Press translations [Japan]. Editorial Series 0133, 1945-12-20.

Full Translation:

I would like to say a word about a plan for increasing the pay of government officials, since I am one of those connected with elementary education. Although it is absolutely prohibited for us to make undue profits as is done in business, we are still human beings. Hitherto, we have been told repeatedly by senior officials, "You educators should not consider salaries, instead be silently contented with your honorable profession". However, under the present stringent state of offairs it is impossible for us to remove ourselves from our economic problem. For instance, there is a teacher who, at the age of 33 or 34, has a family to feed and receives a salary of about 60 yen a month. To live and carry out our work at this wage is miserable. Under these circumstances, have the authorities no intention, to improve and to classify the existing salary-system into several grades, and to increase the rate of pay raises especially in favour of low-salaried people?

Moreover, I believe that those who have families to support are worse off than those who are single. Aren't the authorities going to increase the family allowance? Isn't it true that if you consider everyone equally the old state of offairs will prevail? Besides, if a bones is to be given, it should not be based on the standard of salary, but rather distributed according to each individual's endeavour. I would like to hear the opinion of the Minister of Education about this.

(Letter from MAYUMI)

The evacuation of schoolchildren which has estended over a year is almost completed. I express my sincere gratitude to the authorities concerned as a parent. However, I deeply regret that there have been many mistakes in the undertaking. My second son went to HIRAOKA, Mura, SHIMOTAKAI-Bun, NAGANO Ken, and when I visited him once, he was utterly depressed, in spirits and his physical strength had declined to such a degree that I could hardly recognize him. In contrast to my belief that this was solely due to the lack of ample food allotments on the part of the prefectural authorities, I heard several things from a domitory-mother who came back the other day: "As the date of evacuation drew near, the teachers carried the charcoal supply to farmers' houses every day, and exchanged it for apples, wheat, etc. Thus depriving the children in order to send it to their own homes. In addition, a strawbag full of preserved rice left over by stinting on the children's rations and a box of canned goods disappeared in a single night." She asserted with resentment, "I have worked a long time for the children's sakes but I cannot help being vexed to think that I have been a cat's paw of those immoral people."

Listening to the story I can only remember the circumstances of my visit to my child; just as the words of the proverb: "Where there's smoke, there's fire." This state of affairs is far graver than the

EDITORIAL SERIES: 133 (Continued)

ITEM 1 (Continued)

problem of the returning soldiers. An earnest appeal must be made by schoolgirls who solicit the relief fund for the war raid orphans.

(Letter from one of the parents)

Full Translation:

The House of Representatives was dissolved on Tuesday and consequently a general election is to be held on or about 24 January of next year. Of course we cannot expect the House of Representatives to be thoroughly reconstituted so as to provide for the democratic construction of JAPAN in one election. However we must direct our attention to the coming election in which members who co-operated in the prosecution of war will be forced to come up for election again. The results of it can be expected to show the future of each political party.

Accordingly it is natural that all the political parties, Progressive, Liberal, Social-Democratic, Communist and Co-operative intend to concentrate upon electioneering a month or more before the general election. Each party, Progressive, Liberal and Social Democratic, not to mention Communist, cannot be completely assured of success. However, they can be expected to participate in the new government by holding a balance of power. As a result of this view, each party seems to put stress upon the so-called election campaign, which means the art of holding their long-established constituency or encroaching upon the others, rather than propagandizing their platforms.

It cannot be denied that each party has a very poor platform, especially as to economic policy. As a matter of fact much difficulty lies in the way of reconstructing a peaceful economy, since our country has been defeated. On the one hand a fundamental policy is required for this purpose and on the other hand, emergency measures must be adopted to cope with the urgent situation. However, in view of the fact that this matter is of great importance and entails difficulty, each party should contend with one another, clearly announcing their platform as to economic policy.

All parties, Progressive, Liberal, Social-Democratic and Communist, assert an economic policy to some extent. All of them are modeled along democratic lines, but few of them can win the sympathy of the people or can be a guide to the economic reconstruction of new JAPAN. Setting aside the fact that the Communists have no substantial program, except that of the abolition of the Emperor System, and that of the advocacy of economic policies which are a mere array of communist theories based on formulism, all the other parties have no economic policy by which they can be expressly characterized.

