Press translations [Japan]. Editorial Series 0136, 1945-12-22.
Date22 December, 1945
translation numbereditorial-0436
call numberDS801 .S82
Persistent Identifier
EDITORIAL SERIES: 136
ITEM 1 Democratization of the Working Places-Yomiuri-Hochi-19 December 1945. Translator: Ketel, Karl.
Full Translation:
Democratization of the Working Places.
Since the end of the war many movements are being carried out to clean up places
of employment from the oppression of vicious
individuals. Because I am directly concerned I want to hear the judgment of the public
by exposing the real conditions at my
place of work.
At the OFUNA station the depot master and his managing staff seized military freight
cars and military storehouses, and hid
plenty of food stuff, clothing, medical supplies, soap and so on during the past war
confusion. These men have been eating
while rice and smoking foreign cigarettes every day.
The depot master himself appointed a car full of medical supplies, not allowing anyone
to touch it! However, the public was
soon made acquainted with that situation. When they were warned by the Railway Department
and other outside circles they
quickly changed the hiding places of these goods in order to barter, or to keep a
connection with street vendors, who sell all
the stolen goods in the blackmarket. They neglected their duties and became black
market dealers. Such were the means by which
they earned their money and all of them are now leading a life of luxury.
Even today robberies of goods from freight cars are rampant. Because some people
went too far in breaking open the seals on
cars, the OFUNA station master decided to organize a supervisional committee which
patrols the precincts of the station.
However this proved inadequate and the criminals could not be found. Naturally they
could net be found for the supervising
committee consisted of members belonging to the same gang of robbers. The station
master appointed to his managing staff the
thieves as his assistants.
If we complained about this they would stop payment of our salaries and would appropiate
our bonuses, or they would transfer
us to another position or ever nave us fired. The laborers pretend not to see what
is going on and do their work without
spirit.
Flaterers get ahead but not the sincere employees. However, we will not rest until
we have frustrated this ring and cleaned
out our working place from these vicious individuals. We hope that we can democratize
our place of employment as soon as
possible.
(An employee of the OFUNA station)
EDITORIAL SERIES: 136 (Continued)
ITEM 2 The Progressive Party and its President-Yomiuri-Hochi-19 December 1945. Translator: Arai, Hisoshi.
Full Translation:
At last the Progressive Party decided on its president on the last day of the Diet's
extraordinary session. He is old Mr.
MACHIDA, Chuji. This decision took two months since the formation of that Party. Was
it to be General UGAKI, Issei? Prince
KONOYE, Taminaio? Present Finance Minister SHIBUSAWA, Keizo or the old Mr. MACHIDA,
Chuji? Until now the Party was at a low as
to whom to choose.
After Prince KOHOYE death Finance Minister SHIBUSAWA. declined, saying that he is
not wort[illegible]y- of
being president. In the case of General UGAKI, negotiations between party members
and the General were not settled in spite of
his inclination for the position. So the leaders of the Party engaged 83 year-old
Mr. MACHIDA, on liberal terms after all,
though they know that he is too old to represent a democratic political party in the
new era, and that he is not very willing
to contribute to election expenses. In a word the attempt of the leaders of the old
MINSEITO faction has been successful
because Mr. MACHIDA is ex-president of the MINSEITO. It is, however, noteworthy that
there is danger of a split among the
members, not only because UGAKI is at the head, but also because other of the old
MINSEITO faction, including ASITO, Mr.
ICAINOMIYA and Mr. KAWASAKI, are against this decision. There is the tendency of a
split between the dissenting group and the
members of the old SEIYUTO faction.
Be that as it may, General UGAKI is quite a comedian. Since the abolition of the
projected UGAKI ministry, how many times has
his name been on everybody's lips? In the present case, it is said that had he overtures
from the party about his appointment
he would have accepted, and that he had already amassed funds for the election campaign.
It is reasonable for Mr. MACHIDA to dream of holding the reins of government because
he is the president of the first Party.
Insofar as the members of his Party are not war-criminals, he believes that his Party
will become the strongest one in the
coming general election. Now, if the establishment of a new JAPAN is started by a
MACHIDA Ministry, how antiquated it will
become
Only the Progressive Party is clamoring actively in the Diet, but the Liberal Party,
the Social Democratic party and
Independents are frantically making concrete plans for the general election. Since
the dissolution of the Diet is expected,
they are quite spititless owing to absence of any stimulus for discussion. The only
way to make them active is to promote the
fear that they may be selected as war-criminals.
The general election will be held around 24 January of next year, and then party
politicians will change The new Diet session
will be convoked and the transfer of political power will take place early in February.
The nation will be sufferin[illegible]from cold weather and hunger. Party politicians will greet the new year with many
difficulties
ahead.
ITEM 5 The Revision of the Japanese Histor,-Asahi-Shimbun-19 December 1945. Translator: Unayama, Toshye.
