背景

Ube rice riot background

　宇部村の人口は、１９１８年（大正７）に、３万５１６５人に増えました。１９２０年（大正９）に実施された初めての国勢調査で、宇部村の人口は、全国の村の中で第２位でした。（第１位は製糸業の中心地だった長野県諏訪郡平野村（現岡谷市））

　１９１８年において、人口に対する商工鉱業等の都市的業態従事者は８割を超えていました。また、市街地の人口は２万５千人以上となり、炭鉱納屋は市街地の一角を形成していました。このことから、米騒動のあった１９１８年に、宇部村は石炭鉱業都市に成長したと考えます。

　１９２１年（大正１０）、宇部村は市制を施行しました。 

 （1) Establishment of coal mining city

① Increase in coal output and population

   The population of Ube Village increased to 35,165 in 1918 (Taisho 7).   In the first census conducted in 1920 (Taisho 9), Ube-Village was the second-largest village in Japan.  (The first place was Hirano-Village, Suwa-County, Nagano, which was the center of the silk industry (now Okaya City)).

  In 1918, more than 80% of the population engaged in urban businesses such as commerce, industry and mining.  In addition, the population of the urban area was more than 25,000, and the coal mine barn formed a corner of the urban area.  From this, I think that Ube Village has grown into a coal mining city in 1918, when the rice riot occurred.

  In 1921 (Taisho 10), Ube Village implemented the municipal organization.

Ube coal mine coal output and Ube village population increase during World War I

グラフは管理者作成（『山口県史研究　第２４号』４頁掲載）。（拡大可・以下同じ）。

The graph is created by the administrator ("Yamaguchi Prefectural History Study No. 24", page 4). (Click to enlarge ・ The same applies to the following).

Source: Okinoyama Coal Mine / Higashimizome Coal Mine Miner "Ube Coal Mine Labor Situation" Survey at the end of May 1934. Suspects to had been sent to Preliminary Trial "The final decision for the preliminary trial of Ube-Mura rioting case in Yamaguchi Prefecture" (March 1918)

表は管理者作成（『山口県史研究　第２４号』５頁に掲載）。The table was created by the administrator (published on page 5 of "Yamaguchi Prefectural History Study No. 24").

　第一次世界大戦期の宇部村の人口増加は、周辺の村との合併や宇部村内を本籍地とする出生者の増加によってもたらされたのではありません。人口増加は、県内外から鉱夫などが宇部村に移動してきたという社会的要因によってもたらされました。

　上の表の左側は１９３４年（昭和９）の沖ノ山炭鉱と東見初炭鉱の７９８１名の出身地です。右側は１９１８年（大正７）の宇部の米騒動の裁判（予審）で起訴された被告３７３名の出身地（本籍地）です。

　左の大正中ごろ（１９１８年）と右の昭和前期（１９３４年）を比較すると、大正から昭和前期にかけて、朝鮮人鉱夫の割合が急増していることがわかる（０．８％→１４．８％）。

　朝鮮人鉱夫を除くと、鉱夫の出身地は大正中ごろと昭和前期で大きな違いはない。中国山地脊梁部にあり、冬期積雪地帯である広島県、島根県の農村からの出稼ぎ（のち定住）が多かったことがわかる。昭和初期は農村不況が続いたこともあり、単身者の割合が減少していき（４割→２割）、家族とともに納屋（社宅）に定住する鉱夫が増えていった。 

　大正と昭和の米騒動参加者の出身地と鉱夫の出身地の比率はほぼ同じでした。米騒動参加者の約半数が県外出身者で、単身者が多かった。

 ②Comparison of the hometowns of Okinoyama・Higashimizome coal miner and preliminary court defendants

  The increase in the population of Ube Village during the First World War was not caused by the merger with neighboring villages or the increase in the number of births based in Ube Village.  Population growth was brought about by social factors, such as miners moving to and from Ube Village from inside and outside the prefecture. 

  The left side of the above table is the birthplace of 7,981 people from Okinoyama Coal Mine and Higashimizome Coal Mine in 1934 (Showa 9).  On the right is the birthplace (home address) of 373 defendants who were indicted in a trial (preliminary trial) of Ube Rice Riot in 1918 (Taisho 7).

  A comparison of the middle Taisho (1918) on the left with the first half of the Showa era (1934) on the right shows that the ratio of Korean miners has increased sharply from the Taisho era to the early Showa era (0.8% → 14.8%).

  Except for Korean miners, there is no significant difference between the miners' hometowns in the middle of Taisho and the early Showa era.  It can be seen that there were many migrants (later settled in Ube) from rural areas in the Chugoku Mountain ridge of Hiroshima Prefecture and Shimane Prefecture, which is a winter snow area.  In the early Showa era, the proportion of singles was decreasing (40% → 20%), partly due to the continuing depression of the rural area, and the number of miners who settled in barns (company housing) with their families increased.

  The proportion of birthplaces of rice riot participants in the Taisho and Showa eras and the birthplace of miners were almost the same. Approximately half of the participants in the rice riot came from outside the prefecture, and many were single.

