Rather better news comes from Canton, where the authorities have
proposed to end the boycott of Hong-Kong on October 10th. They will, however, raise the tariff, and this will involve—perhaps is intended to involve—delicate questions among the Powers. Although there is no longer a Central Government in China with which it is worth while to deal, we sincerely hope that an effort will be made by the Powers to invent and put into force a coherent policy. The very last thing we desire is armed intervention, but it ought to be possible for Japan and Great Britain, and we hope also for the United States, "to. get together" and try to persuade certain of the Generals to demilitarize the railways. At present the Chinese ignore the Powers simply because they know that they have no common policy.