Press translations [Japan]. Social Series 0111, 1945-12-22.

Summary:

According to an announcement of the Public Relations Office of the General Headquarters of the Allied Forces, Allied servicemen are not allowed to take their meals at public civilian eating houses and restaurants for civilians, due to the impending food crisis in JAPAN.

This directive is applicable to all the public restaurants, cafes and cabarets where Japanese domestic foods are served. In addition to this, dining halls and clubs for Allied servicemen are prohibited from purchasing Japanese domestic foods. These clubs must obtain their food supplies from the Allied Supply Depot.

Summary:

Employees of the TOKYO Express have been on strike since 13 December, demanding among other things a 500 per cent increase in wages and the payment of 1,000 yen as a year end bonus.

The dispute came to an end on Wednesday as a result of concessions made by the employee's lowering of the wage increase demand to 300 per cent and the bonus demand to 500 yen.

It is further learned that the demands of the company’s Employes' Union with a membership of 12,000 will likely be met. They also demand the democratization of the company, a prompt observance of collective barganing, and the establishment of a co-operative association supported by the Company.

Summary:

The criminal case against IWATA, Shun, aged 51, secretary of the later Mr. MAIT, Hikaichi, Director of the MATSUYA Department Store, has [illegible]naravaled as an incidentain the SHIMPEITAI intrigue case. The accused has been arrested on the combined charges of forgery and circulation of official documents and negotiable securities, fraud, contemplated murder, false fication and negotiable securities

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ITEM 3 (Continued)

and their circulation, false statement in the original of the authentic documents and their circulation and bribery. The case has been under trial at the TOKYO District Criminal Court.

The accused was sentenced yesterday to two years penal servitude, with suspension of the sentence for three years against the prosecuter's demand.

Full Translation:

The Japan Teachers! Association has made plans for promoting teachers! welfare, thereby fulfilling the wishes of some 280,000 teachers!. On 20 December, Chief Director KIKUCHI, and three other directors of the ASSOCIATION visited Education Minister MAEDA, Home Minister [illegible]HORIKIRI, and Finance Minister SHIBUZAWA, and stated their proposals. The Education Ministry has been planning to give a bonus equivalent to three and a. half month's pay to every teacher, but no positive measures have been taken. These proposals should be helpful for their cause.

The items proposes were:

• 1.Increase in pay of 500 per cent;
• 2.Allocation of working suits, rubber-scaled socks, rain gear, and bicycles, which are necessary for teachers to attend schools and perform their services;
• 3.Enlargement of teachers! farms and obtaining of houses for teachers;
• 4.The position and salaries of all teachers from university professors down to primary school teachers should be determined on one scale, and everyone should be given an opportunity for promotion to the highest position, according to his ability and experience;
• 5.Salaries of all teachers should be paid by the State.
• 6.Teachers should receive education in schools and other agencies to improve themselves while they hold their posts.

Full Translation:

The winter vacation for university and high school students will be prolonged as a result of the food shortage and suspension of students! season tickets on railroads. These measures are expected to produce academically bad effects on the students. This academic record has already shown a marked drop during the war. The winter vacation terms of important schools will be as follows:

TOHAKU Imperial University, DAINI, HOROSAKI and YAMAGATA High schools and the SENDAI Higher Technical School will be closed between 10 Dec and 3 Feb. In TOKYO, KOKUGAKUIN University's vacation will be from 1 December to 23 February. TOKYO Industrial University, WASEDA University, and HOSEI University will be closed from 30 to 50 days,

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starting 10 December. All high schools will take similar action. All imperial universities will be closed between 10 December and 10 February. NAGOYA Women's Medical School will be closed between 10 December and 31 January. In OSAKA, the OSAKA Commercial College, high schools, and technical school will be closed between 10 December and 20 January or longer.

Summary:

The latest book of Edna FERBER, "Great Son", deals with four successive generations of a pioneer American family in the Northwest, Emphasizing the invaluable inheritance of American Democracy. She is now travelling through devastated EUROPE, so probably her next book will deal with EUROPE.

Richard WRIGHT is interesting for his turn from extreme individualism to social conciousness. His books "Uncle Tom's Children"; "Native Son"; and "Black Boy" all deal with the negro in Americal Society.

Lester C[illegible]HEN'S latest book "Returning Home "(KIKAN) deals with the ponderous economical and political problems facing the American Soldier returning home from abroad.

A description of modern American literature at present is naturally restricted, as the author does not have a full review at his disposal. Nevertheless, the present and future trend of American literature is of great interest to the Japanese people, and it is to be hoped that in the choice of translations, circumspection and good judgement will be exercised, so that the Japanese public becomes acquainted with first class and net second or third rate American literature. The author is, however, of the opinion that indescriminate translations of American novels will not only be useless, but will also be determental in enlightening the Japanese people, who have no knowledge or only very insufficient knowledge of the 300 years of American Pioneer tradition. The books of John DEWEY, such as "Liberalism and Culture" and "Democracy and Education" should prove of great benefit to the Japanese public. "Democracy and Education".

In connection with American literature, the Japanese people will do well to remember that the spirit of man is transformed and enriched not only through spiritual but also through material affiliations and that a high degree of humanistic may be born out of Extending one's own life.

DISTRIBUTION: "X"

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