Evening star., 1938-03-27
JAPAN TAKES0VER
ECTR|C|NDUSTRY
Diet Approval Marks Long
Step in Direction of
Tota|itarianism.
BY the Associated Press.

~ sA4C AooOIldlcQ FIRSS.
TOXIC, Marcn 26.-Japan's Parlia-
ment ended a historic session to-
night, having taken the nation far
along the road to totalitarianism. The
last bill enacted was a government
measure to transfer entire control of
Japan's huge electric industry from
private hands to the state
Also voted was the bitterly con-
tested national mobilization bill to
give the government unlimited power
to draft Japans manpower and eco
nomlc resources in war emergency.
Conflict Marked Session.
The whole session, the regular
1878 meeting, was marked by con-
f1ict between the cabinet and the Leg
islature, dissession between the houses
and strife among the parties in the
lower house.
The session was to have ended yes
terday, but rescript from Emperor
Hirohito was necessary to prolong
1t one day so that a deadlock over
the electric power bill could be broken.
The bill was the last of So which
the government introduced All but 10
were adopted. The session already
had approved the regular 1859
budget of S883, 100000, of which about
half goes to the army and navy, and
also supplementary budget of about
$1,400,0000Oo for expenses of the war
in China.
Price Rise Indicated,
Evidence of strain on the nations
financial and material reserves was
seen in a sharp rise in the commod-
ity price index. published today.
The ratio for March was 1867, based
on last July as the normal, and showed
increases in the cost of all essential
commodities.
For a year before July, 1887, how
ever, Japan had been importing heav-
lily and planning industrial expansion.
Living costs, therefore, had reached a
peak by then and despite the war
had declined until the new rise this
month.
The finance ministry also an
nounced an ordinance revision affect
ing foreign exchange. Starting April
5, government permission will be nee
eessary for the following transac-
tions:
Purchase or sale of foreign eX-
changes in Japan. sale of yen exchange
In foreign countries, remittances-in-
cluding cash-to foreign countries, ex-
port of coupons of securities in foreign
currency, issuance of letters of credit
and payment of telegraphic transfers
Riot in Diet Chamber.
Passage of the electric power bill
came after SO hours of furious debate
which had exploded into a small riot
in the Diet chamber.
The uproar broke as the first dead
line, last midnight, approached. Mem
bers Of the major parties, Seiyukai
and Minseito, rushed the aisles to
block the way of Social Mass party
representative who tried to fight his
way to the speakers platform.
Premier Prince Fumimaro Konoye
IN the meantime. had obtained the
Emperors sanction to continue the
session one day. The imperial rescript
ended the disturbance.
The scufhing members Immediately
froze when they saw the speaker
Shoju Koyama, waving the scroll
bound in imperial purple silk. In the
sudden silence, he read
I'VE hereby order that the Imperial
Diet be prolonged until March 26, by
one day" Party leaders quickly re-
sumed their session.
Bill Passed Lower House.
The bill had passed the lower house
smoothly, but encountered heavy op-
position among the peers, many of
whom represent large business inter-
ests. Like the national mobilization
bill, it was backed by the army as
war measure.
The peers, however. wrote drastic
amendments and returned the measure
to the lower house, which refused
to accept them. Under a government
threat to dissolve Parliament if the
measure failed, the Diet gave a joint
committee of both houses final au-
thority. It reached a compromise
which the government accepted.