LABOUR DAY IN JAPAN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18592, 28 June 1922, Page 5

LABOUR DAY IN JAPAN

INFECTION OF BOLSHEVISM. A SONG OF REVOLUTION. BUSY TIME FOR POLICE, TOKIO, May 3. May Day was celebrated throughout the cities of Japan to die fullest limit permitted by the police authorities, and in one city in the face of police prohibition. The celebration, which was the second May Day observed in the country, took on a tinge of sovietism, and on hundreds of the. big banners displayed by the marching lines of labourers were demands that Japan accord recognition to the Russian Soviet Government. Last year Japanese labour celebrated trie International Labour Day spasmodically. It was not certain almost up to the day itself whether or not the authorities would permit any great gatherings. The result was that labour leaders devoted their energies almost altogether 'to securing such permission, rather than to pieparing any programme for the occasion itself. ’ Tliis year they took the permission for granted, and the labour groups xn all the cities showed in their proceedings a solidarity that took the authorities by surprise. They voiced the same sentiments on their banners, demanding the right of labour to share m the franchise, and urging the recognition of the Communists of Russia. They sang the same songs, both those which the police permitted to be sung and one which brought about a couple of hundred arrests and numerous police charges. In Tokio, Osaka, Yokohama, lida, and Hakodate the processions were authorised by the police, although the routes were carefully designated in order to miss those factories that had had labour troubles during the year. The streets, through which the marchers passed were lined stiffly with police, and crowds were not permitted, to assemble at any point along the line to cheer ihe marchers. ■ In Kobe, which was crowded with visitors because of the presence there ot the Prince of Wales, police permission for the parade was refused. This did not daunt the labour leaders, however, who dropped their idea of a “labour” parade, and immediately applied for permission to hold a parade “in welcome to the British Royal visitor” —an application which the authorities could not very well refuse. Thus the Prince of Wales received a part of his welcome to Kobo from long lines of roughly-clad marchers, waving banners endorsing Lenin and urging that the Japanese troops m Siberia be withdrawn without further delay. , Many hundreds of thousands of printed copies of a now labour song were distributed in readiness for May Day throughout Japan. Some copies reached the police through their agents in the labour organisations, and strict orders that this song was not to be sung were issued. Every time it was chanted during any of the parades, the police charged the singers and dragged one or more of them off, A foreign paper in Tokio, which published an English translation of ■ this song, was suppressed for the. day, and all copies tainable by the police were confiscated. The song, as translated, is: “We should no longer submit to oppression and persecution! . “All Japan is now deluged with blood! ‘Rise up, Terrorists! “With dynamite in. hand, firm in the belief that'violence should bo opposed by violence, let us start rioting and insurrection and fight the issue out with the rulers! “The fields and mountains are resounding with cries of victory! “Gur fight has been won! , “Let us solemnise the Revolution”