An American contemporary. makes the sensible suggestion that tus the quota of immigrants admis sible to the United States has been out by one half, thereby deprive steamship companies of much of! their revenue from steerage traffic, the time is opportune for the authorities to take steps to compensate the lines for this loss by facilitating tourist travel. The reference is particularly in regard ty the abolition of the passport and view nuisance. There is no doubt that during the war, when the control of passenger traffic was necessary and an accurate check on all people travelling was essential, passports and visas constituted 'a means of groat assist ance, but though the signing of the ence Treaty meant that their vusefulnos' and necessity had vanished to a great extent, they still romain, not in the United States alone, to harass those who travel and fo prevent many from travelling who otherwise would, Although, since the termination of hostilities, a few of the very onerous restrictions have been removed. many still remain, and one of the chief considerations to those about to travel is in getting passport and having them visaed for those countries oF ports at which they are going to land or at which they might Iand. There still is room for a great deal of improvement in this matter. Another aspect of the subject is the charges that are male for visas. In no case is a visa at ell what one could consider cheap, or even reasonable, and in regard to some countries the charges are so high as to be little less than extortionate. Money is expensive in these days, and the average person who travels, either on leave or on business, can ill afford some of the charges that are made by Con-solar authorities for visas. Admitting that (even with the miserably inadequate salaries that are patd to Consular officials in most, leases) Consulates are expense tutions to be included on a fullest ce-operation of the Chinese. The Chinese Government apparently behoves that it is quite capable of enaging an exhibition without hi any assistance whatsoever from foreigners: or perhaps it believes that the foreigners will be compelled to join in, At least it seems remarkable that this Government Exhibition has been decided upon and 2 committee appointed to draft details without a single hint of it becoming known to the outside world. The Government will have to appoint a more—wideawaks publicity agent if any overseas visitors are to be attracted to the Exhibition.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.