Press translations [Japan]. Editorial Series 0116, 1945-12-19.
Date19 December, 1945
RepositoryRauner Special Collections Library, Dartmouth College.
Call Numbereditorial-0385
Call NumberDS801 .S82
Persistent Identifier
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EDITORIAL SERIES: 116
ITEM 1 We Return the Protest. From Mr. HARA, Takeshi, Member of the Standing Committee
of the Social
Democratic Party - Yomiuri Hochi - 15 Dec 45. Translator: J. Wada.
Full translation:
Your letter of protest printed in this column 11 December (TN see ATIS Press Translations
No. 334.) surprised us since you,
yourself are one of the principal members of the Social-Democratic Party. The logical
consistency with which you presented the
reasons for the protest is quite enough to convince outsiders of your arguments. Moreover,
your utilization of a newspaper, a
public organ, is quite effective in planting in the minds of the public a lack of
confidence in the Social-Democratic
Party.
Is this what you intended? We can easily guess your real intentions in making such
a protest. Why did you take such a way?
Anyone can easily see the ill effects of such a measure. You have been our co-worker
since the establishment of our party and
are now one of the principal members. You ought to know better than to do such a thing,
though it may be excusable for an
outsider who has no connection with the Party. Did you have any ulterior motive that
you should have adopted such a
cold-hearted manner of protest, which a friendly outsider would not have taken?
Be that as it may, your protest is summarized in your three questions. Of course,
we can reply to you as formally as you did
if we wished. However, we dare not take such a course, though we know well that may
deepen the misunderstanding on the part of
the public. We shall give you a reply based on mutual reliance, humanitarianism and
companionship, which are the fundamental
conditions of democracy you earnestly advocated in your protest. We believe this is
the true democratic way in argument.
Going through your letter, we find two problems. One concerns the method of the disposition
of problems and the other is about
our opinion in the reform of the Constitution. As for the first problem, we must reply
that the standing committee is the
executive organ in charge of all party affairs, irrespective of their importance.
The executives organ realizes and executes
that which is decided upon. Thus, the standing committee can deal with "such an important
problem" as in your protest.
Nevertheless, you seem to insist that the standing committee is not qualified to decide
such an important problem. Of course,
the committee, as a rule, cannot do more than that which is decided by the deliberative
organ, but the standing committee is
entrusted to function as a deliberative organ in time of emergency. The case is the
same as the cabinet invested with
authority for emergency actions. However, we want you to remember that we are not
speaking of the Emergency Imperial Ordinance
(KINKYUCHOKUREI) or the Financial Emergency Measure in our
EDITORIAL SERIES 116 (Continued)
ITEM 1 (Continued)
Constitution, which are now under re-exanination. We can see such examples in ENGLAND,
where politics are most
democratic.
The core of the problem lies in whether the scope of the activity of the standing
committee is clear or not. The standing
committee is conscious of this point. This is a matter for an organ which is to take
measures concerning problems arising at
every moment. It is more natural that the standing committee should deal with a problem
along the lines already decided by the
Congress, We shall be happy if we can discuss this kind of problem in mutual confidence
in conformity with the spirit of
Democracy.
ITEM 2 Voice of the People - Asahi Shimbun - 15 Dec 45. Translator: B. Ishibashi.
Summary:
A supply of three cigarettes per day us tolerable, but a brand such as NOZOMI, which
is not packed, should not be distributed
at all, (TOKYO) KOBIATA, Atsushi. Today, one can buy anything, provided he has enough
money. Malnutrition is not a thing to be
feared. However, we salary men have not the money. Our only deposits have been spent
for sweet potatoes and for commodities
whose prices are soaring day by day.
Day and night, we think of ways through which we can maintain the health of our family.
We feel that it would be better to
have our salaries raised than to put through a rice ration of 3 go per day. (TOKYO,
MUDA, Kyoke-housewife).
Recently the supply of electricity has been inadequate. With a 100-watt bulb, we
can hardly read a book. Furthermore, it is
stopped every fourth or fifth day. Is there no means of adjusting this? SETAGAYA,
WATANASE, Tetsuzo.
The use of electric stoves was encouraged by the Government the other day. Now they
are being sold everywhere. I bought one
and reported it to the KANTO HAIDEN ltd. They prohibited me from using it until they
could come to check it over. I waited and
waited, but as yet they have not come. The house opposite mine is in the same situation
(KANAGAWA: KANAYAMA, Hiroshi
student).
The revised hair-cutting fee is unsuitable under present conditions, and the hair
washing fee is ridiculous. At this time,
there is a complete shortage of soap, gas and fuel, and hair cannot be washed. It
is appropriate to fix particular fees for
each of our services - hair cutting, shaving and washing. (TOKYO: SAKAMOTO, Jujiro
a barber)
I wonder why the authorities permitted the fee for hair cutting to be 3.90 yen. Aside
from the tax of 1.30 yen, a fee of 2.60
yen is too high for our salaried men. (TOKYO, SUDO, Hideo - an employee of a company)
Is the point system for textile fabrics to be continued? If so, tickets should be
allotted every year. War sufferers and the
public in general cannot buy textile fabrics supplied through neighborhood associations
because of the lack of points. I
wonder what will become of these
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EDITORIAL SERIES 116 (Continued)
ITEM 2 (Continued)
textiles. (GUMMA) (GUNMA; KANEKO, Yasuo)
The impression of housewives that they must buy commodities regardless of the price,
asked is yet deeply rooted among them.
The first reason for this is that the shopkeepers continue to use threatening language
to the effect that they will stop the
supply. The second is that housewives show too much reserve and consideration toward
the clerk. The third reason is the
general timidness of housewives. A freer society is desirable so that they can openly
express their opinion. We hope that the
Government and the people will co-operate with each other in bringing about changes
so that housewives are not forced to
purchase useless things or to pay exorbitant prices. (TOKYO, KOMATSU, Masao - an engineer)
DISTRIBUTION "X"
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