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Show TOO GREEDY. The foremost financier and business man of Japan. Baron Shibu Sana, declares de-clares that, while the war has proved an unexpected windfall to the Japanese business men, many of them have shown more greed than discretion in the scramble, scram-ble, to tho dismay and disgust of thoughtful compatriots. These greedy business men do not see beyond their own selfish interests, says the baron, even with the most momentous issues at stake. His statement was made two or three weeks before the signing of the armistice, but the Japanese statesman states-man saw peace coming and warned his countrymen that their present business prosperity, duo to an extraordinary economic situation, will suffer a severe curtailment in the near future, when it will become necessary for the commercial commer-cial interests to give some thought and heed of the morrow. Japan has been one of the chief trade beneficiaries of the war in Europe. ITer merchants and manufacturers have prospered pros-pered in a manner far beyond their 1 wildest dreams. But the return of peace i will put an end to this extraordinary era of prosperity, and there may ensue, a business and industrial depression which will be felt in all walks of life. It will require real statesmanship to prevent pre-vent suffering throughout the island empire, and the statesmen must have j the co-operation of the business men in i order to keep the ship of state on an ieven keel. As is the case in all other countries throughout the world where thero has been an unprecedented demand for labor, la-bor, wages have advanced in Japan to :i point far beyond tho amounts paid before tho war. If there is a general curtailment of business there will be thousands of idle laborers, and it is evident that something will have to be done to keep them from becoming riotous, riot-ous, for the cost of living will remain high for some time to come. There never has been anything like equality i among the people of Japan. In fact. , ?;ste has prevailed to such an extent , that the gulf between the classes has always been impassable. Conditions in this respect were changed in a slight degree as the result of the rice riots of la-it summer, but the injustice of centuries cen-turies still rankles in the breasts of t boe who have not been allowed a ny riijlr.- or privileges while Their fellow j mortals have been clothed in purpie I j and fine linen and fared sumpfuously. I While Japan has succeeded in gaining ; a place among the family of nations.; the people of the country have been) learning something about western civili- I jzation, and they no longer revere a man I merely because he belongs to the titled aristocracy or because ho happens to have a considerable amount of this world's goods. Only a short time ago the first commoner to becomo premier took office, and the day of the heredi- , tary noble is at an end bo far as the cabinet is concerned. But the question ! of equality before the law is not para- j mount at the present time. The main problem, to be Bolved is how to bring j capital and labor together in order that i there be no disturbances, and that the j material progress of the country be not j brought to a sudden halt. Labor all over the world is certain to fight against wage reductions, even j though the scales arc abnormally high in many instances. The tabor unions in ! the United States already have given notice that the standard will not be lowered. A similar situation has arisen in Great Britain, although the average scalo over there is much less than in this country. The laboring classes of Japan may be expected to follow the lead of their fellows in other countries, and Baron Shtbu Sana does well to call upon tho business men of Nippon to consider the welfare of the whole nation na-tion and to think less of their own selfish self-ish interests, and his words should not fall upon deaf ears. The same rule applies ap-plies everywhere else in the world. At the same time, labor should not be unreasonable in the United States, Great Britain, Japan or in any other country while wo are getting back to normal conditions after a protracted world war. There are limits to wage scales beyond which business men cannot can-not go and keep their heads above water, wa-ter, and there is much danger of killing the goose that lays the golden egg if I business is to undergo the process of i strangulation. Still the laborer is worthy of his hire everywhere under the sun, and those who toil with their hands must share in the responsibilities of government as well as in the prosperity due, in part at least, to their skill as craftsmen and their willingness to work. Capital and labor must get together on common ground all over the world if we, are to enjoy tSe blessings of peace for which the war was waged. |
