WAR FEVER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22822, 1 September 1937, Page 13

WAR FEVER

SCENES IN JAPAN CIVILIANS AND SOLDIERS "CHARM CLOTHS" FOR TROOPS Vivid descriptions of the intense enthusiasm of the Japanese over military preparations, were given by passengers who arrived at Sydney by the steamer Nellore from the Far East a few days ago. "Japan was alive with troops," said Mr. F. W. Johnson, headmaster of. the Northcote High School, Melbourne, who returned after a two months' tour. "The military are calling up all their reserves," he added. "We were at Moji ior a day and saw four troonships, packed with wildly enthusiastic soldiers, leave for the war zone, amid siren calls and cheers from people who lined the foreshores " In towns all over Japan, "charm cloths" were being stitched for the soldiers to wear to protect them from Chinese bullets, said Mr. Johnson.Girls from the higher class; families appeared.in the streets with pieces of material, mostly white linen, which had been blessed in the temples. A crowd swarmed about them and took it in turns to make a stitch with red silk in the cloth until it was covered with hundreds of stitches. Mr. R. W. Stinson, who returned aftor a three months' business trip to Japan, said he had watched the intensity of the war preparations grow week by week. "During the past four months, 1 ' he said, "many steel works have been requistioned by the authorities for munition works. As fast as the men go to war, the women take their place in industry and there has been practically no slowing up."