It is not to be all beer and skittles for the Canton merchants after all, For a time, they led the Anti Japanese Boycott Committee a merry chase, discomfiting the boy-colters and so unpopular was the Committee, even with the officials, because of revelations that did no credit to the heads of this organization, that many expected it to be abolished. Those days are gone; the goose is hanging high at the Boycott headquarters, and the pickets are 10 out-Herod Herod, s0 they dealing with shops that display Japanese goods, While the boycotiers in other parts of China were shutting up cages, and making a public display of their countrymen who continued to offer Japanese wares for sale, and were confiscating those wares at a wholesale rate, the boy-cot organization in Canton was making a struggle to keep alive.
had no popular support and the support was wish-washy.
jad'not the, Central Kuomintang insisted on it, not even anti-Japanese propaganda would have been seen in Canton.
A Sudden Change Why, then, the change? Why the sudden' reversal of form? Why the new life that has been instilled into the previously spineless, pusilla ous Boycott Committee? Secking fan answer, your correspondent interviewed ' governmental leaders, and learned that the attitude of the Kuangtung Government—towards Japan has changed; that is the reason. No official wants Yo be quoted, but, so long as their names fare omitted, there are plenty who are only too glad to have the world know how they feel.
So long as the Tsainan question was simply an unsettled dispute, the Kuangtung officials did not evince any particular hatred towards Japan, bur their temper has. been aroused by the manner in which Japan has tackled that ques-jon. It is not 0 much the breakdown of the negotiations that has embittered those who dictate governmental policies in Canton as it is the slap in the face which they believe the newly-crowned Emperor ordered his representative to administer to Dr. ©. T, Wang with malice aforethought.
'A spokesman of the Kuangtung Government had at his finger-tips an even half-dozen proofs which, to his mind, established conclusively the perfidy of the Japanese government. One by one he gave them, and, since he is in close touch with affairs at Nanking, ft may be said that his sentiments are a reflection of those of all official China.
A Double Slight exception has been taken to the delegation of authority to the Shanghai Consul-General Mr. Yada, to settle the Sino-Japanese ques: tions: the Minister at Peking undoubtedly, it is contended, should ang. Having given thi the Japanese authorities offered a further indignity by neglecting to place in the hands of Mr. Yada Papers which gave him full and complete power to settle the outstanding differences.
Rather than embarrass Dr, Wang Government, the While the negotiations were being Finance and the ¢arried on, the local Boycott Comistry of Industry, Commerce & mittee was required to cease its ted activities entirely, and no Japanese goods were seized. Now the brakes have been removed, and the committee evidently has been told to 0 the limit. Heretofore, the committee was endured, but hardly: officially sanctioned; now it has official encouragement. Of the Tatter, one may rest astured. Its acts are connived at and condoned, though they may not oniered bythe Pol other legis!
Forcible Closure ial day allowed for rogist-ration has passed, and the Boycott Committee ix no Tonzer concerned that so few shopkeepers have come forwanl and vs declared the quantities of Japanese goods held in stock. It no longer asks the shop owners to pay a "fine" of $30 for each $100 of "enemy goods" of which they are possessed. (But $7,200 all told was derived by the committee from this source). The shops that did not register are under. the sérdtiny of the pickets, and, to start with, the electric supply shops have been selected 2s suitable establishments of which to make a public example. A number of these have been visited by the pickets, who, finding mostly Japanese elec trio equipment on the shelves, have not taken the trouble to go over each separate item, picking out Japanese from other kinds of goods. Instead, they have closed and padlocked the shop doors, and are, it understood, preparing to sell the contents to the highest bidders.
Auctions of seized goods are being held daily. Heretofore, the owner was given the first chance; he might redeem his cargoes and stocks by paying a high figure. Nowadays, no sympathy is wasted on the traffickers in Japanese wares. As soon as it is definitely established that the goods which have been seized actually are Japanese products, they are put up to auction, and he who offers the highest amount gets them.
The boycott organization is extending its activities to yarts of the province in other days it had no influence whatsoever. Branches have been opened in outlying districts, and it is said that in no part of Kuangtung is it possible for a merchant to import, or to sell after importing, Japanese goods, without running into great danger of having those goods confiscated.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.