Japan's Position in World Trade

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 32, 15 February 1935, Page 18

Japan's Position in World Trade

Military Aspirations at a Discount — Lower’ Overheads Give Export Advantage — What To Do With BleedingRigours of Early Colonisation.

MR. R. K. PALMER (3YA). -J APANESE statesmen have convinced their followers that nayal equality is essential to the country’s national honour. -‘That is hardly to. be wondered at, for the government, almost as absolute as a-dictatorship, is in the hands.of the navy and army, They have emphasised. this business of the-national honour so much that they’ cannot withdraw; and since Britain and America ‘are unlikely to agree to actual equality, there will have to be some’ strange compromising .at the. naval conference unless the whole. world is. going to-.set out again.on a building race. The naval conference is so. important to-Japan thaf a Mon-. golian campaign is hardly likely until that is settled, particularly as it, would rouse the whole world: up against her. This emphasis on the. national defences is nearly bankrupt- ’ ing Japan. This year’s budget, £130,000,000, is one ofthe biggest on record. So is the deficit of £48,000,000, which will have to be made up by loans on the home market, * which is- already stuffed full:of loans. And the ‘amount absorbed by the:army, navy and air force is greater than the deficit." GAIN, quite a considerable. sum has to be voted for the: relief of-the . farmer. That very dubious financial state, and also the plight of the farmer, are two of the reasons why: Japan is not likely to use her army and .

navy at present. Another reason is the Red (Russian) Air Force. Most observers think that if Japan was really intent on fighting Russia she niissed ber only chance two or three years ago. While she has been: active in Manchuria, Russia has been just as busy in Siberia and the maritime provinces which border the Japanese property. Besides that, her factories have been turning out big aeroplanes, and more pilots have been trained. Bombs in the flimsy settlements of parts of her cities are a nightmare to Japan. On the whole, it looks.as if Mr. Okadg was setting the course for 1935 when -he predicted trade expansion. , Other nations are almost as afraid of a trade war with Japan as they are of an actual war-and with good reason, Low wages, long hours and the depreciation of the yen have helped her industries a great deal. Their own efficiency has helped them more. Yor one thing, Japan is so new an industrial competitor that her costs are not boosted up by the overhead of obsolete

and obsolescent plant. Her cotton goods exports in 1983 were equal to those ‘of Great Britain, Japan’s exports had to bear the -overhead of -only . 8.000,000:. spindles;. Britain’s- of 50,000,000... All ‘these factors helped her to incredse- her exports in. 1938 by nearly 40:per cent. ’ And they were still rising.» The West has forced its civilisation’ on Japan and found ‘at last ‘an over-willing learner. AMBULANCE ‘TALK (2YA). ‘THREE ‘serious -mistakes are often . made in the treatment. of wounds. First, we put too much trust in.iodine. _ or methylated spirits, and we love to. ‘ handle wounds. Secondly, we delight in using: sticking plaster for recent | wounds. Thirdly, we invariably omit the pad over the dressing whereby the pressure’ is .-kept uniform over the wound, and’ any tendency to recurrent bleeding «is. prevented. In the use of tincture of iodine three possible errors suggest theitiselyes:. the’. iodine is dis-. solved; in. alcohol. which, ‘if left long in- a bottle, may evaporate and leaye a: golution.more powerfully irritant than usual; a: similar result may: apply if the’ is applied before : the. iodine is-allowed to evaporate and dry on ‘the wound; and cyanide: gauze draws out the: iritant properties. of iodine, and should not be used*as a dressing,’ otherwise. severe and painful burns may result. from. reer coni~bination.: AC. TOURNIQUET. is..too often a source of mistakes... I. would recommend these’ points ‘to avoid errors _ in the use of a. tourniquet :.-its: use is . indicated as a temporary. measure only, while arterial bleeding is being treated; it is a last resource in treatment of pleeding; it must -be.curtailed to the shortest possible period in view of the intense pain’ and extreme discomfort © caused to the patient; its pad must be placed and . kept accurately on the pressure point. to avoid any obstruction to the vein. which accompanies the artery; its twisting. apparatus must be arranged. and kept carefully on the side of the limb exactly opposite to the pad, and finally its pressure must be just sufficient to ‘control the artery and stop bleeding... Faintness associated. with bleeding is Nature’s first aid, and _may save . life, as it causes. the patient to fall flat on the ‘ground, slowing the heart action. OINTMENT is inadvisable for recent wounds, as oils are for burns or scalds, owing to risk of sepsis, since In an emergency it is difficult ‘to ensure cleanliness of ointment. Moreover, ointment will-make a sticky mess of a wound, and may interfere with. dressing when a doctor takes charge. In nose bleeding we should place the. . patient in a sitting position with the head: backwards and instruct him ‘to breathe through the mouth. If we

pinch the nostrils firmly with a finger and thumb we shall "in many. instances control the bleeding: Plugging in the ‘case of ear-bleeding: is dangerous, as we may. efsily: cause septic infection. Blood is dark red in stomach’ bleeding, and nothing must be given by the mouth, lest perforation caused in the stomach wall at the "point. ‘of an ulceration. : MONA TRACY (3YA). ET me give ‘an extract or two from this account of the sailing from Gravesend of an emigrant ship bound for Port. Nicholson in °1841: "The scene on deck, to the inexperienced landsmen’s eyes was one of’ inextricable confusion. A heavy shower had fallen ‘about half an hour before; the decks, filthy with mud -and mire brought on board by visitors and lagging emigrants, were crowded, and blocked up.in all directions with stores of every ' description mingled in inescribable disorder, amidst coils of rope and cable links, chairs, spare poles and timber, casks, boxes,. bales and packages soddened with rain. Invisible but imprisoned’ pigs were mingling their squeals and in testimony. of their .disapproyal, ‘while a few others not yet housed or else broken ‘loose: took their-chance with the human: population and’ grunted amongst .the cordage for: the few vegetables scattered about. Near the.entry

of the first. cabin stood a couple of immense hencoops . cruelly crammed with live occupants Aloft in the rigging hung’ whole’ .quarterg of oxen, newly. slain, and from somewhere below -came the bleating of sheep. In the huge belly, of the: ‘ship a few candles’ glimmered here and there throughout. its enormous length, but the. darkness was too great ‘to distinguish anything in the immediate vicinity of the hatehway: As vision grew accustomed to the gloom scenes of disorder greater than on deck became apparent, Some had tramped for miles and were resting in the oblivion of sleep. ‘Others had just arrived and were engaged in the vain attempt to find vacant spaces whereon to settle themselves and their provisions and luggage. Some were clamouring to he shown their berths, while others complained of the locality allotted them. far from ‘the hatehway and in almost total darkness."