Young female employees lining up to receive mandatory ‘payroll savings booklets’ to automatically deduct their wages to contribute to the Imperial Japanese war effort (Seoul, 1943)
The following is a photo of some young female employees at a company in Seoul lining up to receive some ‘payroll savings booklets’. A portion of each employee’s wages would be automatically deducted to contribute to a war fund as ‘war savings’ to support the Imperial Japanese military. The booklet would record how much was deducted towards the war effort. If this program worked similarly to mainland Japan, then the payroll contributions were mandatory, and there was no way for employees to voluntarily opt out of them.
(Translation)
Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) August 27, 1943
We will not want things until the war is won
Maidens burning with a fighting spirit to donate their payroll savings
The payroll savings booklets were handed to the maidens, one after the another. The fighting maidens disappeared from the office with the booklets in their hands, their cheeks blushing red with delight.
The submarine crew are conserving the air inside their submarines. Soldiers are sharing cups of water with their comrades-in-arms on battlefields covered with yellow dust. As long as the Imperial warriors continue to fight to the death in decisive battles this autumn, luxury is the enemy. Waste is also the enemy. The Korean Federation of National Power, Seoul Branch announced a set of ironclad rules for wartime life, which included a section on payroll savings (saving money by deducting from one’s income).
Now, instead of buying silk socks, put the money into savings. Instead of buying a pint of beer, go buy some government bonds. The 1.2 million residents of Seoul are called upon to become a ball of fire to finish the Holy War and strive to surpass the 1.2 billion yen mark. [Photo: Payroll savings at a certain company]
Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-08-27 (page 4)
(Transcription)
京城日報 1943年8月27日
欲しがりません、勝つまでは
天引き貯金に闘魂燃やす乙女達
天引き貯金帳が乙女の手に次から次へと渡される。通帳を手にした戦う乙女達は感激に両頬を紅潮させ、事務室から姿を消す。
潜水艦員は艦内の空気を節約し、黄塵万丈の戦野では一杯の水を戦友とわけあいながら、皇軍勇士が決戦死闘をつづけている秋、贅沢は敵だ。無駄も敵だ。生活を切り下げ貯蓄にはげみ、聖戦に勝ち抜こうと京城府聯盟ではさきに決戦生活の鉄則を発表し、その中、天引き貯蓄の一項目を設けている。
さあ、絹靴下のかわりに貯金だ。ビール一杯のかわりに国債だ。百二十万府民は聖戦完遂のために火の玉となって十二億円突破に邁進しよう。【写真＝某会社の天引き貯金】
