4 AUGUST 1928, Page 2

A note of comedy has been introduced into this per-

plexing matter by communications between Mr. C. T. Wang and Mr. MacMurray, the American Minister at Peking. Mr. Wang, in expressing the thanks of the Kuomintang to the United States, said that he hoped that the negotiations " soon to begin " would result in " a proper settlement of all questions which are in need of immediate solution." Mr. MacMurray hurriedly pointed out to Mr. Wang that " whereas your Note to me refers to negotiations soon to commence, it is a fact that such negotiations as the American Government have in contemplation have been already satisfactorily concluded."