DRASTIC REGIME

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 612, 17 August 1933, Page 7

DRASTIC REGIME

CANTpN'S BOYCQTT MERCHANTS DARE NOT BUY JAPANESE GOODS. FINES AND EXECUTIONS. Other Chinese citi'es may have re laxed their anti-Japanese boycotts but Canton has tightened its economis warfare against Japan to such an ex tent that few Chinese merchants dari risk buying one copper's worth' o: Japanese goods. Residents of lonj standing agree that no previous boy cott has ever been so efficiently pro secuted. The boycott is directed by an organisation known as the National Salvation- Society, which has, or assumes the power to search any shop, to brin^ a merchant to trial, and to impos even the death sentence upon convict ed merchants. Several executions have occurred without resort to regular courts. The society maintains its owr judges, who conduet trials very mucl as the ordinary courts do. Two of it members and employees recently were convicted of accepting bribes, and after a brief trial were executed by thc society itself. The society, therefore exercises the powers of a dictatoi within the limits of its activities. Long prison sentences and heavj fines may also be imposed by the society's judges, and fines have run tc £20,000 silver. One of Canton's largest department stores, the Sincere Company, recntly was convicted oi

keeping some Japanese goods in storage in the Oriental Hotel operated by | the company. Although these goods ' were not offered for sale, a. fine of j i £20,000 was imposed upon the Sincere Company and a similar fine upon the Oriental Hotel. The society keeps the fines which it imposes to pay its operating expenses, so its employees naturally are alert to find offenders, as ageuts are paid a commission on fines. Informers also are richly rewarded, so that employees of merchants dealing in Japanese : goods are encouraged to inform the . society. I While the society's activities . may I be described as extra-legal, or even I as illegal, its members are sufficiently l powerful to enlist support of the local j military authorities, who are admit'tedly unable to interfere. The effii ciency of this method of prosecuting | the boycott is not questioned, and those who have doubts about the legality do not dare to raise their voices. The Cantonese are particularly bitter against the Japanese because they feel that the Japanese attack at Shanghai in 1932 was directed prineipally against the Cantonese. The Nineteenth Route Army was composed largely of Cantonese, and Japanese aerial bombardments in Crapei destroyed many large factories and shops owned by Cantonese. The antiJapanese society's efforts, therefore, have eonsiderable popular support, although it is doubtful if the boycott would continue long if it depended upon popular support. Left alone, Chinese merchants will buy goods where they can get them most cheaply. But the society has become more intrenched in "power during the last few months, and its leaders are energefie and stern. Under the circumstances, there is little likelihood that Japanese trade with South China will j be resumed for some time. 1