'The Chinese press in the North' even go the length of asserting that they see indications of such a change of intentions on the part of the ese and express the hope that, in future diplomatic negotiations will, once again be conducted through the proper diplomatic channels instead. of through the military authorities, Some slight support for this view may be found in the fact that. the Japanese military do appear to have relied somewhat to the background for the moment:
The two protests that the Japanese had occasion to make recently, t.at about the attacks on the railway and the other general one on the con tinued existence of terrorism in North China, were presented not by th Japanese Military Headquarters Tientsin, as previously, but by the Japanese Consul-General, All this may sound very comforting, but the plain fact reinaing th conditions in North China are anything but normal, The very existence of the demilitarized zone itself' is abnormal. Inasmuch as this zone the special creation of the Japanese military authorities. and is. bated on the clauses of the Tangku Armistice Treaty for which they alone are responsible, it seems somewhat prema, ture to believe that they will be able to disinterest themselves in the affairs of the North to such an extent a9 to, be willing to leave the handling of these questions entirely in the hands of their diplomatic representatives Nor is it likely, even in such event, that the latter will be content to take up with the Nanking suthor!- ties direct all the innumerable and troublesome questions that are constantly arising from the unsettled con: ditions in these parts, (onomous Government There has been some talk that the newly formed "North China Economic Association" is to take-over the duties the late Political Council. But this could only refer to economic questions, as the Association, with a board of one Japanese and two Chinese and with: a modest capital of $2,000,000, appears to be entirely concerned with the economic development of North, China" and is without any political power whatever. For lack of anything better, therefore, the old bogey of the semi-autonomous government in of the north has once more been resurrected, It is suggested that the abolition of the Peiping Political Council is merely the prelude to the Tong-planned creation of a more extensive body to include the five! northern provinces, As showing how rumours of this kind arise, itis of interest to note that, even such seemingly harmless work as repairs that are being carried out the Altar of Heaven and on the: Pallous" "(ornamental arches) some of the main thoroughfares. are ascribed to deep political motives. Certain circles believe that tuis work is being undertaken in preparation for the return of the Manchu. emperor to Peiping. It seems a rather far-fetched idea, all the more £0 a8 the tombs. of-the Ming dynasty, to the north. $f the city, have also been undergoing quite elaborate restorations.
The Municipal authorities say that! all these repairs are part of the so-called "Five Year Plan" for the im-Provement and beautifying. of the ity, so as to make it a mote altractive tourist: centre. This certainly would seem to be a more likely ex-that it has been raised by a loan from the Japanese, which would be strange, though not entirely incredible, seeing the bad slate of the city's tinaness at the present time,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.