Page:Sanzō Nosaka - A Brief Review of the Labour Movement in Japan (1921).pdf/27

 dispute. But in April again the Union called to combat for increased wages and an eight hours day. It was refused. Sabotage and then a strike began; the city transportation stood still a short while. Against this the municipal authority tried all subtle measures—hiring black-legs, bribe, threat of arrest, provocation of the „citizen“ against the strikers, propaganda on papers, etc. The end was far more miserable than that of Yawata; 83 strikers were thrown to goal and 200 discharged.

In July another big strike occured in the Metropolis against the discharge of members of the Yuai-kai at the Osbiage Cotton Mill. Among strikers 1600 were working girls and 400 men. The employer, Dy locking up all the girls into the dormitory and guarding the factory with police force, thoroughly cut communication between the girls and the men outside. The Yuai-kai mobilised all branches and, with voluntary help from other Unions, fought for two weeks. But it was then at the height of economic slackness and unemploymenf. By threat of dismissal the unity went to pieces. The Yuai-kai lost at one time an important section of textile workers and a large proportion of organised woman labour.

In September, again, the citizens of Tokyo were startled with a threat of general stoppage of daily papers by the Seishin-kai, which demanded to all the employers an eight hours day and the minimum wages. But the dispute had ended in a pitiful fiasco, before a general strike came in operation.

All Unions, one after another, were hardly hit and beaten.

Figures of the unemployed over the country (from an unofficial record):