JAPANESE LABOUR

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 82, 5 April 1924, Page 16

JAPANESE LABOUR

. UNIVERSAL-SUFFRACE LIVELY'

SHORTLY.

leap forward in political influence ,by Japanese Labonr is predicted by ■Bunji.Suzuki, .veteran Labour leader of the nation, says the special correspondent of the. "Christian Science Moni-i tor" atjPekin. He bases his prediction on the -belief -, that universal manhood suffrage will become a fact rather than a. theory in. Japan, in the ' immediate future., If such be true, Labour will certainly have to be taken into consideration by existing political parties. A small property restriction ,at present keeps .Labour from the ballot. " .. ■ That; Labour is being given considera-tion-even now ; is evidenced!by .tha fact that ; ,Mr : Suzuki was called into'consultation'by the Government prior'to the :appomtment-. of;; Japan's delegates to the -InternatlonSl^Labpur Conference: In the ; gast.\the government, sent'delegates with-■^.fej/irst"-..consulting Labour, with' the *esnjtsthatyjapanese Labour repudiated ih.?,m;.i'tn*ongh the Press. Mr. Suzuki ■!S*>"ft '•">•■"The Japan Federation of Labour ;jss..working with the Japan Agricultural •Union-,and vthe Suiheisha', an drganisajtipni'of >the\ Eta, ;or social outcasts'.. Con■Sojii^ation p.f-. .these three .bodies will. be brought.about, and will.present aVpowerful barrier «to discriminatory, treatment an?, a P.ohtical power 'that .must" be 'reckoned .with.-■■.;.;.;..•. i . .:,.-.. '•> '■ i-i' '■Kfe. 6-, -•..rnoyement ■, in.' Japan; has -entered a'hew era. ' The working classes have been imbued with a sense of 'greater'-imp"ortance-sih'ce^'the earthquake. They .have gained recognition from the Government for the work they haw done\in aiding '.the reconstruction of tffi dovastated. area, and I ■ believe: this will1 ultimately -..result in the passage 'by the ''Diet ,of ithe. Universal Manhood Suffrage