Expenditures of the Russo-Japanese war / by Gotaro Ogawa.

214 ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR

was most marked in the early stage of the war, but improved
with its development.
Immediately after the outbreak of the war in 1904 industrial circles suffered no shortage of labor. On the other hand,
workmen found it difficult to secure employment, owing to
the retrenchment of enterprises and the consequent decrease
in the demand for labor, which led to the lowering of wages.
With the progress of the war, however, the general market
recovered its activity, the demand for labor began to increase,
and the number of men in active service gradually grew
greater. This was particularly noticeable in and after the
beginning of 1905. All this explains the shortage of labor
and consequent rise in wages in the later stages of the war.
Though we have no monthly statistics of wages to prove it,
we believe the above statement is not erroneous. The
following table indicates the changes in wages according to
kinds of labor:

1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 I907 1908
Workers connected with
clothing and outfits:
Dyers..10........II5 105.0 IOO~p-) ioo.6(-) i11.6 131.8 136.i
Tailors. 114.0 II2.5 II2.0(-) I2o.6(-) I26.5 I34.7 I37.9
Foot-gear makers. 111II.2 110.0 i io.8(- I I3.2(- 17 I 267 13.
Average..1..... 07.8 io8.6 io6.8(-) II2.5(-) I2I.5 I31.5 I36.6
Workers connected with
foods and drinks.....iofi.6 111.2 io8.6(-) III.2(-) I13.4 I25.8 133.0
Workers connected with
building:
Carpenters and plasterers. 110.7 111.9 I09.2(-) II2.5(- 122.3 144.3 156.7
Mat and fitting makers.. 0i8.i 110.1 I04.7(-) 109.4(-) i18.2 138.6 152.8
Average........ 110o.0 111.5 io8.o(-) iii.8(-) 121.3 142.9 155.7
Workers connected with
manufacture of furniture:
joiners.109........8 110.3 Io6.o(-) 12.3(-) I19.1 131.9 139.6
Metaliworkers.11..... 4.0 112.7 II4.0(-) i8. (-) I25.9 136.9 144.3
Average.111..... I7 111.3 I09.5(-) 14.9(- 122.1 I34.1 148.6
Miscellaneous..10..... 8.4 109.5 io8. i(-) 12.4(- ii6.7 138.0 148.7
Average........107.7 109.5 I07.5 (-) 12.1 (- 118.4 I34.I 143.0

Wages in almost all kinds of labor went down in 1904.
The only exceptions were the wages of foot-gear makers and
of metal workers. This was due, how~ever, to a large demand
for labor of shoe-makers and blacksmiths, who were wanted
for the manufacture of war supplies. This general fall in
wages was more discouraging to workers when its practical