EASTERN ORGIES.

Taihape Daily Times, 14 January 1918, Page 5

EASTERN ORGIES.

WAR MILLIONAIRES' LUXURY IN JAPAN. Japan, fighting with the Entente Powers, has been living in luxury and extravagance heretofore absolutely unknown to her people. The food supply is being shamefully wasted (states a Japanese journalist in an article sent from Tokio to the New York World). Tea houses throughout the country are doing an unprecedented business. The only way to reserve a room in any tea house is to reserve it a month in advance. War millionaires and ship millionaires have been buying summer villas and country houses until no summer villa in Japan is vacant to-day. Many millionaires have rented entire hotels in summer resorts. One recently gave a tip of £7OO to a maid in an hotel in which he stayed one week.

Other millionaires are following the example of exorbitant tipping. Dinner parties costing £lO to £SO a plate are frequent in large 'restaurants. One restaurant Jn Osaka refuses to serve any dinner under £5 a plate. An orgy of money-making and money spending is on. The Japanese Government have not levied a special war profit tax. Government, officials will not impose such a tax, because they themselves are getting rich through the war * " " I