At Canton

The radical government in Southern China with headquarters at Canton has for a long time taken things into its own hands, but last week it went a bit too far according to British and Japanese notions. It issued a manifesto denying British and Japanese ships the use of certain ports including Canton; it allowed ships of other nations to visit those ports provided they did not call at Hongkong (British enclave); it provided for inspection of foreign vessels visiting ports by pickets of the Anti-Imperialist Union.

Of course this action is contrary to the terms of British treaties with China. It is very serious for Hongkong which is reported to be losing $1,000,000 a day by the boycott. The British and Japanese can protest to Peking, and Peking can give orders to Canton --and Canton will go on doing as it pleases. The anti-foreign sentiment in Canton, led by Soviet agitators, gives the British and Japanese the choice of direct action (i.e. using force) or nothing.