THE REAL JAPAN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19106, 29 August 1936, Page 15

THE REAL JAPAN

BUSINESS METHODS STUDY OF THE PEOPLE MIMIC AIR-RAIDS “Behind the Smile in Real Japan ' i* the title which Mr. E. K. Vena Ides gives to his book, and it is justified by the taut that-lie has lived in the bar East lor ei'dit years, most of the time m inland Japan, and thus he has been able to see tile truth. He gives a study oi the people in all their moods, their work, and writes of their aspirations. Here, tor example, is his comment on a, big Japanese business concern so different in its management methods from British concerns : “In anv place of business one is aston-ished-at'the casual freedom with whicn office-boys and underlings are allowed to pop in and out, usually with the pretext of bringing tea, messages, or more ch*ucoal for the ltibachi,” says Mr. Venables. “Thev listen in to important discus-sions,-or - even take part, without anyone's seeing anything at all strange m their doing so. ‘ The ever-present swarm of such junior employees are also strangely at variance witli European ideas ot staff margins cut fine and efficiency peicentages closely calculated. THE MANAGERS GET DISMISSED

“When in times of economic stringency the axe--must fall, it is the custom to ‘behead’ the managers c-r, the cliiels of departments, because this saves paying the biggest salaries, and leaves the countless smaller fry still absorbed in employment, however redundant and poorly paid, “This drastic act- of decapitation may not be so risky as it seems. Single authority and leadership are not so important '-among these herd-people, and tbe departure of the head man may only mean one voice less in the frequent and free-for-all consultations.” “lip to the present, at least. Japan d elf has been completely immune from anv form of attack,” -says Mr. Venables i.i’his chapter dealing with aviation pro-

gress. “But the military authorities see fit to carry on a kind oi air-defence P l ** 0 " iif c. to .give the nation a little TfulTieT oleasuraiilo excitement, to impress it with the measures being taken for its welfare, and to remind it of its duty to do as it is told. These mimic air-raids would be a mere curiosity if they were not so tragic, both in the manner of their execution and in the sinister possibilities they suggest “TAKE COVER” IGNORED

“Elaborate instructions are given as to the behaviour of the populace when notice of air-raid practice is given. Even at the first warning siren the lights flicker, as tlio men at the switches fuss about, anxious to show everybody what a powerful control they hold over the destinies of the moment, Guns hang and machine-guns rattle. Soldiers with fixed bavonets patrol the streets on horses and bicycles —what use they would be in case of emergency it is hard to imagine. And in contrast to the ‘Take cover! warning so well known in countries that have suffered from air attack, in Japan the streets are crowded with people and children, all staring at nothing in particular up in the moonlit sky, and cheerinn- most enthusiastically. “They cannot he expected to know what all this really means, and it would he no use for anyone to try to explain it to them. They take it j'.or granted that it is the role of them invincible forces to devastate the. enemy’s country, and they cannot, visualise the same fate ever happenin'll, to their own. And for their own sake one can only hope that they may never have reason to he rudely disturbed from this blissful ignorance. “What would happen in a single airraid on a Japanese town, with its woodami paper buildings all ready for a sweeping conflagration, its jumpy inhabitants doomed in uncontrollable panic, is too frightful to think of.” Mr. Venables is inclined to think that there is a wide disparity between Japan’s real position and its artificial reputation in world affairs.