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154 like. The only way to the emancipation of the poorest peasantry lies in the creation of peasant unions, for the carrying out of this struggle!”

The faces of all had become firm and austere. Wide-eyed glances were directed at Hamamato, from whose lips fell scathing words.

“Further … the landowners in the countryside are not the only tyrants. They are hand-in-glove with the capitalists in the town. To the capitalists in the town belong all the plants and factories, with their huge output and millions of workers. They take all the profits themselves. So you see the relations between the landlord and the poor peasant in the country are just the same as the relations between the capitalist and the workers in the towns.

“And the workers have to struggle with the capitalists for higher wages, and other improvements in working conditions, through their trade unions and by means of strikes. The labour movement in Tokyo and Osaka just now is blazing up. There are two or three strikes a day at Osaka, and it is usually the workers who win them. But the peasant movement lags far behind the workers’. By developing the peasant movement, and linking it up with the workers’ movement, we shall form a united front of the masses in town and country, for resisting our common oppressors, the landowners and the capitalists!”

Hamamato suddenly clutched at his chest, with shining eyes. He broke off his speech abruptly, took out his handkerchief and pressed it to his lips. He coughed, and blood appeared on the handkerchief. Ozawa ran in a fright to get some water.