7 



even vegetables are not easily got. There may be enough rice 

 in, the country, but so long as business is at a standstill we can- 

 not expect rice to be on retail sale or to be despatched up- 

 country. The possible danger of trouble resulting from a short- 

 age of food ought to make even the riotous themselves pause, 

 for it would be nothing short of suicidal to continue to their own 

 detriment. All communities are bound to suffer by the closing 

 of the markets. 



"Up to now the riots have been characterised by an absence 

 of damage to public property or of hostility to non-Moorish 

 communities. Hereafter some anxiety ought to be felt that the 

 general public may be called upon to suffer inconvenience owing 

 to a misunderstanding between two particular communities only. 



" Persuasion on such lines as we have endeavoured to mark 

 out above would, we think, succeed, and hence our comment. 



" We do not forget that the authorities have already taken 

 extreme measures to suppress lawlessness, but it is also true 

 that such a measure as the shooting down of British subjects is 

 resorted to only when law-breakers refuse to listen to reason, or 

 to heed a timely warning. 



** While on the subject of shooting, it is regrettable that 

 any deaths should have to be attributed to accident, or to indis- 

 criminate firing. We hope that where the rifle is used, it will 

 be with deliberate aim, and only at those of whose guilt there 

 is no room for doubt, for in dealing with an unarmed crowd no 

 undue haste is called for." 



