To this China has obstinately refused to agree because such an arrangement would yield Peking no free money to play with for years to come. Japan has been urged to agree to a minimum increase over the present tari double the Washington provi namely 5 per cent, on ordinary commodities instead of 22, and to" an increase of 71 per cent. on luxuries, instead of 5. These suggestions the Japanese have hitherto opposed and since there seemed to be no middle course, the Japanese delegation began discussing quite publicly, a few weeks ago, the advantages her of independent negotiation' of a conventional tariff. By making a2 separate agreement _with China, in which all Japan's staple imports would have the advantage of a minimum increase and—the Chinese would be free to fix what charges they liked on imports not vital to Japan, Japanese industry, in so far as itis dependent upon China trade, would be safeguarded, }while China would be free to. make up her $100,000,000. or more by putting exceptionally heavy taxes upon the staple imports of other nations. That this would be very embarrassing to the rest of us can be seen at a glance.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.