THE WAR IN CHINA

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 23, 27 July 1939, Page 17

THE WAR IN CHINA

STRAITS OF JAPANESE

G3EA7 METAL SHORTAGE

Japan has begun stripping manhQle 1 covers and tearing up iron park fences, postal boxes, and even tslspnone posts to feed its hungry industriesl—princi- | pally its munitions and shipping industries, writes Kimp3i Shaba irom Tokio to the "Chicago Tribune.1' This drastic step was taken by the Government in an effort to check tha outflow of the coiin try's rapidly dwindling gold holdings. Twenty thousand iron postal boxes and an unsstimated number of manholes and iron telsplnone, poles will be the first to be sacrificed. They are; to ■-ba -replaced by, concrete and porcelain products, of which Japaa has a plentiful supply. ; It is expected, however, that at least jtwo yaars will be required before a sufficient number of substitutes can be manufactured to i take the place of the iron products which will be sent to the scrap heap. I Next to go after the poslal boxes and telephone posts tvill be the iron j dances in the' public jbarks. Unlike the United States, Japanese municipal officials ara not satisfied merely With putting up signs askings the public to keep off the grass. . >;' ' They have made it a practice to erect high iron fences* around the parks and have strung iron chains around lawns and other* sections where trespassing was not desired. These fences have tjsen .an eyesore, and it is not withiout some satisfaction that the public;' look forward to having them removed. There are enough fences and chains in Hibiya Park, Tokio, it is saifl, to build an ocean-going steamship. RADIO APPEAIV MADE. The Government is fc)roadcasting an. appeal for contributions of iron and steel ash trays and of crfarcoal braziers, with which most Japanese heat their homes. It has promised to replace these with porcelain w;are. As fast as the scrap is smelted it is gobbled up by the industries. , One of the hungriest is.' the shipyards. Japan today has 4,500,000 tons of commercial ships of over (1000 tons afloat The Navy Minister during questioning in the Diet said the Government intends to double this fleet during the very near future. Last | year Japan outstripped England in shipbuilding. Whether, in view ctf her serious shortage of iron, Japan' can go through with her present programme is. a matter of much conjecture. Optimistic Government officials asnd industrialists boast that in five year:j> Japan will be getting so much iron ortt of Manchxtkuo and China that she v, fill not need to import a ton of scrajp from western countries. \ Neutral observers cl pirn that this is wishful thinking of thi* same category as the predictions of foes that Japan could not carry on the war in China for six months. ■• Besides iron, Japan is in heed of rubber. It is reported ]hat in the Ford and General Motors Assembly plants here cars frequently cannot be put out on the streets because '.of lack of- tyres. In some cases buyers rip a hurry bring their owm tyres. Wbrjn-piit tyres are no longer thrown intcjv;t|jfe. junk pile. They are recoafed muc|^v|^the manner that a worn-out "shoe Is?fes6led. . SPOXTSMEN' isUFFER. ' £

The Governmerit} has als.Q jciit. ,d'^wn the rubber allotment.for" the manufacture of sporting gofads to;,a small fraction of the normal demand.; The biggest sufferers are tennis players: The output of tennis balls has been restricted to 34,800 a month. To increase -revenues the Government will tax profits and will raise the levies on a long list of commodities. Among goods to be taxed anew are sugar, on which the levy will be. about a farthing a pound, and stamps of high values. '.'•..'

The profit dividend rates will be fixed at 10 per cent, for dividends between 7 and 10 per cent, and a straight 15 per cent, for all dividends o£ more ; ; than 10 per cent. " : . Among the commodities on, which taxes will be increased, are \yatches, i stationery, hats, shoes, suitcases and trunks, toys, .sporting goods, electric and gas appliances, furniture, textiles.- cameras, films, fruits, phonograph records, passenger automobiles, and electric fans. Amusement taxes will be levied upon, restaurants, hotels, and all assembly places charging admission. The rate will ba 10 per cent, of the amusement or drink'ng and eating exoenses. Geisha firls will be charged 20 per cent of their fees. All charess below 7s, however, will be exempted.