The fact therefore must be kept clearly in
view that the intention of this suggested arrangement is only
to classify China as a prohibited area until such time as stability shall have been re-established.
It will be necessary to decide whether Thibet is to be included or not in the event of China being
declared a prohibited area.
It is just on the cards, though of course unlikely, that at some future date we may find it expedient to afford practical assistance to a normal and re-actionary Central Government to enable them to deal with an extreme left party co-operating with Bolsheviks for the denunciation of treaties which might gain possession of certain of the Chinese arsenals and also obtain arms and ammunition through
Russian channels of supply.
In such circumstances an intemational
convention would in some respects probably prove a less convenient arrangement than the existing scheme which is capable of being modified or, if necessary, put an end to.
In my opinion the embargo scheme cannot be regarded as an absolute fiasco inasmuch as it has undoubtedly obviated a very large volume of importation of arms and Ammunition into China by French, American, British and
I am aware, of course, that it las Japanese manufacturers.
not succeeded in absolutely putting an end to dumping and I fully realise that it would be an excellent thing if some more satisfactory solution could be found, but at present I fail to appreciate how the proposed International Arms Convention will remedy this state of affairs by declaring China a prohibited area if such convention is not signed by Germany and Russia which are the countries chiefly responsible for
the
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