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U.S. Election Results Reflect
Vietnam, Black Liberation Fight
Housewives in Japan
_ Battle Spiraling Prices
‘) Demonstrations in Chile
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RICARDO GADEA, one of hundreds of political prisoners in Peru. [See page 926. ]
New York, N. Y. 10010.
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JAPANESE HOUSEWIVES START
Surging price rises in Japan have touched off a movement that may signal a sharpening of the class struggle -- the housewives are not only becoming angry about the situation, they are beginning to do something about it.
On October 1 came the latest hike in prices. Rice went up 14.4 percent as of that date. Fares for streetcars and buses likewise went up. The same for medical fees. Prices of bean-mash and soy sauce followed the trend. Beauty parlor fees and maternity hospital charges hit a new level. Even the prices of kerosene and gasoline went up, businessmen alleging that it was due to the conflict in the Middle East although oil shipped to Japan from that area does not go through the Suez Canal. [Owing to the closing of the canal, tankers are claimed to be in short supply and so shipping interests are charging whatever the racket will bear.
Housewives in Japan are engaging in various actions. These range from addressing petitions to the government to direct action at the point of purchase.
The most interesting development has been the pressure housewives have put on stores through consumers cooperative associations. The October 25 Asahi Evening News reports how this works:
"Mrs. Masami Kobayashi, age 33, is one of the price monitors who has been chosen by the association for streamlining of the consumers' living in Osaka.
"She examines the price of various commodities from meat, tofu (bean-curds), to medicines every day while shopping. She also checks the services given by shops and their sanitary condition.
"Going to market with a ¥1,000 (1,000 yen = US#$2.76] note, she buys ¥25 carrot, bean-mash priced at ¥56, ¥36 wakame seaweed and others. She draws a sigh without knowing because of the small quantity of the change.
"What she feels at that time are written down on a questionnaire consisting of 50 questions, while she hopes that the replies by 100 housewives of seven women's associations collected during two weeks would lead to control in price hikes." -923-
MOVING AGAINST SPIRALING PRICES
Her husband works in a plant that manufactures machine parts. The couple have a six-year-old boy and a two-yearold girl.
About three years ago, to help eke out the family income, she set up a beauty salon. But no matter how hard she worked, the family income remained so low in relation to advancing prices that only ordinary rice could be afforded.
Last spring she learned how to buy eggs at a lower price through a women's association. She joined up.
She also joined the All-Osaka Housewives' Federation, an organization that played an active role, together with others, in abolishing an air-conditioning charge levied by taxis.
She has now advanced to the position of "price monitor."
On Wednesday price monitors hold a meeting at which they are briefed by the staff of a food office on the latest news concerning prices; and she participates in a study meeting on the quality of rice.
On Thursday she makes an inspection tour of shops in her neighborhood.
On Friday she arranges the results of her tour.
On Saturday, several housewives gather at her home to discuss what was uncovered during the inspection of the local shops.
The Asahi Evening News does not report what the housewives do next. The logic of their action is quite obvious, however, and experience in other countries in the past can be referred to.
The tendency is to form permanent neighborhood committees that visit the local shops, particularly those where prices are found to be unduly out of line.
If the shopowner does not bring prices into line at once, alleging that he would lose money, the housewives demand the right to check his books to see what his profits really are. This demand is often sufficient to bring about an adjustment.
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