2020.3.23更新

新聞記事を管理者がグラフ化。The administrator graphed newspaper articles.

　１９１８年８月１５日の４２銭までの価格は市場価格です。

　８月２１日に白米の価格が急激に下がり２５銭になっている。これは、市場価格（４０銭以上）との価格差を寄付金・補助金等で補給した廉売価格であり、市場価格ではない。

　米騒動が始まった時の鉱夫の賃金は、米価が高騰する前の白米２５銭の時の賃金と同じだった。このため、米価が高騰すると鉱夫は賃金値上げを要求しましたが、経営者がすぐに賃上げをしなかったため暴動に発展しました。

　廉売期間が終了すると、白米は４０銭台の市場価格に戻ったが、炭鉱組合が鉱夫の賃金を３割値上げしたため生活への影響は軽減された。

 （２）Rising rice prices and labor disputes

① Rising rice prices and demand for wage increase

  Prices up to 42 sen on August 15, 1918 are market prices.  

  On August 21, the price of white rice dropped sharply to 25 sen.  This is a bargain price obtained by replenishing the price difference from the market price (40 sen or more) with donations and subsidies, and is not a market price. 

  The miners' wages at the start of the rice riot were the same as those at the time of 25 sen before the rise in rice prices.  As a result, when rice prices soared, miners demanded higher wages, but the riots developed because the company managers did not raise wages immediately.

  After the bargain sale period ended, the price of white rice returned to the 40-sen range, but the impact on living was reduced as Ube Coal Mines Union Company increased wages of miners by 30%.

2020.3.23更新

"Prices of Shinkawa" ・ Okinoyama Itsudan(5-dan) lump coal price and miner's wage increase request ・ Answer from the coal mine side ("Ube Jiho", "Bakan Mainichi Shimbun", "Komesodoki")

表は管理者が作成（『山口県史研究　第２４号』１５頁掲載）。The table was created by the administrator ("Yamaguchi Prefectural History Study No. 24", page 15).

　米価は大正６年（１９１７）はじめは白米１升１７．５銭だったが、同年９月には２５銭となった。しかし、沖ノ山炭鉱組合は坑夫の賃上げに応じなかった。このため同月に沖ノ山炭鉱鉱夫が初めての本格的な同盟罷業（集会・ストライキ）を起こし、１割５分の賃上げが実施された。１割５分の賃上げは、石炭１函を採炭して賃金５銭値上げするのに相当しました。

　鉱夫（さきやま）はつるはしによる手掘りで採炭しました。賃金は出炭量確保のため出来高払いだった。採炭夫は１日平均５函を採炭し、米騒動前の１函の切賃は３０銭程度であったと推察する。

　大正７年（１９１８）６月になると米価はさらに高騰して３０銭になったので、沖ノ山鉱夫は２割５分の賃上げを要求したが、沖ノ山炭鉱組合（渡邊祐策頭取）は受け入れなかった。政府がシベリア出兵に同意し、出兵を決定すると米価はさらに暴騰した。８月１１日には白米１升の価格は４８銭のピークとなった。

　米価が高騰し、米騒動が全国に伝播した時、鉱夫は賃上げ要求をしたが、炭鉱組合は回答を引き延ばしたため、労資間の対立が激化した。同盟罷業や暴動勃発が予測される状況が生まれ、山口県庁の会議や新聞報道で炭鉱の騒動の可能性が指摘されていた。

　しかし、県知事の関心は賃上げではなく米廉売の協議にありました。また、宇部炭鉱の各炭鉱組合の頭取、大棟梁も鉱夫の賃上げ要求に真摯に対応しなかった。この間に宇部の米騒動が勃発した。

 ②Rise of rice price and coal price and the occurrence of labor disputes in Taisho 6-7

  The price of rice was 17.5 sen for 1sho（150ｇ）of rice in early 1917, but it reached 25 sen in September of the same year.  However, Okinoyama Coal Mine Union Company did not comply with miners' wage-raising request.  Therefore,  The miners of Okinoyama Coal Mine launched the first full-scale strike (meeting and strike) in the same month, and wages were raised by 15％.  A wage increase of 15% was equivalent to mining one box of coal and raising the wage by five sen.

  The miner (“Sakiyama”) was mining by hand digging with a pickaxe.  Wages were piecework payment to secure coal production.  Miners work 20 days a month, digging an average of 5 boxes of coal a day, and estimate that the price per box before the riot was about 30 sen.

In June 1918, the rice price rose further to reach 30 sen, and  Okinoyama miner demanded 25％ wage increase, but  Okinoyama Coal Mine Uunion Company (President ,Watanabe Sukesaku) did not accept.  Rice prices soared further when the government agreed to send troops to Siberia and decided to go to Siberia.  On August 11, the price of 1sho（150g） of white rice peaked at 48 sen.

  When rice prices soared and the rice riot spread across the country, miners demanded higher wages, but coal mining union companies delayed their response, intensifying the conflict between labor and capital.  A situation was anticipated in which alliance strikes and outbreaks of riots will occur, and meetings at Yamaguchi Prefectural Government and newspaper reports had pointed out the possibility of coal mining turmoil.

