'There has been mention of through trate, Customs, and the possibility fof an' arrangement being reached on the Postal question, Let it be remarked that there has, as yet, been no mention of train guards oF garisons. Chinese point to the "Demiliterized Zone" snd ask why it should remain a neutralized area after all "technical" questions have been set ted. They ask "Is it that the Japa-rare fear an invasion of the territory they have occupied?"
Japanese quarters reply that this particular area has long served as a base for operations against Manchoukuo, and that by permitting full reoccupation by the Chinese, they would be rendering themselves vul-norable to further attacks from this Delt that stretches from Nantienmen to the very frontier of Manchoukuo. question, which is of a local and technical nature, should have been ttled earlier, but it has been lett unsettled till how, being obstructed various circumstances"—surel hint of impatience at the delays erlenced in arriving at a settlement.
Quilifled Chinese observers report that, had it not been for this delay, there might have been an expression of opposition on the part of certain sections of the public, that would have been dificult to deal with, but that time "had considerably cooled the ardour of the opposition.
The actual terms of the agreement were along lines that were forecast many months ago, and they contain nothing of a surprising nature. There fs some concession to the Chinese side in the organization of the Oriental Tourist Agency (referred to as th Eastern Tourist Bureau, in the oMcial Japanese statement), which is bbe a Chinese concern, with a Chinese, Mr. Chang "Hsul-chi, as general manager, and Mr. Sadanari Hirayama, re} japanese Tour tst Bureau, as his assistant, as it had originally been suggested that the through trafic organization be controlled by the South Manchuria Railway.
Both sides to the agreement are correct in stressing the fact that the whole question was merely a matter for technical experts to agree upon, as in the final analysis the agreement only results In the running of a train from Peking to mukden' and vice versa. There is, of course, the re-establishment of the Chinese Customs authority at the frontier, and this may be considered as the great-fest benefit conferred by the agres-ment. Double baggage inspection may annoy foreign passengers, but against this slight annoyance may be set the abolition of the dreary three hour delay at Shanhaikwan hitherto Infilted on all passengers through the Great Wall.
Arrangement Tnsigni As a plain matter of fact, the arrangement is insignificant. Well informed Chinese and foreiga eizeles here consider it as but one of the Tacit silence on this point would' seem to indicate that the Japanese were loath to give up the compelling hold which they now have over the whole demilitarized zone. Shrewd to the point of silence on this particular question, they have allowed minor matters to drag out in dreary and unnecessarily long discussions to an extent where even they have express sed their impatience. But this impatience has velled the main point that the question arranged was minor, whilst the main factor remained unsettled.
Chinese opinion here in Peking! regards the ""Demilitarized Zone" question as being far more important] than any of the other matters now under discussion. Chinese ask why 4 demilitarized zone should be created this side of the Wall, when most ibversive movements directed against Chinese authority, appear to Jowe their inspiration to certain, sources without the Wall?
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.