Evening star., 1926-12-27
US. TOSUPPORT
| BRITAIN ON CHINA
London Plan for Additional
Customs Revenue Strikes
Responsive Chord Here.

Concurrence in the American belief
that China should be granted, with
little delay, the additional customs
revenue contemplated by the Wash
tngton conference, which was con-
taIned in the British memorandum on
China made public Saturday, strikes
a. responsive chord in official circles
here.
There is every indication that the
American Government favors early
agreement among the customs treaty
mowers for the collection of these in
creases at Chinese treaty ports. This
Government took the initiative in
bringing about consideration of the
customs and extraterTitorial question
by the two recent conferences in
China
The British communication has not
been examined closely as yet at the
State Department, as 1t was received
on the eve of the Christmas holidays.
IT appears quite likely, however, that
some official expression of the Amer1-
can viewpoint upon both the customs
and extraterritoriality questions is to
be expected at an early date.
Strawn Report Studied.
Secretary Kellogg still has under
examination the extraterTitoriality re-
port submitted by SilaS Strawn OF
Chicago, special commissioner at the
Peking eXtraterTitoriality conference.
That report recommended progressive
relinduishment of extraterritorial
rights in China as the Chinese them
selves were able to moderniZe their
judicial machinery.
1t advised, however, immediate
steps to correct certain abuses by
foreigners of extraterritorial privi-
leges through harboring Chinese
offenders against Chinese law, and
also urged that the mixed court be
directed by the Government to adj
minister Chinese law in eXtraterri-
torial areas so far as that law could
be made applicable to foreigners.
Presumably the British suggestion
for amendment of extraterritorial
treaties is based upon the report Of
the British commissioner to the Pc
king conference and upon recommen'
dationS identical with those submitted
by Mr.. Strawn. While the Washing
ton Government has not as yet ap-
proved the Strawn report, there seems
little doubt that it will be accepted
with few reservations in the framing
of American policies on extraterri-
torlal1ty IN CHINA.
In connection with the increase in
customs revenues, it is pointed out
that there are IS major Chinese ports
through which foreign goods chiefly
flow into China. The bulk of the i'm
port duties collected by the Chinese
government are received through the
customhouses operated by the Chi
nese customs administration at these
ports.
Held by Different Factions
In the present disrupted political
situation in China, some of the ports
are in the hands of one Chinese fac
ton and some held by other forces.
The Washington conference contem-
plated that the increased revenues
would all be delivered to the Peking
Government and would aid in the es-
tablishment of a strong central au-
fhority in China, the object at which
the Washington conference powers
were aiming.
Under the present chaotic condi-
tions, it is to be assumed that If the
increased duties are made effective
Immediately, the revenues accruing
viii be turned over to the political au-
thorities actually controlling each Gus
tomhouse port. In that event, the
Cantonese government, due to its re-
cent military successes and the con-
troll 1t now exercises over important
entry ports, such as Hankow and Can.
ton, would be largely benefited by ac-
ton of the powers making effective
the new import duties.
There is little doubt that all of the
governments whose nationals have
large interests in China are seeking
ways and means to placate the anti.
foreign sentiment in China that has
seriously affected such trade. Great
Britain has been probably the great.
est sufferer from the Chinese Nation
alists' boycott, and in some quarters
publication Of the memorandum in
London was regarded as an effort to
neutralize, if possible, the economic
project of anti-British propaganda in
China.