  However, the interest of the prefectural governor was not to raise wages, but to discuss rice bargains.  In addition, the president of each coal mining union companies at Ube Coal Mines, and security section manager did not seriously respond to the miner's demand for wage increases.  During this time, Ube Rice Riot broke out.

2023.3.24更新

　大戦景気の時期には、米価上昇に対して賃金値上げが遅れたため賃上げ要求の労働争議が激化し、この労働争議が騒動発生の契機となった。騒動が発生すると炭鉱施設や炭鉱経営者宅だけでなく、直接の労資関係がない市街地の商店や遊郭など、石炭ブームを受けていた場所も襲撃対象になり、騒動は全村に拡大した。

　このように、宇部米騒動の特質の1つは、騒動が労働争議から発展し、暴徒のほとんどが鉱夫であったことである。

 ③ Characteristics of Ube rice riot

  During the wartime economic boom, labor dispute for demand for wage increase intensified due to the delay in raising wages in response to the rise in rice prices, and this labor dispute triggered the rice riot.  

When the riot occurred, not only coal mining facilities and coal mine owners' houses, but also places that had benefited from the coal boom, such as shop and prostitute district in urban areas that did not have direct labor-capital relations, were targeted, and the riot spread to all villages

  Thus, one of the characteristics of Ube rice riot was that the riot evolved from a labor dispute and most of the mob were miners.

2020.3.24更新  

　米騒動の年、宇部村内の宇部炭鉱では宇部鉱業組合に所属しない小規模なものを除き１２炭鉱が稼働していた。このうち開発中の沖見初炭鉱（鈴木商店資本）だけが株式会社で宇部鉱業組合に所属せず、他の１１炭鉱はすべて宇部鉱業組合に所属する炭鉱組合だった。（このうち第二宮沖炭鉱の鉱夫だけ米騒動に参加していない。）

　以下は、宇部鉱業組合の中心的、代表的な炭鉱組合である沖ノ山炭鉱組合の身分の例である。

≪頭取・炭鉱職員（事務員）≫

　宇部の炭坑は、明治初年は、村内の部落の有力者が出資（出資額に応じて組合株を配分・所有する）して部落の人たちが共同して採炭をしていた。その後、次第に、出資者は頭取に経営を任せて採炭作業をせず、所有する組合株に応じた利益の配当を受けるようになった。第一次産業革命期の日清戦争ころから、村外から流入してきた鉱夫が納屋で生活して採炭作業を行うようになった。

　日清戦争後の明治３０年（１９９７）、渡邊祐策（すけさく）が無限責任を負う頭取となり沖ノ山炭鉱組合が設立された。当初は１株１５０円で３００株が発行され、資本金４万５千円で設立されました。祐策は、第二次産業革命期の日露戦争後に海底炭鉱開発に成功し、日本屈指の炭鉱に成長させた。沖ノ山炭鉱組合は昭和３年（１９２８）には、資本金１３００万円（１株２００円、６万５千株）の沖ノ山炭鉱株式会社に発展した。そして、昭和１７年（１９４２）に宇部興産株式会社になりました。

　沖ノ山炭鉱組合の頭取・炭鉱職員は、明治初年以来の伝統を引き継ぎ、頭取以下同じ低額の給料で働いた。しかし、頭取は一定の組合株の所有者が就任するので配当があり、炭鉱職員もまた組合株の一部が配分されているので配当があった。また、頭取・炭鉱職員は年末手当を支給されることが組合規約に規定されていて膨大な収入を得ることのできる身分でした。

　米騒動時に、炭鉱職員は、夫婦共働き鉱夫世帯の７倍程度の収入があり、米価高騰の生活への影響はなかったと考えます。　

 ≪鉱夫≫

　日清戦争以後の宇部炭鉱の発展に伴い、鉱夫は村内だけでなく、県内、県外（広島県、島根県など）の農村から単身または家族で流入した。鉱夫は炭鉱納屋に住み、納屋頭の世話のもとに生活し、採炭作業に従事しました。

　沖ノ山炭鉱では明治末年に経営や採炭作業を改革して効率化し、炭鉱組合が鉱夫に直接賃金を払うなどの直轄制度が導入された。それまでの納屋頭が鉱夫を管理していた従来の仕組みは改革されました。この結果、炭鉱職員が十人長（組長）に指示して鉱夫を統轄する制度になりました。

　鉱夫の指導者である十人長（組長）には模範的鉱夫が任命された。鉱夫はいずれかの十人長（組長）に所属して、十人長に炭鉱納屋での生活の世話をしてもらいました。十人長と鉱夫は鉱夫身分で、組合株を所有することはできませんでした。

(3) Ube Coal Mining Union Companies' status , job position and occupation

① Status of Ube coal mine union companies |(President / Coal Mine staff (clerk) and miner)

  During Ube Rice Riot, 12 coal mine union companies were mining in Ube Village except for small ones that did not belong to Ube Coal Mines Union Company.  Of these, only the Okimizome Coal Mine under development (Suzuki Shoten Co., Ltd.) was a stock company and did not belong to Ube Coal Mines Union Company, and the other 11 Coal Mines were all belong to Ube Coal Mines Union Company.（Of these, only the miners of Second-Miyaoki Coal Mine have not participated in the rice riot.）

  The following is an example of the status of Okinoyama Coal Mine Union Company, which is the central and representative coal mine of Ube Mining Union.

