New-York tribune., 1921-11-25
China to Renew
Her Autonomy
Appeal To-day
CONTINUED from psuo ans,

ceed to business" China wants the
per cent limitation on her import du-
ties increased to 1914 per cent, begin
more than double her sources Of
revenue. 1t will enable her to meet
her foreign obligations measurably
and to that extent checkmate foreign
aggression. The British rejoinder is,
as pointed out by the official spokes-
man. that China has an intricate inter
provincial tax system, known as the
likn, under which imported goods
shipped from province to province are
subject to duties equivalent to as much
as 100 per cent.
Again, it Is pointed out by the Brit
ish spokesman, Oh ma is badly in need
of big foreign loans, and if the inter
national consortium of banking groups
in France. Great Britain, America and
elsewhere are to extend loans they
must have adm ,nistrative control Of
the investments during tho periods of
the loans. There must be similarly
pooling of the railroads and conces-
sions. say the British, because interna-
tional cooperation for China's re-
| try to have advantages over others.
international cooperation is the sys-
tenn which Great Britain has decided
| upon, and China is trying to find out
what it means.
PuzzIing Questions Asked
Summed up, the situation from the
asked for everything. How much will
she get? She insists that the con-
ference has committed itself to the
restoration Of her sovereignty as COM
plete, so far al her internal affairs 40,
as she had when she was a hermit en-
pire. How, the Chinese delegates ask,
IS complete sovereignty to be made
compatible with foreign control Of her
railroads, foreign control of her Gus
toms and foreign control Of invest
ments made under consortium loans?
She has asked that all treaties, secret
or otherwise, be spread on the table,
with q view to their annulment. il
found unjust, or to their re-enactment
if found fair to China. Will she be able
to have cancelled those treaties, which,
she says, were signed under compul-
sion?
Most Of her present difficulties, as
churia, Mongolia and Shantung, are
founded upon past transactions. VIII
the conference delve into the past, ask
the Chinese delegates, or must China
hope only for protection in the future :?
Japan mas indicated that the four
principles framed by Mr.. Root are ap-
plicable only to future transactions.
although "past deeds may be brought
up by consent of all the powers"
Rebels Against FL Demands
One of the first points which China
will ask to be brought up with the
consent Of all the powers" it was
learned today, is her demand that the
| 1915 Japanese Chinese treaty, known
as the 21 demands, be nbrogated. The
continued existence of the treaties
founded on these demands, China as
serts, is direct violation of the open
these treaties are typical of the kind
which have always brought humilia-
| tion upon China, since they begin with
professions of friendship and end with
| ultimatums.
! Outside of Chinese circles the opin-
ion prevails that China will be "put
on her feet" by the conference. and
that this will be done not by pre-
cipitate restoration of her sovereignty,
but by international cooperation such
as Great Britain prescribes. The ques-
tion remains how far the international
cooperation will penetrate and how
free it will leave the Chinese republic
to manage its own affairs rs it shows
fitness to do so. With at least re-
taxation of foreign control, the 400,-
100000 Orientals spread over that vast
domain, it is hoped here, will be drawn
together by reawakened pride and
within a few years coalesce into q
nation, politically competent and in
dustrially sound.
Japan Awaits Developments
Japan's attitude is being watched
with keen interest. She has more at
stake as regards China, but she says
less than any other country. await
ing developments" is Japan's watch
word. owe will add to our PRESTIGE
is her promise. Her concession that
the map of China before the confer
ence is the map of "historic China"
opens up big possibilities in regard to
Manchuria and Mongolia, where Japan
now holds the reirs of government. If
she yields an inch in any of those
provinces China will consider it a
precedent that augurs we'll for the fu-
ture. II Japan insists on the econ
tractural integrity" of her ninety-nine-
year leaseholds in Manchuria and else
where, and wins, the Chinese delegates
will, as one Of them said, ''go home
broken hearted, as they did from
Paris"
Back of China's stand before the
conference is the hope that in any
event where her territorial integrity
iis involved America will support her to
the bitter end. Upon no one is she
placing. greater faith than the Ameri-
~ %n~