Evening star., 1925-11-08

an overture to the viceroy, but. from
extracts 1 have seen. IT seems 70 .-, 90
no 1urther in conciliation than to of.
Ter peace on condition of British sc.
qulescence In the well known Swara
Jist program. However, Motilal NehrI,
the new Swarajist chief, is said tn he
sensible, moderate and conciliatorv
rerhaps then the happy "synthesis"
is py way Of realization.
Snlna.-On Tuesday, at the confer.
ence on Chinese customs in Pekine
Mr.. MacMurray, our Minister ar
Peking, and one of our two delegates
10 the conference, made certain pro-
posals winch contemplate concessions
TO China closely approaching the de-
mands presented by China at the open.
ing OF the conference. Apparently
these proposals have been made the
basis of discussion. AS construe the
summary Of them in the dispatches.
the main features are as follows:
The principle of Chinese tariff au-
tonomy is conceded, and commencing
January /, 1929, China shall have fulI
liberty to fix her tariff rates, provided
that by that date certain conditions
have been fulfilled, and provided that
China consents to certain administra-
tive restrictions.
tlon of likin. The chief of the restric-
tions are:
(a) The customs administration to be
under foreign superintendence as at
present.
(b) The revenues derived from the
increases of rates to be allocated as
per q schedule set forth in the pro-
pocals.
Pending exercise by China of full
liberty to fix rates, the rates contem-
plated by the Mackay treaty of 1902
and the similar American and Japa.
nese treaties of 1903 with China to
goVern-namely, maXimums of 12h
per cent on imports and 71s per cent
on export. The proposals are silent
as to transit duties during the in.
terim) The proposals, whereof the
main heads have thus been roughly
summarized, to be embodied in a
treaty, and the grant to China of full
liberty to fix her tariff rates not to
become effective prior to report by an
international investigating body that
the conditions antecedent of the grant
have been fulfilled.
The only difficulty, / should Suppose,
to be apprehended concerns the pro.
posed restrictions. One awaits renort
of the reactions thereto.
Possibly the nation has grown so
proud that 1t will hear to nothing that
smacks in the slightest degree of a
"servitude." Moreover, the more
Tuchunic obviously aimed to nro.
tect the new revenues against them
and by the same token to render the
central government strong enough to
tell them where to get off, No
doubt, the Peking government likes
the restrictions, but it Is desperately
afraid OF popular opinion.
X X *A
MisscellaneOus.-On Thursday an
attempt by former Socialist Deputy
to assassinate Mussolini was barely
foiled-so, at any rate, goes the re-
port. There are indications that the
murder was to be the first move in
execution of a. vast plot looking To
overthrow Of the House of Sayoy and
establishment of an Italian RepubIic-
Gen. Frunze, the Russian commits.
sar for war Qn succession to Trotskvl
is dead at 40. His career was notable,
He finished off Admiral Kolchak and
brought Baron Wrangel to grief.
Ruthless" was his middle name.
The Venezuelan government has
suspended importation into Venezuela
of radio receiving sets on the ground
that they distract people from work.