  ≪President（called "Todori" in japanese "） and Coal Mine staff (Clerk) ≫

   In the first year of the Meiji era, Ube coal mines were funded by district Leaders in the village (distributing and owning union stocks according to the investment amount), and people from the villages mined jointly.  Over time, the investor delegated management to the President, did not perform coal mining, and received a profit distribution based on the stock of the union they owned.  Since the Sino-Japanese War during the First Industrial Revolution, miners who came in from outside the village began living in coal mine barns and began mining.

   In Meiji30/1997, after the Sino-Japanese War, Watanabe Sukesaku took office as president that is taking the unlimited responsibility, and Okinoyama Coal Mine Union Company was established.  Initially, 300 shares were issued for 150 yen per share, and the union was established with a capital of 45,000 yen.  Sukesaku succeeded in developing an undersea coal mine after the Russo-Japanese War during the Second Industrial Revolution, and grew it into one of the best coal mines in Japan.  Okinoyama Coal Mine Union Company developed into  Okinoyama Coal Mine Co., Ltd. in Showa3/1928 with a capital of 13 million yen (200 yen per share, 65,000 shares).  And it became Ube Industries, Ltd. in Showa17/1942.

   Okinoyama Coal Mine president and coal mine staff took over the traditions since the early Meiji era and worked at the same low salary as the President.  However, the president was paid a dividend because the owners of certain union shares took office, and Ube Coal Mine staff also received a dividend because some of the union shares were allocated.  In addition, the president and the coal mine staff were entitled to a year-end allowance, which was stipulated in the union terms, and their status were able to earn enormous income.

  At the time of the rice riot, Ube Coal Mine staff estimated that they had about seven times the income of a couple-working miner household and that rising rice prices had no impact on their lives.

   ≪Miner≫

  With the development of Ube Coal Mine after the Sino-Japanese War, miners came not only from within the village, but also from the villages within and outside the prefecture (Hiroshima, Shimane, etc.) alone or as a family.  The miner lived in a mine barn, lived under the care of the barn head, and engaged in coal mining.

  At the end of the Meiji era, Okinoyama Coal Mine reformed its management and mining operations to make it more efficient, and introduced a system of direct control, such as a coal mines union company paying miners directly.  The old structure, where barn heads managed miners, was reformed.  As a result, a system was established in which coal mine staff supervises miners by instructing "Junincho "(also called "Kumicho", boss of 10 miners ).  

  An exemplary miner was appointed as the miner's leader, "Junincho" ("Kumicho" ) .  The miners belonged to one of "Junincho "("Kumicho") and asked   "Junincho " to take care of living in the mine barn.  "Junincho " and the miner were status of miners and could not own shares of coal mine union shares owned by coal mine staff.

2020.3.24更新

［職位］　（沖ノ山炭鉱・昭和１０年）

《坑外（納屋生活）》　[人事係）]・・・<鉱夫>　組長ー坑夫

《坑内》　［大棟梁（保安係長）ー棟梁（保安係）ー小頭（保安係助手）］・・・<鉱夫>伍長ー坑夫　

［職種］

≪直接夫（坑夫）≫　採炭場（切羽）での採掘に直接かかわる坑夫。

• 採炭夫（先山（さきやま））・・大正期、石炭は採炭場切羽（きりは）の炭層から、一先（ひとさき）による手掘りで採炭していた。宇部炭鉱は、炭層がもろいため手掘りの採炭が容易であったので、戦前はコールピック機などの導入が本格化しなかった。先山（さきやま）は採炭場切羽で鶴嘴を使って採炭する男性のことです。後山（あとやま）は先山が採炭した石炭を炭車に積み込む作業をする女性（先山の妻・娘など）のことです。一先は先山と後山が組んだコンビのことです。
• 掘進夫・・採炭場（切羽（きりは））を作るために坑道を掘る坑夫のこと。
• 仕繰夫（しくりふ）・・坑道・採炭場の崩壊を防ぐための支柱を組む坑夫のこと。

≪間接夫≫採炭場（切羽）での採掘に直接かかわらない鉱夫

• 運搬夫・・山口・九州では棹取（さおとり）という。坑内の採炭場に炭車（レール上を動くトロッコ状の函）を配車し、炭車を運転して石炭を運び出す労働者。
• 機械夫・・採炭した石炭を機械（蒸気機関→電動機（モーター））で斜坑、竪坑から地上に巻き上げる労働者。
• 電工
• 工作夫（炭坑大工）
• 選炭夫・・石炭、ボタなどを選別する。主に女性労働者。
• 仲仕（なかし）・・貯炭場に集積した石炭を船に積み込む仕事をした労働者。現在は、「仲仕」は差別用語なので使用しません。「港湾労働者」を使用します。
• 雑夫  