All of their platforms are abstract and empty or a mere array of problems. Moreover, the important problems such as that of the creation of the property and war profit tax or of land reform have been previously suggested to be put into effect by the Allied directive. A policy for the curtailment of finances is now being studied more concretely by the Government. The parties, encluding the Social-Democrats, cannot attract the peoples' attention with a new policy, since it is not too much to say that the parties lag behind the people in this regard. The people will have difficulty in electing a member of the House who can truly represent the peoples' will on economic policy. At the very most, the platform of each party is abstract and empty on a fundamental policy and is no more than an array of problems on emergency measures.

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EDITORIAL SERIES: 133 (Continued)

ITEM 2 (Continued)

The meagerness of the economic policy of the political parties is directly attributable to the fact that the parties lack able men and firm organization. The party men themselves study the economic problems sincerely and steadily and learn from practical men as well as scholars. However, the party organizations such as the political affairs investigation committee should be established firmly as the central organ of the party, and not as a temporary expedient. If the present condition of the parties continues, party men will always be led by bureaucrats, who are now watching for an opportunity to restore their former influence. Thus, in effect, the bureaucrats will again become the leading influence in political circles. Now that the parties or party men can make the most of statistics and materials which were monopolized by the bureaucrats in wartime, it must be possible for parties to establish firmly an economic policy suitable to actual conditions.

On the other hand, each party should firmly hold its own policy or views without following the fashions of the day. The platforms announced by each party make us feel that they were adopted out of an opportunistic choice. Although it is inevitable that a party has its ups and downs, a party whose policy drifts with the current will not be able to be a broad party. The similarity of policies among the Progressive, Liberal and Social-Democratic parties is due to their opportunism. The problems which interest the people most are those on daily life and economics. Bach party, which appears in the general election, should acquire the people's confidence by presenting a confident economic program.

Full Translation:

We have discovered during the war the fact that theory can not be adapted in real circumstances. It is easy to formulate a plan. Those officials who think their work is done and they have discharged their duty when such a plan is made, have done harm to our country. Why hasn't this evil custom been swept away now that the war is over?

As the shortage of Coal became more serious, the Government seems to have taken various counter-measures for it. A Board of coal has been established, wages and supply of food for the coal miners have been raised, an employment order has been arranged, and machines and materials are to be distributed conveniently to the miners. If these plans are put into practice and the miners employed, the output of coal will rapidly increase in spite of the bad conditions caused by the disordered condition of mining during the war. But how about the real circumstances?

The establishment of the Board of Coal and the appointment of high officials were indeed realized, but the other plans are nothing more than what we call theorelical plans and moot of them have not been put into practice. It is rumored that the contradiction between a desk plan and real circumstances have resulted in the frequent flights of the miners from the coal mines. It is very natural, therefore, that Allied Headquarters demands of the Japanese Government a serious examination of the problem, and orders that counter-measures be taken as soon as possible.

The habit of formulating desk plans is not limited only to the coal problem. Are those plans for cultivating the land or construction of

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EDITORIAL SERIES: 133 (Continued)

ITEM 3 (Continued)

dams capable of realization? A picture of a rice sake cannot satisfy a man. The evil custom of the officials, who think that their work is done when they make a more desk plan must be swept away at this time.

Full Translation:

Since we have the rights of woman suffrage, it is a pressing matter to raise the standard of our culture. But, we cannot accomplish our purpose as long as the libraries are in such a poor condition. Municipal libraries should be improved and should be opened on Sundays and at least until 1930 during weekdays. I desire that the authorities aid in enhancing the people's political senses and satisfy their thirst for knowledge. (From HIRABAYASHI, Taiko.)

(Answer from the TOKYO Central Library.)

At present, there are only two libraries, the KYO BASHI and the SURUGADAI. We know it is inconvenient for those who want to study so we are formulating a large systematic plan to enable people to study in earnest. If those who especially want to study would consult with either library, they would be given special attention. Shortage of fuel makes it difficult to keep the libraries open at night, but we are trying our best, at present, to meet your wishes.

(From the Head Librarian of Central Library.)

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