THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH. FRIDAY,
APRIL 12,
1935,
41
COMPETING WITH CHEAP LABOUR JAPAN SETS WORLD MERRY PACE
4.
TRICKY PROBLEM FOR ECONOMISTS
- Toyko. Yusen Kaisha, the most important
Western nations, in the opinion) of numerous Japanese shipping
of some economists, may find it companies, operates the world's neccessary to lower their living most extensive steamship service. standards until they are compar able with the standards prevailing
in Asin. That would be the most
competition
In world
WAGE ITEF
Japanese ingenuity and Industry
painful method of meeting Asiatic have a great deal to do with the markets.rowth of Japanese commerce but And difficult as it would be, It
Fit is difficult to emphasise too múch i might prove easier than elevating the important of the low cost of Asiatic standards to the point at fiving and the low Wages paid which Japanese and Chinese work Japanese of almost all classes men would demand and receive factory workers, clerks, salesmen, wages comparable with the average anilors and all, In the Western Hemisphere,
Differences in nationd standards - China today is a negligible. of living are to be discussed at a factor as an exporting nation, so special regional conference of the much so that her growing adverse institute of Paelfie taiations here trade balance in a deterrent to all auon and they are being discussed Ines of business In that country, with growing anxiety in many But at Pelping last month you directors' rooms around the globe, chuld see un exhibition of almost So long as Japanese cotton mill. 10,000 samples of articles mat- shoe factory and trinket factory Factured in Peiping. And Peiping operatives continue to live on a is supposed popularly to be a dying fraction of what the American or city, an ex-capital of title more European factory worker receives importance than an ex-king. in wages and spends, the spectre of Japanese competiton will, dis turb the sleep, of all necidantal manufacturers and throw a good many of them into bankruptcy.
Nor are the factory owners of the West and their employees the only ones suffering from Asiatic competition and threatened with more neute auffering in the future. Sales of American cotton to Chinn thia
Japanese plans for increasing vastly the area devoted to cotton raising in China, using the pro- duct in Japanese-owned cotton mills in both China and Japan, are t well known and experts consider hem feasible, although many pro- blens in this connection reminin to be solved.
3243
The vast difference which pre- year promise to fall far below | vails" between Dresdental the importa of 1934 because the Oriental living standards areen- Chinese are learning to raise more tuates the lifliculty and better colton, and last reason and friendly relations among the of peaceful enjoyed specially favourable weanations of the ther throughout the growing and Some
East and West. I of the most experienced period. picking
Business
Enbservers of Pur Eastern affairs nien, statesmen and fronsider it will be impossible to economists have speculated for preserve peace in the Pacifle pren years on the possible results to beagless to-day's economic problems expected When the millions ofare solved with wisdom and speed. Asiaties began putting into prac
Uce the industrial lessons taught
by
Western teachers. Until re cently, however, it was the fashion! to view the problem pisitosophically Increased Japanese proftciency in the manufacture of many articles! was tos apparent to ignored, but this correspondent recalls the
United Pre
SKILLED
LABOUR
LACKING
Assurance given by 70 leading PROBLEM FOR YEARS
American business man here no
more than ten years ago that Japan;
would never in our time prove al
real menace to American industry.
To prove his point, the business man explained how his factory-on-
TO COME
New York..
Should industry return to-day. to
T
The Eastern seaboard of the United 1929 production basis, it Stales was able to underbid in the would hid itself faced with case of expensive and complicated dearth of skilled labourers and a machinery even the Japanese firm
sharp increase in industrini acel with which his company co-opera-dents, due to long enforced idle- ed and which had the full use of news, Mr. William II. Lange, direc- all its patents. Under American fur of the National Re-employment į technical supervision, the Jap Service announced kere,
nese concern was able to turn out
Lange said a sudden return to
more cheaply than is American high production scales would re- partner many shit articles fairly seat skilled workers had lost their siraple In design. The American touch in the intervening years of partner, however, had to fill the idleness, more important orders. That was many
Also, he explained, industries dispensed with
the situation ten years ago. To- apprentices and learners during the ky the number of articles whith depression and replacements would the Japanese factory is unequipped be diflicult to make-United Press. to produce has dwindled, almost to
the vanishing point. The quality of the entire le manufactured in Japan has improved tremendously, But wages in Japan have remained. comparatively insignificant and the reduced exchange value of the gen has lent added importance to Japanese competition in all mar- kets,
AUTOMOBILE EXPORTS Japan is already an exporter of automobiles. I is not precisely the type of automobile the typient American would drive by choice, but is far better than no auto- mobile at all and, according to re- liable reports, it is effdent and economical to operate. Its price is far below the lowest at which any American automobile could be
apanese cotton piece goods are ilooding the low price markets of the work and the flood would be greater except for drastic. import quotas imposed in India and else where. Japanese crab meat
tins la laid down in New York well below the cost of New England crats. -Japanese rubber boots and Ahocs are the cheapest of the sort to bo
hundreds of Amerihased in
and European shops. The fact that most of the mem- entos of Washington to be found in Pennsylvania Rovenue shops are In Japan makes them no less attractive to tourists who need something tangible, portable and inexpensive to remind them of the Capital building and the Washing ton Monument,
made
These and thousands of other Japanese products are carried in Increasing quantities to the four corners of the earth. And they aro carried almost invariably in Japanese ships: Tha Nippon
A private reception to several of the art experts at present in Shanghai for the purpose of selecting Chinese art treasures for exhibition in England, was given at the residence of Mr. R. D. Abraham ro- cently. Photo shows the group taken in the grounds of Mr. Abraham's residence. From left to rights Mrs. R. D. Abraham, Dr. Wu Lian-tah, Mr. D. L. Habson, Mrs. Rosenheim, Dr. M. P. Pellios, Mr. G. Eumerfopalos, Mrs. 'F. Aysco hand Mr. R. D. Abraham.