②Miner's job position / occupation

 [job position]（Okinoyama Coal Mine・the Showa10/1935）

 《Outside the mine（coal mine barn life）》　[Personnel Section]・・・<Miner>　”Junincho "(also calld "Kumicho", boss of 10 miners ) ― Digger

 《Within a coalpit》  [“Otoryo”（so-called security section manager）”Toryo” (so-called security chief)―”Kogashira”（so-called security assistant）]・・・<Miner>　Corporal―Digger

[Occupation]

 《”Chokusetsufu”(Digger)》  Miners who are directly involved in mining  at coal quarries（called "Kiriha"）.

・Coal digeer (also called “Sakiyama”)・・In the Taisho era, coal was mined by hand digging by "Hitosaki" (miner consisting of a pair of men and women) from the coal seam at the working face（called "Kiriha" in japanese）.  Ube Coal Mine had a brittle coal seam that made mining by hand easier, so before the war, the introduction of coal picking machines and other equipment did not go into full swing.  "Sakiyama" is a man who mines using a pickaxe at the working face（"Kiriha"）.  "Atoyama" is a woman (a wife or daughter of a "Sakiyama", etc.) who loads coal mined by "Sakiyama" into a charcoal car.   “Hitosaki” is the combination of a "Sakiyama" and "Atoyama".

 ・"Kusshinfu" ・・Digger making a tunnel to a coal quarry（"kiriha"）.

 ・"Shikurifu"・・A miner who sets up columns to prevent collapse of mine's tunnels and coal quarry("Kiriha").

《"Kansetsufu"》Miners not directly involved in mining at coal quarries（"Kiriha"）.

・Transport worker・・In Yamaguchi and Kyushu, it is called “Saotori”.  The Transport worker distributes a coal minecart(dolly-shaped box moving on rails) to the coal quarries in underground and drives the coal minecart to carry out coal.

 ・Machinist・・Workers hoisting coal mined underground by machinery (steam engine → electric motor).  Coal was carried over the ground using  the inclined tunnel or vertical tunnel.

 ・Electrical worker

 ・Carpenter worker in coal mine

 ・Coal sorting worker・・Workers sorting coal size and rock(so-called "Bota") etc.  mainly female workers.

 ・Longshoreman(“Nakashi”)・・A worker who loads coal stored in a coal yard on a ship.  Currently, we do not use the term "Nakashi" because it is a discriminatory term.  Use the term” Dock worker”.

 ・Handyman

2020.3.25更新

〈参考〉

・坑夫のカロリー消費

　採炭は重労働でカロリー消費量が大きかった。炭鉱（銅山・鉄山なども）では一般的に成人男性坑夫は１日に白米８合から１升を食べ、カロリー摂取をしていました。白米１升は１．５㎏です。ご飯にすると２．２倍に膨らむので３．３㎏です。ご飯１００ｇ１６８㎉として、３．３㎏は５５４４㎉となります。現在、活動量の多い成年男子のカロリー消費量は２４００～３０００㎉です。

　米価上昇と切賃（炭車一函分の採炭賃金）の値上げが連関していなければ、生計や肉体労働の維持は困難でした。単身者の納屋宿泊費は一函の切賃が基準でした。

 <reference>

 ・Calorie consumption of a digger

  Coal mining was heavy labor and high calorie consumption.  In coal mines (such as copper mines and iron mines), adult male miners generally ate 1 sho of white rice from 8 go of white rice per day, and ingest calories .  "1 sho" of white rice is 1.5㎏.  White rice 1.5㎏ expands 2.2 times to 3.3㎏ when cooked.  Assuming that 100g of rice is 168㎉, 3.3㎏ becomes 5544㎉.  At the moment, the calorie consumption of adult boys with a lot of activity is 2400-3000 calories. 

  It was difficult to maintain a livelihood and manual labor unless the rise in rice prices and the increase in "Kirichin" (coal mining wages for a single coal box) were linked.   Barn fee for singles was based on "Kirichin" (coal mining wages for a single coal box) .

2020.3.25更新

　沖ノ山炭鉱組合の炭鉱職員（事務員）は炭鉱組合株の一部の配分があり、第一次大戦中の石炭ブーム期には給与以外に多額の株の配当がありました。他に年末手当が支給されていました（『宇部興産六十年の歩み』２頁）。米騒動期には、炭鉱職員は、鉱夫の共働き世帯の７倍以上の収入があったと推定され、米価高騰が生計に影響することはありませんでした（西岡『山口県史研究』第２４号）。