Full Translation:
The revision of distorted Japanese history has become a subject for discussion in
the Diet. It is true of all ages and
countries that the history of a country is distorted by a certain decree by the pens
of [illegible]under
government patronage in proportion to the enhancement of the adminstrator's power.
It is a well-known fact that the Nazi
Government [illegible]out the iron nails which projected into the [illegible]Iron Maiden
of NURNBERG", characteristic of the cruelty of [illegible]
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EDITORIAL SERIES: 136 (Continued)
ITEM 3 (Continued)
In Medieval GERMANY. Accounts which resemble this are inseparable from the histories
of all rulers.
To correct these matters, re-investigation into legends and folk-lore, study of archaeological
specimens, reference to the
records of neighboring countries and the like are necessary. Especially important
is the re-reading of the historical
materials compiled immediately after a great social revolution.
All studies of Dr. SHIGENO, Yasutsugu, and Dr. KUME, Kunitake which were published
with scientific attitudes in the days after
the Restoration of 1868, when there were less distorted views and good methods for
study. Also good is The Outline of Japanese
History (NIPPO[illegible]SHIKO) edited in Spencerian style by SAGA, Shosaku who participated in the
compilation of the Biogra[illegible]hical Dictionary of JAPAN and who is the first cousin of the late Dr.
MIKAYE, Setsurei. Other good materials are The sea of History (SHI[illegible]KAI) and other works written in
the style of BAKKURU by Dr. TAGUCHI, Ukichi, who explained that KAMI (god of SHINTO)
means KAMI (the top or the upper part),
therefore, it also means "KAMI" (the head of hair) and KAMI-YO (the age of gods) means
ancient times (for, ancient times is
"KAMI" or the [illegible]reaches of the current of times and the present day is "SHIMO" or the lower
reaches).
Now we see a trend in which there are still many person who hold fast to titles of
the Peerage borrowed from those of the age
of CHOW (a ruler of ancient CHINA) remoter than the age of Emperor JIMMU (the first
Emperor of JAPAN). Can such trenes revive
defeated JAPAN?
ITEM 4 True Character of the JAPAN Transportation Corporation-Yomiuri Hochi (Nitsu)-19 December 1945. Translator Fukuda, Shinichiro.
Full Translation:
The former Government-Supported JAPAN Transportation Corporation (NIPPON TSUUN KABUSHIKI
KAISHA) was actually the Homeland
Transportation Company, (NKIKOKU STCUN KAISHA) founded in 1872, according to a statement
by the Railroad Ministry authorities.
In 1924 two companies, the Internation Transportation Company and the MEIJI Transportation
Company (KOKUSAI UNYU KAISHA) were
annexed to the Homeland Transportation Company forming the International Transportation
Company. At the same time agents of
various districts by directive establishing a "one station-one agent system", were
annexed to the station branch agencies to
organize a joint trans[illegible]ortation company at each railroad station in about 1927 or 1928. This "one
station-one agen[illegible]system", in 1932 was changed to a "one city-one agent system".
In 1937, the International Transportation Company headed by NAKANO, Jujiro, an expert
in transportation, added MURAKAMI,
Guchi, a railroad man and ex-director of the South Manchuria Railroad Corporation,
as vice-president. At the result of this
appointment the company made the Government tender the Minor Transportation Service
Bill to the Diet and had it Passed.
President FAKANO lest his position and minor franspor[illegible]ation service agents were reorganized as
branch agents belonging to the Railroad Ministry. The signboard of the company was
changed to read JAPAN Transportation
Corporation. From this time the Transportation Corporation gradually interfered with
and put pressure on joint transporting
service agents in various lead cities. Changes of operators, matters of allowances,
and all re[illegible]lems were checked with the approval of JAPAN Transportation Coporation. Furthermore,
joint transportation agents in every
city [illegible]su[illegible]absorbed by the Corporation under our national policy of
[illegible]1941. Imperially nominated Government officiates
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EDITORIAL SHRIES: 136 (Continued)
ITEM 4 (Continued)
with long service occupied the directorates of the cor[illegible]oration with high monthly salaries, the
minimum being 900 to 1,200 yen. Other important posts in each branch agency as well
as the main office, were filled with old
and decrepit officials, with jobs as heads of railroad transportation offices, station
masters, assistant stationmasters, etc.
Taking advantage of their own railroad passes, they demanded wine, women and goods
Whenever they traveled on business. If they
did not receive good service, they got their revenue. They also dealt in the black
market at war plant in conspiracy with
military officers. Even after the end of the war, the, sought additional profits as
the result of diorganization of war
plants. They are exerting themselves to maintain their posts by their power, in fear
of the competition of fellow workers. The
existence of the JAPAN Transportation Corporation is a great obstacle for new JAPAN
I beg the authorities to examine the facts
carefully. I appeal to the just and fair criticism of the people. (Sent by FUJISUWA,
Kancko, of KANAGA[illegible]WA-Ken).
DISTRIBUTION "X"
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