Cotton crop contro! in America is child's play compared to what is happening im the Japanese-held Kiang-poh area. The guerilla government, maintained in defiance of the army of occupation, has blasted Japanese hopes of using the conquered territory as a great reservoir of raw cotton, to {ree the home mills of dependence on American and other overseas sources.
mhe authority of the Japanese, as is now fairly evident, extends exactly io the limits of range of Japanese guns. As soon as the soldiers' backs are lumed, the peasants yield obedience and ea-operation to the mandates of the "underground" guerilla government.
Last year the orders went forth to raise only one-tenth as much cotton as they did in 1637—and the supply which Japanese mill owners counted on vanished at its source. Instead, the farmers were instructed to plant brain for food, and the wheat crop. favoured by good rains, is the largest in years.
Although the guerillas are careful not to harm or offend the farmers who ce-operate with them, they have mo such tenderness toward such concentrated economic targets ds coal mines, iron mines, and salt beds that fave been seized by the enemy. Wherever they are able, they diversity their programme of hazing ip detachments and sup-ard destroy-
Tiwelly, the Minister for Customs, Mr. White, who was a senior Minister of valuable experience, was relegated to 4 subordinate position end excluded from the "Inner Group." This meani that the very important question of tariff policy would be decided without reference to the Minister for Customs, who would subsequently be held responsible for carrying out that policy, As a protest against the creation of the "Inner Group," Mr. White resigned. It was subsequently disclosed that Mr. White had wanted to resign before the reconstruction, and that Mr. Lyons bad persuaded bim not to desert the Cabinet ship, which at that time seemed in im" minent danger of sinking. The knowledge that the Prime Minister was capable of resorting to such tactics Surprised considerable sympathy for Mr, White, whose ability and popularity are a serious loss to any. Ministry.
Mr. Lyons is again firmly in the saddle, where he seems clever enough to remain until the horse falls down. The Labour Opposition is quite prepared to allow it to jog along until the next elections, but although the Prime Minister has goaded his own supporters into obedience, it would be an exaggeration to say that he commanded their allegiance.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.