　米騒動の発生した大正７年（１９１８）の沖ノ山炭鉱組合は、従業員数１９３２名（『山口県史』）であり、頭取・炭鉱職員の数は３９名(２％)でした。頭取・炭鉱職員の職位・職種・職員数は、頭取（組合経営の全責任を負う役員）１名、庶務・出納、会計係５名、保安係（大棟梁（保安係長・坑内採炭の責任者）１名と保安係（棟梁）９名）１０名、機械係・技術・測量５名、買入係・倉庫係４名、人事係２名、新坑関係職員６名（前記との重複１名）、販売係７名でした（『宇部時報』）。

　炭鉱組合株は当初は売買できませんでした。日清戦争のころに組合株の売買取引を行う與助（よすけ・与助）という業者が生まれました。大正期には株の相場が地元紙で報道され與助の集会所ができて組合株の流通市場が確立しました（和座一清『慣習的共同企業の法的研究　―いわゆる「宇部式匿名組合」を中心として―』５０頁）。 

　沖ノ山炭鉱組合が沖ノ山炭鉱株式会社になるのは昭和３年（１９２８）で、決算報告が公表されるようになりました。

≪参考≫　『大正一五年新沖山炭鉱組合規約』

「第一八条　当組合ニ左ノ役員及事務員ヲ置キ業務ヲ掌ラシム

但シ必要ニ応ジ傭員ヲ置クコトヲ得

頭取　壱、　取締役　拾、　事務長　壱、　監査役　参、　相談役　四

　以上重役、取締役ハ事務長ヲ兼務スルコトヲ得

庶務、会計、保安、機械、倉庫、買入、販売、監量、人事、測量、計算

　以上事務員トス」

［和座一清『慣習的共同企業の法的研究　―いわゆる「宇部式匿名組合」を中心として―』２５０頁］

（新沖ノ山炭鉱組合は、厚狭郡小野田町の新沖に開業した炭鉱組合です。）

 ③Coal Mine staff (clerk・・Engineers are also called clerks)

  The coal mining staff (clerk) of Okinoyama Coal Mine Union Company has a portion of the his company's shares, and during the coal boom during World War I, there was a large share dividend in addition to salary ("Sixty Years' History of Ube Industry' " p. 2).   During the rice riot, the coal mining staff were estimated to earn more than 7times the income of a couple-working miner household , and soaring rice prices did not affect livelihood(Nishioka”Yamaguchi Kenshi Kenkyu”№24 ).

  Okinoyama Coal Mine inTaisho7/1918, when the rice riot occurred, had 1932 employees ("Yamaguchi Prefectural History") and 41 (2%) President and Coal Mine staff (clerk).  The job position, occupation, and number of staff of the chief of president and coal mine staff are as follows: 1 president (officer with full responsibility for union management), 5 general affairs and cashiers, accountant,  security officers ("Otoryo"(a word similar to security section manager) 1 person and 9 security person in charge (called "Toryo" in japanese)) 10 persons, 5 mechanical personnel / technical / surveying personnel, 4 purchasing / storage personnel, 2 personnel personnel, 6 New Mining staff (one of the above duplicates) and 7 sales clerks ("The Ube Jiho").

  Coal mine stocks could not be traded initially.  Around the time of the Sino-Japanese War, a trader named "Yosuke" (so-called securities man), who trades union stocks, was born.  During the Taisho era, the stock market was reported in local newspapers, and Yosuke's meetinghouse was established, establishing a secondary market for union stocks.(Waza Kazukiyo Legal research on customary joint company －Focusing on the so-called "Ube-style anonymous union―"”   50 pages. )

  Okinoyama Coal Mine Union Company became Okinoyama Coal Mine Co., Ltd. in Souwa3/1928, and the financial report has been published.

　　<reference>

 『Taisho 15 year,The Terms of New Okinoyama Coal Mine Union Company』

  「Article 18　Assign officers and clerks to our union,and let them take charge of business.  However, the union can have employees to assist clerks if necessary.

 　president 1,  director 10,  manager 1,  auditor 3,  consultant 4,   

  The above is the executive.  Director can also serve as manager.

general affairs, accounting, security, machinery, warehouse, purchase, sales, inspection of mass, personnel affairs, surveying, calculation.

  The above is the clerks. 」

(Waza Kazukiyo “Legal research on customary joint company　－Focusing on the so-called "Ube-style anonymous union―"”  250 pages).

(New-Okinoyama Coal Mine Union Company is a coal mining union company opened in Shin-Oki, Onoda-cho, Asa-gun.）

2020.3.26更新

　大正期の宇部炭鉱では、坑外の選炭夫等だけでなく、坑内で多数の女性が後山（あとやま）として働いていた。

　大正１４年の史料（九州帝大工学部採鉱科第三部　加藤和幸『沖之山炭鑛実習報告　大正十四年』）では、沖ノ山炭鉱の「坑夫」は約１９００名でした。（男子１３００名、女子６００（３１．６％）名）でした。大正１４年の沖ノ山炭鉱の鉱夫数の推計は約３２００～４１００名であるので、加藤の実習報告の「坑夫」とは坑内の直接夫のことと考える。

　先山（さきやま）の家族の女性（主に夫婦）は採炭に欠かせない労働力で坑夫納屋で生活した。男子鉱夫の約４割は独身者で、独身者は「飯場（めしば・はんば）」に収容されて生活した。

