Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-08-24
Japs' Social
Rule ers
Economic Woes and
Political Shares
Hurt Regime
By Stuart LiIIico

surround them, the Socialist ex-
pertinent will be badly hurt in
Japan.
American interest in this situa-
ton is not merely academic. The
program originally offered by the
Social Democratic Party of Japan
gave promise of converting Nippon
into. a slightly left-of-the-center
democracy, free from at least the
most obvious seeds of future trouble
for the world.
Failure of the Socialists would put
Japan on a course considerably to
the right of center. Administra-
ton would then be in the hands of
men who, while liberal in the
Victorian sense, are not closely
allied with democratic progress.
Reds No Threat Now
Such an event hardly seems fatal.
Nevertheless, it was big business
in Tokyo and Osaka that carried
Japan into its catastrophe war.
The rise of conservative business
mems government" would represent
a distinct decline in our insurance
aga inst the rearming Of Japan.
Unlike some other countries In
this postwar world, Nippon is not
likely to be forced to accept COM
munism in the practicable future.
The Reds have made progress since
the surrender (they now have two
seats in the Diet; Communists were
all in jail two years ago.. But they
are a long way from power.
The Socialist Democratic Party
came into power in May. following
Japan's second postwar general cleo
ton. No single group achieved an
absolute majority in the polling.
Nevertheless, the Diet Operating
under the new constitution for the
first time) elected Tetsu Katayama,
leader of the Social Democrats,
Prime Minister by an overwhelming
vote.
In order to form a government
that commanded a majority of Diet
votes, Katayama had to secure the
support of at least two other parties.
After some involved bargaining, the
Peoples's Cooperative Party and the
Democrats joined the Socialists to
form center-left coalition. The So
called Liberals actually conserv-
atives) and the Communists held
aloof.
Platform Discarded
Before he could win over the
others, however, Katayama was
forced to jettison most of the
Socialist platform for recovery. Col
lecting crops by popularity elected
committees, instead of by the police,
for example, was discarded because
the conservatives insisted the plan
smacked too strongly of communism
CAS- a matter of fact, the Com
munist Party had suggested the idea
in the first place. Naturalization
of the artificial fertilizer industry
upon which Japans intensive farm
ing depends for its life was similarly
blocked. BY the time he got II men
for his cabinet, Katayama had
bargained away all but one plank
of his platform. That was national
ization of the coal mines.
Now, after three msnths in power,
1t looks like the Socialists will be
unable to accomplish even that.
Opposition has become more vocal
and the other parties to the coalition
are talking about refusing to let it
go through. Yet, up to the present,
Katayama has refused to drop the
idea. A law to nationalize the coal
mines is now being written.
If and when the bill is presented
to the Diet, Katayama is likely to
make passage matter of confidence.
It's defeat would mean defeat for
the Socialist government.
Economy Disorderly
Downfall of the Socialists, should
1t come, would not be the result of
opposition to this single action, of
course. It's actions in the past three
months have robbed the administra-
ton Of its popular support, as well
as its voting strength in the Diet
In an effort to destroy the black
market that has thrown Japan's
economy into disorder, Katayama
decreed drastic increases in official
prices. The object was to choke off
supplies to the black market by
making distribution through legal
channels profitable to the farmers,
small manufacturers and fishermen
Momentarily, the effort succeeded.
Then black market prices rose, too.
When the cycle was completed,
goods were again being sold almost
exclusively through illegal channels,
but at prices substantially above
those prevailing before the Socialists
came into power. The popular re-
action to this situation was prompt
and devastating.
The price rise fiasco so cowed the
government that little has been at
tempted since early July. This has
not satisfied the public, which now
accuses the Socialists of doing
nothing in the face of disaster.
Heroic measures are necessary If
Katayama hopes to remain in power
much longer. The coal nationaliza-
ton program may be looked upon as
such an heroic step On the other
hand, 1t may be merely a soft spot
on which the Socialists can fall.
Reasons for Failure
The failure to date can be laid to
two factors. This Socialists are not