Three intrepid Shanghailanders have set forth on the first leg of their 15,000 mile treasure hunt; a quest that will take them into many strange corners of the world. Their boat, "The Flying Dutch- man," is a 33-foot, two-masted sailing cutter, it is equipped with a small cabin fitted with two bunku and a tiny galley.
Thousands of Chinese journeyed to Kiangwan Civic Centre to be witnesses of the first mas wedding ceremony, to be performed in Shanghai..-Abosa, the bridas -proceeding towards the head- quarters of the Shanghai City Government, where the ceremony was conducted, and below. part of the huge crowd which waited patiently outside during the nuptials.
રાત ની હરણી
dous Raka
Shangbala Grit experience of "mase marriage” was witnessed at Klangwan civic centre, when Mayor Wa officiated at a care- mony in which-fifty-seven couples wore united within an hour. The mass wedding, which was conducted under rules prescribed in the New Life Movement, was of the impleat character, but pictureique scenes were witnessed as the couples, two at a time, were married, Following the ceremony, Mayor Wu made a short address, in which ha ezsiaimed the principles of the New Life Morament and exhorted the couples to carry them out. Thousands of spectators, were drawn to the scene, some sut of curiosity, but many in support of the
-movement.
CENTRAL
Queen's Road, Central: Car park: Jervoln Street,
Take Buses No, 4 or going west, 3 min. from On Lock Yuen Stop.
OPENS SUNDAY
Positively The Most Brilliant Comody of the Year! Can You Imagino
CHARLES LAUGHTON
As a Funny Man!
You'll Scream when you sce THE 5 COMEDY STARS
in THE 5 STAR COMEDY
-YIPPEE .. IT'S RUGGLES' NIGHT TO HOWLI You'll how! too, when you
moet the firstclzfRad
Gop! Horry Leon Wit
son's grand, human characters brought
to you with the granden cast aver assam.
Adelph Zuker prasenis
blad.
with
"RUGGLES of RED GAPTM CHARLES LAUGHTON · MARY BOLAND CHARLIE RUGGLES ZASU PITTS
•
ROLAND YOUNG LEILA HYAMS A Paramount Picture Directed by two McCarey
MOST POPULAR PRICES Drass Circlo $1.10, Back Stalls: 55 cts., Front Stalls: 35 cts.
Haig
GCOTCH WHISKY
JOHN HAIG & Co.Ltd. (Dang Hal Haig, MIEJ MARKINCH, SCOTLAND.
YOU CAN ALWAYS RECOGNISE the smoothripe flavour of Haig. For Haig is a whisky of character-mellow with the rare mellowness of age. Don't be vague-ask for 'HAIG' NO FINER WHISKY GOES INTO ANY BOTTLE.
Sote Agents:
GANDE, PRICE & CO., LTD. St. George's Building, Ice House Street. Telephone 20135.
Hong Kong
SWAN, CULBERTSON & FRITZ.
Investment bankers and brokers in securities and commodities Daily New York and London Stock Exchange Service. Commodity Futures on the principal American markets
Members of:
New York Cotton Exchange. Chicago Board of Trade.
Commodity Exchange, Inc.
(Silver, Rubber, Silk, Copper, Hides and Tin).
New York Coffee and Sugar Exchangó, Crundian Commodity Exchango Inc. Winnipeg Grain Exchange.
Manila Stock Exchange..
Correspondents for Hayden, Stone & Co.
Telephone: 80244, 80245, 80248. Cable Address: Swansto
9, Queer's Road Central (Corner of Ice House Street).