　沖ノ山炭鉱で女性の坑内労働が禁止されるのは昭和初期（昭和４～５年ころ）のことである。１９２８年（昭和３）に「鉱夫労役扶助規則」が改正（５年の猶予期間）され、女性の坑内労働が禁止された。

　大正７年富山米騒動は女性が行動したことで有名ですが、山口県では女性の目立った行動はほとんどありませんでした。大規模な暴動となった大阪市の三軒家方面では「１０人位の女の集團」が米屋を襲ったという記事があります（『毎日新聞』８月１３日付）。

　「騒擾者の内、（中略）、其内京都市に二人、岡山市に十七人、呉市に一人の婦人ありたり。但富山縣に於ては約三百名以上の婦人集合したるも檢擧せらるゝ程度の騒擾なし」（「米騒動事件に關する日本辯（弁）護士協會の調査報告」『所謂米騒動事件の研究』468-469頁）という記載があります。

　宇部の米騒動では、８月１７日夜、沖ノ山炭鉱の男性鉱夫が賃上げを要求して、隊列を作って炭鉱から市街地に押し出しました。これに他の炭鉱の男性鉱夫らも加わって、鉱夫らは商店や遊郭などを襲撃しました。８月１８日は、警察分署に留置された男性鉱夫の釈放をもとめて、午前に第二沖ノ山炭鉱、午後に東見初炭鉱等の男性鉱夫が警察分署に押しかけました。男性鉱夫は、この２日間の行動に参加することを強制されていました。しかし、女性鉱夫らが市街地への押し出しに加わることはありませんでした。騒動後の裁判においても起訴された女性は一人もいません。

　『宇部時報』大正７年８月２１日、３面「宇部の大不祥事」「大捜査始まる」の記事に、「十九日は大檢擧に着手し（中略）而して檢擧は單に坑夫のみに止まらずこれに雷同して掠奪をなしたる市中のものにもおよび、既に多數拘（註:勹の中の口はム。以下同じ）引され居り中には女房連ももあり略奪したる麥麵（そうめん）箱や反物下駄抔（など）を携帶して拘引されたる者も尠（すく）なからず尚ほ續々この種の被拘引者を出す摸樣」とあります。

　また、１８日午後の第二沖ノ山炭鉱仕入れ店では、坑夫を恐れた店員がどこかに逃げた後、「いま行けば、仕入店の品物は無料だという噂が拡まつて、いままで躊躇していた女房や子供連中が、午後三時から四時にかけて押かけ、勝手に商品を持つてかえつたので、仕入店は商品棚と陳列ケースだけになつてしまつた」（高野義祐『米騒動記』７７～７８頁）とあります。

　女性は、坑夫納屋に引きこもって何もしなかったということではないようです。宇部炭鉱の女性が米騒動にどのようにかかわったのかは今後の研究課題です。 

(4) Coal mines and women

  In Ube coal mine during the Taisho era, not only coal sorting worker outside the mine, but also many women in the mine's underground worked as "Atoyama".

  According to historical materials from the Taisho 14 (Kyushu Imperial University, Faculty of Engineering, Mining part 3, Kazuyuki Kato, “Okinoyama coal mine training report: the Taisho 14”), there were about 1,900 “miners” at Okinoyama coal mine.  Of these, 1,300 were male miners and 600 (31.6%) female miners.  The estimate of the number of miners at Okinoyama coal mine in Taisho 14 was about 3200 to 4100, so I think the "miners" in Kato's training report is the ”Chokusetsufu"(Digger)  in the miners.

  The woman(mainly couples) in "Sakiyama"s family were laborers who were indispensable for coal mining, and the family lived in the mine barn.  Approximately 40% of male miners are singles, and the singles lived in "Hanba"(also called "Meshiba").   ("Hanba" is a communal barn.)

  It was in the early the Showa era (around the Souwa 4-5) that women's underground labor was banned at Okinoyama coal mine.  In 1928 (Showa 3), the “Miner's Labor Assistance Rules” was revised (five-year grace period), and women's underground labor was banned.

Women's participation in the rice riot

  Toyama rice riot in the Taisho7/1918 was famous for the action of women, but in Yamaguchi Prefecture, there were few noticeable actions by women.  There is an article in the area of "Sangenya" in Osaka City, which became a large-scale riot, that a "tenth of women gathered" attacked rice store (The Mainichi Shimbun, August 13).

  「Women of the mobs, (Omitting), there are two in Kyoto, seventeen in Okayama, and one in Kure. In Toyama prefecture, more than 300 women were gathered, but there was no disturbance.」("A Report by Japan lawyer Association on the rice riots" .  "A Study of the So-called the rice riots incidents", pp. 468-469)

  In Ube rice riot, on the night of August 17th ,the male miners at Okinoyama coal mine demanded a wage increase ,they made a platoon and pushed out of the coal mine into the city . In addition to this, male miners from other coal mines etc. also joined, and the miners etc. attacked shops and prostitute district.  On August 18, male miners, such as Second Okinoyama Coal Mine in the morning and Higashi Mizome Coal Mine in the afternoon, rushed to the police branch in search of the release of the male miners detained in the police branch.  Male miners were forced to participate in this two-day action.  But the women miners did not participate in the push out into the city.  No woman was charged in the post-riot trial.

