10 MAY 1913, Page 3

The " oil " crisis has, we confess, come into

practical politics rather sooner than we expected, but that is no subject for regret. If those who are weak and are also exposed to pecuniary temptations in the matter—and the temptations will be very heavy—are warned in time as to what will happen if they yield and as to the impossibility of concealment, they will be strengthened to stand firm, and warned they clearly are by the danger signal hoisted in the paragraph in Thurs- day's " Political Notes." The Times has done a very great public service, and we congratulate our contemporary most warmly on its action. One of the chief uses, perhaps the chief use, of a newspaper is to act as a public watch-dog and to make the country realize coming dangers.