Arizona republican., 1922-01-17
TRepubllcan A. p. leased Wlrel

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adoption Of the new Chinese tariff
agreement by the Far Eastern COM
mittee; formal postponement of
consideration Of the famous 21 de-
/ mands imposed on China by Japan
in 1915 and of the question Of spheres
| of influence, until the Shantung
/ question has been disposed of, and
reaffirmation by Secretary Hughes
\ of the American "open door" policy
\ in China, marked the resumption to-
| day by the arms conference of its
! study If Far Eastern questions.
The Far Eastern committee had not
met since January 5, pending efforts
| of the naval committee to complete
| it's work. Today's meeting was called
on short notice primarily to pass on
! the final draft of the tariff agree
ment.
With the tariff question disposed
| of, the nine powers represented in
| the committee took up the question
| of the open door after Secretary
| Hughes had suggested that consider
alton both of the 81 demands and
spheres Of influence be deferred until
! the Shantung question was disposed
| of outside the conference by the Chi
nese and Japanese delegates.
Secretary Hughes, opening a dis
| cussion of the open door. supplied
the other delegates copies of a def
nition" of an open door policy re-
garding China for their consideration.
| This. it was understood, was based on
a note Secretary Hughes handed the
| Chinese minister here July l, con-
! cerning the rights disputed by other
powers, of the Federal Telegraph
| company, an American corporation
| which had acquired a concession for
the erection of a wireless station. In
this note the secretary reaffirmed the
American policy regarding the open
door in China.
Some question arose during the
discussion as to whether the "defini-
ton should apply to private enter
/ prises. and at a meeting of the COM
mittee tomorrow the discussion win
be continued. The British delega-
ton, Il was understood, subscribed in
| principle TO the open door through
Mr. Balfour.
Under the. tariff agreement, the
tariff revision commission at Shang-
hal shall Immediately revise the
schedule adopted in 1918 so that the
/ custom duty shall be an effective five
per cent. This revision shall be COM
pleted within four months and be-
come effective within two months
thereafter.
A special conference the agreement
provides, composed of the powers,
shall meet within three months at
China's request to prepare the way
for the abolition of the Liken Gnter-
nal taxi with o view to granting
China the right to levy surtaxes OF
two and onehalf per cent on neces-
saries and five per cent on luxuries.
To keep the tariff schedule up to
date, thus assuring an effective rate,
the agreement provides for a revision
after four years and again every
/ seven years thereafter. No mention
is made of restoring to China au-
tonomy of her tariff, as asked by the
Chinese delegation in its 10 points
presented when the arms conference
opened.
When the Chinese and Japanese
delegates met today to continue their
Shantung conversations, the agree
ment reached Saturday to restore to
China the administration of the
Kiao- Chow leasehold, together with
all documents necessary for its ad-
ministration formally was adopted.
This leaves only exception of the
question of the control Of the Using
tao Tsinanfu railway. A commu-
nidue issued by the Far Eastern
committee tonight said:
"The eighteenth meeting OF the
committee on Pacific and Far East
ern questions was held this alter
noon.
The chairman (Mr. Hughes) said
that before proceeding with the FUR
ther order of business they would
entertain a report of the drafting
committee in relation TO the matter
Of customs in China. Mr.. Root then
presented resolutions which after
discussion and amendment were
adopted as follows
Agreement on the revision of the
Chinese tariff;
With a view to providing additional
revenue TO meet the needs of the
Chinese government, the powers rep
resented at this conference the
United States, Belgium, the British
empire, China, France, Italy, Japan
The Netherlands and Portugal --
agree:
That the customs schedule of du-
ties on imports into China adopted
| by the tariff revision commission al
Shanghai, December 10, 1913, shall
forthwith be revised so that the
rates of duty shall be equivalent to
five per cent, effective, as provided
for in the several commercial treaties
to which China is a party.
A revision commission shall meet
at Shanghai at the earliest practic-
able date, to effect this revision
forthwith and on the general lines OF
the last revision.
This commission shall be composed
OF representatives of the powers
above named, and of representatives
of any additional powers, having gov
ernments at present recognized by
the powers represented at this con-
ference and who have treaties with
China providing for a tariff on inn
ports and exports not TO exceed five
per cent ad valorem and no desire
to participate therein.
The revision shall proceed as rap
| lily as possible with a view to its
completion within four months from
the date of the adoption Of this reso-
luton by the Conference on the Limi-
tation of Armament and Pacific and
Far Eastern questions.
The revised tariff shall become et-
fective az soon as possible but not