Page:Sanzō Nosaka - A Brief Review of the Labour Movement in Japan (1921).pdf/29

 rance of a body expressing the whole organised workers' minds, at least, in the eastern half of the country.

In December, a similar body was formed by 14 Unions in Osaka, called „The Western Federation of Trade Unions“, (also see the Appendix).

So far I have spoken of the federation of Unions in the different industries. It is of no less importance that the amalgamation of Unions of the same trade or industry has been swiftly in progress. For instance, the Jujo-kai and the Royu-kai were amalgamated in March, called „The Koyu-kai“ (Workers' Fraternal Society), mainly composed of the employees in one of the Ordnance Factories in Tokyo. In July, a grave fusion took place in the mining industry; three big bodies—the Miners' Department of Yuai-kai, the Miners' Federation of Japan and the National Miners' Union—were strongly incorporated in a single unit, the „All Japanese Miners' Federation“, which directly affiliates to the Yuai-kai. Later, a federation was effected between various Seamen's Unions, led by the Yuai-kai; a similar attempt was successfully made in the printing industry by the Shinyu-kai and the Seishin-kai.

As a matter of course, the above mentioned consolidations are not in a position to represent the whole of the working class all over the country. Such a body, however, is paramountly necessary. So a scheme was planned by the Yuai-kai at its Conference of 1920 to hold annually a big Congress of all existing Unions for the purpose of consulting on common problems. When this plan will be carried out in practice, the Congress should become a good school-room of revolutionary education for the masses.

In 1910, the year of the bloody execution, the Japanese propertied class succeeded in guilloting or imprisoning a number of Revolutionists, but could achieve no effects in massacring or imprisoning the Socialist ideas, which is nothing but the product of the Capitalist System itself. Soon after the tragedy, Sakai established the „Baibun-sha“