The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-02
BY J. R.


The crisis of capitalism in Japan
md the imperialist war against the
Chinese people has resulted in the
general worsening of the conditions
of the workers and peasants in Japan
Since the workers in the war plants
are part of the working class, and
the priyates in the armed forces come
mainly from the working class and
poor peasantry, the misery of the
toilers generally also has its effect
upon the workers in the war plants
and the priyates in the armed forces,
Under the guise of national ener-
gency," the workers in the war indus
try have been placed in the condition
of slavery. Their real wages are
much lower as a result of the in
fiation that exists. They are forced
to work many hours overtime, for
which they receive very little addi-
tional pay, and they are forced to
work under extreme conditions Of
terror and espionage.
The privates in the armed forces,
who are being killed by the thou
sands on the battlefields, are forced
to exist on the scantiest rations, while
their officers live in luxury.
Discomfort in War Industry
From all this, it is easy to under
stand why the discontent and strug-
giles Of the Japanese toilers is also
reflected in the war industry and the
armed forces. In a certain naval
arsenal, employing about 10000 work
eTs, 1000 Of whom are temporary,
wages for the permanent workers are
about ! yen and 80 sen per day, while
for the temporary workers the wages
are l yen and 20 sen. Apprentices
Whose period Of apprenticeship lasts
three years. receives 90 sen per day.
Prior to the war the workers re-
| ceived a minimum raise of wages of
Is sen a day every two years, which
! is now reduced to 5 sen a day every
four years. Likewise, the two bonuses
of 25 days and Is days wages re-
ceiYed yearly have been discontinued.
The temporary workers receive no
bonuses or extra pay whatsoever. The
regular work day is hours, but over
time Of from 2 to hours day is
worked, for which very little is paid.
Wages Cut, Hours Increased
The Uraga Dock Co. and the Yoke
hama Dock Co. are very important
enterprises in the war industry. In
these, real wages not only deprecated
because of imitation, but the nominal
wage was actually cut. Hours Of
work have been increased, and the
speed-up system greatly increased as
result of elaborate naturalization
schemes. The above are only few
instances of the conditions in the war
industry.
The workers In the war industry
I'VE not accepted their slave condi-
ems without struggle. The press re-
/ ports that in February this year the
workers of thirteen munition factories
in Toxic declared a protest strike
against the arrest Of number of rev.
dictionary workers who were the lead
ers of all the workers in their fight
against their worsening conditions
The press report states that "the War
Minister gave instructions to crush
the strike even if the most severe
measures had to be used"
Developing Strikes
In the ammunition factory 'Satu-
mel the police broke up a meeting of
strikers, injuring quite number. In
two important war industry plants
the Full Nagata Shipbuilding Co and
the Kobe plant Of the Mitsubishi
Shipbuilding Co., the workers went
ON strike against their miserable con-
ditions. In the latter plant the work
ers of the engine department again
came out ON strike at the end of
February this year. The report states
that the workers of the other depart
ments were much agitated about their
conditions and threatened to join
the engine department in its strike.
Workers from the different war in
dustry plants, in writing to the revo-
lutionary press, state that many
workers are not only discontinued
with their economic conditions, but
that many of them are showing spe-
cific anti-War sentiment.
From all the above we can see why