Probably no more effective method could have been devised of bringing [Chinese provincial authorities to their senses than that adopted by the three principal oil companies refusing to import further consignments of oil and kerosene into Kuangtung, this as a counter-measure to the internal tax which has beensimposed. No doubt the Kuangtung like other markets in China is very valuable one, but it has to be remembered that the affairs of these. great oil companies are world-ide, and exclusion from one -province of trade will not have the effect upon them that it would on firms with smaller resources. Furthermore when this exclusion is a voluntary act and done in conjunc tion with other concerns operating in the same territory, it in no way compromises their future prospects so far as trade is concerned. What ig_ may be expected to work is temporary hardship on the people at large, but while this may be re gretted it is the sort of thing likely create and harden public opinion to a pitch where even the militarists themselves compelled. ts bow to it. Were this not the anc. Jcipated logical result of such action here would be little force in taking The resolve of the oil companies Kuangtung is accordingly a very important event, for it may bring home to those who need the lasso". ju China that a boycott is not necessarily confined to the consumers alone but may be 'a much mace orions thing when the suppliers take the case in hand. In any cas a sharp lesson ix needed by oficial-dom in Kuangtung.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.