are demon stratins their kinship with the American soil tillers by complaining about the crops. The year 1923 was forecast as a likely banner year in agricultural England, but the sea- sons here are mysterious and fre- quently ruinous to the hopes of the farmers, and with the exception of hay the crops this year have been generally poor, nearly all being be- lew the average for the last 10 years. Farmers Want Duties Levied.
 Just now the farmers are taking advantage of the presence In Eng land of the dominion premiers who are urging tho adoption of a sys- tenn of preferential tariffs for Brit ish dominion products The farmers are not urging a duty on wheat and barley, for that might endanger their supplies of bread and beer. but they do want duties levied on ether prod ucts. maintaining that unless some- thing is done to rescue the farmers from their plight, England's, whole agricultural structure will go to pieces.
 ened to turn half of all the titled land in the country to grass unless the government acts in their behalf. but rescue work in the form of tariff reform seems unlikely. Most of the experts argue that a tariff surely would increase prices of food. And in England, where the land itself feeds the people of the country one day each week, imported foodstuffs being required for the other SIX, any substantial increase in the cost of foodstuffs is likely to mean an end to the government in power at the time.
 Maurice Ravel. the famous French G1 origin of jazz music is not alone at tributable to the American negro, but that the English and Scotch peo- pie had something to do with it. Whenever started it, those compos- ing 1t In America today have the ap- proval of M. Ravel.
 "The best jazz is written by good musicians and contains the essential harmonies," he said to interviewers who sought his opinion on the "ba- mana schooP' of music when he ar rived in London this week to. conduct a special symphony orchestra in a festival of his own composition
 Melodies that are popular ought not to be ridiculed,"/ he continued. "You may be assured that when popular music becomes national there Is nothing artificial about it."
 M. Ravel said that next year he was going to America to accept invi- tations to conduct orchestras in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston,