(解説文要約)
米騒動は大正7年、米価高騰により全国的に起こった暴動です。
大正7年8月27日、
八幡製鉄二瀬中央坑の労働者が会社に賃金3割アップと米価の引き下げを要求しますが、回答なし。
結局、その夜、暴動となります。数百名が炭坑の購買部になだれ込み、物品を略奪。大混乱となります。
当日は、警察が出動し、翌日は軍隊が出動します。
軍隊が出動すると、勢いづいていた労働者たちもあえなく鎮圧されました。
作兵衛翁は一連の米騒動で、峰地(みねぢ)炭坑で2名、八幡製鉄二瀬中央坑で1名の犠牲者が出たと記しています。
Komesodo is a term for rice riot, which broke out in 1918 and spread nationwide, because of a sudden rise in rice prices.
On August 27th in 1918,
coal mine workers at Yahata Ironworks Futase Branch Center Coal Pit demanded a 30% wage increase and reduction of rice prices.
The company ignored their demands and the gathering soon turned into a riot that night.
Hundreds of rioters broke in and pillaged the company store. It was absolute chaos.
Police tried to hold down the riot that day but the military, deployed the following day,
were the ones who successfully suppressed the rioters.
According to Sakubei’s records, two workers at the Mineji Pit and one worker from the Yahata Ironworks gave their lives for the riot.