"The Ube Jiho", August 21, Taisho7/1918, on the 3rd page, "Great Scandal in Ube", Article of "The Great Arrestigation Begins" . “On the 19th, Police began a large-scale arrest (Omitting)   And the arrest did not stop at the miners.  The arrest also extended to mobs in the city who joined the miners and looted.  Many were already in custody, including housewives.  Among them were housewives.  Many housewives had "somen" boxes, cloths, and wooden clogs that they looted and obtained.  Such detainees seem to appear one after another.”  There is.

  Also, at the goods sales shop of Second Okinoyama coal mine, on the afternoon of the 18th, after a clerk who was afraid of a miner escaped somewhere,” Rumors spread that if you go now, the goods at the shop will be free.  From 3 pm to 4 pm, The wife and children rushed to the goods sale store, they returned with goods without permission.  For this reason, only the merchandise shelves and the display cases remained in the goods sales shop.”(Takano Yoshisuke “Comesodoki”pp.77-78)

  It is unlikely that a woman would withdraw into the coal mine barn and did nothing.  How Ube coal mining women were involved in the rice riot is a topic for future research.

2020.3.26更新

　宇部炭鉱史上最大の事故は、米騒動のおよそ３年前、１９１５年（大正４）４月１２日に東見初炭鉱で発生した出水事故です。犠牲者は、６０３名の入坑者のうち２３５名でした。犠牲者の職位・職種は、事務員４名、坑夫２１６名、器械方５名、煉瓦工１０名でした。この事故により後山として入坑していた多くの女性が犠牲となりました。

　２３５名中、宇部村在籍者は３１名で、そのうち女性は坑夫の妻７名（２２～３７歳）、未成年者１名（１６歳）です（男性は１８～４７歳）（『宇部時報』大正４年４月２５日付）。

この事故では事務所の棟梁（保安係）藤重勝太郎が、部下を救うため、『非常が出来た、皆直上れ（みなすぐあがれ）』（「出水した。全員すぐ坑外に上がれ」）と坑道を叫び廻った。藤重の勇気ある行動が多くの人命を救ったものの、藤重は死亡しました。このことは『宇部時報』の記事として記録されています。（『宇部時報』大正４年５月２５日付）。 

≪ Reference ≫ 　 “Mizu Hijou” (flood accident)

 　Higashi Mizome coal mine flood accident (largest accident in Ube coal mine history)

  The largest accident in the history of Ube coal mine was the flood accident that occurred at Higashi Mizome coal mine on April 12, 1915 (Taisho 4), about three years before the rice riot.  At that time, 603 people were engaged in mining at the undersea coal mine, of which 235 were killed.  The job positions and occupations of the victims were 4 clerks, 216 miners, 5 mechanical workers, and 10 bricklayers.  Many women who entered the mine as a "Atoyama" were killed in the accident.  Men were 18 to 47 years old.  (“Ube Jiho” , May 25, Taisho4/1915)

  In this accident, Fujishige Katsutaro who is"Toryo" (so-called security chief)of the office on the sea floor, ran around the mine and said to his subordinates,  "Everybody up immediately"(An flooded emergency has occurred, everyone up) .  Fujishige's courageous actions saved many lives, but he died.  This has been recorded as an article in "Ube Jiho". (“The Ube Jiho”, May 25, Taisho4/1915) 

≪関連≫長生（ちょうせい）炭鉱「水非常（みずひじょう）」

　長生炭鉱水没事故は、海水が坑道に流入した「水非常」でよく知られています。この事故は、第二次大戦中の１９４２年（昭和１７）２月３日に宇部市西岐波（にしきわ・床波（とこなみ）漁港に隣接）にあった長正炭鉱で発生しました。この事故は、宇部炭鉱史上２番目に大きい事故で、１８３名の鉱夫が犠牲となりました。そのうち１３６名は朝鮮人鉱夫でした。東見初炭鉱出水事故と異なり、出水時に坑口が閉ざされて犠牲者がいまだに海底に眠ったままにされているなど今後に課題を残しています。 

 ≪Related≫  Chosei Coal Mine “Mizuhijou”

  The submerged accident at Chosei Coal Mine is well known as a "Mizu Hijow (so-called water emergency)" where seawater has flowed into the tunnel.  The accident occurred during the World War II on February 3, 1942 (Showa 17) at Chosei Coal Mine in Nishikiwa, Ube City (adjacent to the Tokonami fishing port).  The accident was the second largest accident in Ube coal mine history, killing 183 miners.  136 of them were Korean miners.  Unlike Higashi Mizome Coal Mine flood accident, the pithead is closed at the time of the flood and the victims still remain asleep on the seabed, leaving challenges for the future.

2020.3.26更新