The Wilmington morning star., 1940-05-21
WASHINGTON
DAYBOOK
By JACK STINNETT

WASHINGTON, May 2O.-Io hint at the
collapse of a nation-even if that nation should
be one whose acts you don't like-is SO times
out Of 100 more wish than thinking.
Nations just don't GO bust-poof, like that.
Remember only a few short years ago, econo-
mists were writing about the sour predicament
of Germany, Now she's waging a war, the cost
of which would black out the most vivid imagi-
nations.
This is all by way of cautious prelude, be-
cause Washington hears that Japan is in a bad
way. I don't argue that it is not. I just mean
that if you are a japanese synpathizer, don't
go committing hari-kari-or If you are anti
Nipponese, don't start holding any joyful
wakes.
The facts are pretty simple. The three-year
Chinese interlude has been costly. The cost Of
living has skyrocketed. Wages Except in the
munitions industries, which are creating the
most amazing class Of nouveau-riche you ever
heard of) haven't. The foreign trade business
looks good in yen, but the country is painfully
short on foreign exchange-and-or gold.
Jolted By Weather
Last year, Japan had a drought. 1t knocked
the very watts out Of the vital Japanese by.
droelectric power system. A coal shortage
caused householders to turn their charcoal
braziers into central heating plants.
Then came that same blizzardy spring which
swept America. Latest reports say it has put
the blight Of frost on Japan's important crops.
Latest government Information is that the
japanese silk crop may be affected as much
as 80 per cent by the spring freezes.
This much of it is truth and I can give you
the figures if you are automatically minded.
For example, the general retail price index is
5S.1 per cent above the June, 1887, level. The
wage index or March was only up 14.7 per
cent in the last year. The munitions industry,
which employs a comparatively small percent
age of the population, accounted for a lot of
that. Spring estimates indicate subnormal
crops of wheat, barley and rye. There's a gen.
eral trend toward initiation; a significant de-
cline in the absorption of national bonds; an
increase of so per cent in the national debt;
a much heavier tax burden; a mounting short.
age in nearly all commodities; a decline in la
Dor efficiency.
Prices Keep Climbing
The inability of the government to control
prices was admittedly a contributory cause of
the fall of the Abe cabinet. Price control is one
Of the major aims of the present administra.
ton.
Your government has receiver confidential
or official confirmation for all Of these state.
ments.
There are other straws in tho wind. Wash.
ington hears that the morale of the Japanese
at home is at its lowest. There have been
grumblings no end over the fuel shortage; over
the wage favoritism shown munition workers;
over the thousands and thousands of little
white boxes Of ashes of war dead that keep
coming from the war in China; over the end
less chain of propaganda lies intended to Dol.
ster the spirits of the masses.
One government reporter. a little more lyri-
cal than the rest, included the phrase that not
only in the cities but in the sticks Japan wears
the pitiful air of a nation swept by the plague.
I wouldn't know. Whatever the truth, Wash.
ington is finding time between comments on
the whirling dervish that's sweeping over
Europe, to talk about the Orient.