Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-03-14
NIPPON UP AGAINST
BOYCOTT OF CHINESE
Japan's Militarism May Batter Itself
to Pieces on Passive Re-
siStancc of China.
ny JosEpu TIM,ONS.

SHANGHAI. March I$.-.'apaa's nili-
tarism may yet batter itself to pieces
against tho passive resistance of China.
The cocky 1ittlc empire, able TO wal
slice off Manchur!a and Mongolia. and
carYe out Shantung, finds itself Up
against something II never anticipated
and does not know how TO surmoUnt-
The boz coIt of Japanese goods.
Her diplomatic and consular officials
Save been fuming and threatening
:heS have been demanding Of the
'"king government that II compel he
: 'rorincial authorities 20 suppress the
;oycott. and intimatints dire corsc-
queRces ii They do not
The Picking officials nave made the
desired demands OF civil and military
governors. In some provinces these Of
iicia1S are active in trying 10 diESipatc
the student movement; in others ;hc
students have the tacit cooperation
Of The authorities EverXwhere The
still. and in many places growing daily
more effective.
Injustice Root of boycott.
If Japan insists on jamming through
n settlement OF the ShantunC problem
by direct negotiation with China, il is
certain that such action viii vastly
strepEthen the boycott. Already 1t IL
exotic plant doomed 10 early wi'hcr
ing. II is deep-rootcd and fed ~ pa
rriotism. II viii thrive as long as
Japansss injustice Gontt IifSsi, r,o
Chinese market is absolutely essential
TO japanese prosperity. The Tokyo
Chamber OF Commerce has called =
meeting OF the leading chambers of
commerce Of japan to consider the
causes of the boycott ard necessary
steps to stop IL. The merchant class
are no longer pooh pooling the boy
colt as ridiculous student movement
An Illuminating Side Light.
Tientsin offers one of the most illumi-
mating side lights on the virility and
anese arc strongly entrcnched there
and most Of the Chinese wholesale Eer-
chants are located in tic Japanese
concession. Normally. i, would be orc
preston OF the boycott
Some months ago the over-Zealous
japanese consul general Funatsii. OBJ
jected TO the election OF Pien Yuch
Ting as president OF the Cham Der OF
Commerce because Pen had been active
in the first phase OF the boycott He
hcials anu the civil governor.
Publicity was given to this foreign
interference in purely civil and
Solidify the merchants against the
Japanese The Chamber OF Commerce
became the rallying point for joint
against japanese goods. Late in De-
cembcr Japanese goods were burned
Just across the street from the Jap
incse concession boundary.
Stop SI.OuO.0O I'm Orders.
Chinese merchants in particular
line belong 20 q guild. and the Cham
Der OF Commerce is made up OF those
guilds BY way of showing that the
merchants were not being cocrced by
the e.. OF G. nor u by the students. thc
Tientsin Yarn Piece Goods and SILK
Guild early this month notified all their
japanese connections that all rcla-
tons were severed ana all orders
placed with them held mp until the
Approximately $4,oro.OOo worth of
lie settled III accordance with Justice
ShantunE and Foochuw matters should
oriiorS for goods We're practically writ
ton off 10y that single ultimaturH.
,rbc Japanese merchants rcmOT-
stratcd, they PLEADED. they threateucd.
The Chinese would not bulge.
: Consul General EunatGu protested 10
,uc Commissioner OF Foreign Affairs.
ani declared the Chinese government
would hc forced To pay indcmnitics for
All losses 20 Japanese merchants. MINI
is,er ohata baciiod Mint ny. The com
missioner sent tho protest TO the civil