To the Editer of the "NoarH-Cuina Datty News."
Sim—A new method of hampering export trade has been evolved, under the following pretentious heading:
"The National Government of the Re-of Commercial the aw Sik Testing Depart-
As there is nothing in the scheme to improve the quality of silk and as it is s0 crude or stupid in its inception, "one is constrained to think that it is a side show farmed out like a likin station for what can be got out of it This is also} the Chinese idea.
Briefy, all silk before shipment has to be sent to this testing house to get a conditioned weight cor tificate. I will not go into details but can only say it is totally unnecessary and the exporter has to reweigh the silk on its return before he can export Chinese dealers realizing the absurdity have actually offered to pay the tax provided the silk is rot tampered with, but after several postponements the squeeze starts on the first of April.
There has been no disagreement between buyer and seller as to weights in the past and no possible tzeune for the prevent, burden te trade except an evident desire to get something for nothing, The Chinese are disgusted especially as silk for countries like India, Egypt, ete., where conditioned weights are unheard of is subject to the same arbitrary extort tion, Tam, ete,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.