FROM NOVEMBER 3 to DECEMBER 3
UNITED STATES AND LATIN AMERICA
Warning over Nicaragua.—Following immediately upon his election and recognition by the United States, President Diaz of Nicaragua sought the aid of our government in persuading the Liberal revolutionists to accept his offers of amnesty and posts in the cabinet. In response, Secretary Kellogg issued a statement in which he expressed the hope that these offers would be accepted, and gave the warning that “interference from outside sources” was viewed with concern in Washington. This was taken as a direct reference to Mexico, from which, as shown by official reports, there have been repeated gun-running expeditions in aid of the revolutionists. From high sources in Washington issued information regarding alleged efforts to spread bolshevist Mexican influence throughout Central America.
President Diaz, who had previously been president in 1910 and 1913, was elected recently by the Nicaraguan Congress, after the withdrawal of General Chamorro under pressure from Admiral Latimer, U.S.N., who had intervened in the interest of peace. General Chamorro seized power after the withdrawal of U.S. marines last year. The Liberals who opposed Chamorro regard Diaz as no more acceptable. They express the fear that United States interests in the Nicaraguan canal strip and Fonseca naval base, together with investments in the Nicaragua bank and railways, may again lead to occupation of the country by American forces.
Mexican Crisis Threatened.— The approaching enforcement of the Mexican alien land and oil laws, which take effect January 1, was regarded as threatening a rupture of relations between the United States and Mexico. Despatches from Mexico on December 1, however, suggested the possibility that the laws might be further suspended pending renewed negotiations.
The U. S. Department of State published in November the last two notes to Mexico since July and the Mexican replies. The Mexican note of November 17 accepted the principle of the rights of property against retroactive or confiscatory legislation, but denied that the laws in question were of this character, and called upon the United States Government to “indicate concrete cases of violation,” which the Mexican Government would be disposed to repair. It denied that the agreements of the conference of 1923 had the force of a treaty, or that they were pledged in return for American recognition. It was stated that British and other foreign firms in Mexico had already acted in compliance with the new laws.
Proposed Sale of Tacna-Arica to Bolivia.—In a memorandum sent to Chile and Peru and published December 1, Secretary Kellogg proposed that the two nations cede, the disputed Tacna-Arica territory to Bolivia, in return for suitable payment. The memorandum pointed out that negotiations, arbitration, and plebiscite had proved unproductive, and that the transfer to Bolivia offered a solution without sacrifice to the national honor or dignity of Chile or Peru.
LEAGUE AND WORLD COURT
Economic Conference on May 4.—The preparatory commission for the International Economic Conference completed its work at Geneva on November 18, and suggested May 4 as the meeting day. Although both the United States and the French delegates pleaded for a real conference which could decide questions and secure practical results, the commission as a whole decided that the coming meeting should be limited to general discussion and consultation. It recommended that the delegates, to be appointed by all economically important states, should be chosen for their personal qualifications rather than as representatives of their governments.
The program provides for (1) statements by delegates from each country on “the present economic position,” and (2) discussion of a wide variety of topics under the heads of commerce, industries, and agriculture, including such problems as tariffs, ship subsidies, international industrial agreements, and international agreements between organizations of producers and consumers.
Preparatory Arms Committee Ends Work.—The work of the Preparatory Commission for the Disarmament Conference ended on November 5 with the framing of a complete report. This will be submitted to the various governments for study prior to the next meeting of the committee, to be held probably in the spring. It was the consensus of opinion in the committee that a general conference was impossible before 1928.
The American delegation expressed their satisfaction in that the final report set forth not merely- majority opinions but the views of all countries interested.
Rumors of Asiatic League.—Reports from London early in November suggested the possibility of some kind of common agreement in process of formation among Turkey, the Soviet Republic, China, Persia, and other Asiatic powers exclusive of Japan. The chief basis for these rumors was the recent visit of Chinese and Persian delegates to Angora, and more especially the meeting at Odessa of Foreign Minister Tchitcherin of the Soviet Republic and Tewfik Rushdi Bey, the Turkish Foreign Minister.
“The basis of this belief,” wrote the London correspondent of the New York Times, “comes from two Eastern lands, both of whom are seething with unrest and hatred of the Occident—Turkey and China. The reports .... are such as to make even people far from credulous believe that there is a new coalition forming with the avowed aim of combating the Western World and especially the principles fixed by the Washington Conference.”
The formation of any kind of “Oriental League” was, however, specifically denied by Turkish leaders, , who pointed out that the whole trend of the present Turkish Government was toward a rapid “Occidentalization” in national customs and political affiliations.
Russian-Turkish Meeting at Odessa. —A meeting of the Soviet and Turkish foreign ministers was held at Odessa on November 14. Official reports described it merely as a kind of love feast cementing Russo-Turkish friendship. In Western capitals it was interpreted as probably a preliminary step clearing the way for Turkey’s application for membership in the League of Nations, rather than as the beginning of an “Eastern Locarno” or “Asiatic bloc.” It was pointed out that the projected Russo-Turkish trade treaty still hangs fire.
President Coolidge on the World Court.—In his Armistice Day speech in Kansas City, President Coolidge made some significant remarks regarding our part in the World War, and on preparation against future conflict.
Referring to the oft-repeated assertion by Europeans that the United States profited by the World War, the President said:
“We did not profit from it, but lost from it in common with all countries engaged in it. Some individuals made gains, but the nation suffered great losses. Merely in the matter of our national debt it will require heavy sacrifices extended over a period of about thirty years to recoup those losses.” The President reassured the world that the United States did not desire competitive military building and favored further limitation of armaments.
“We expect to provide ourselves with reasonable protection, but we do not desire to enter into competition with any other country in the maintenance of land and sea forces,” he said.
Should occasion arise for conscription in the future, he declared, “it should be all inclusive, applicable in its terms to the entire personnel and entire wealth of the nation.”
Perhaps the most interesting passages in the speech, from an international standpoint, dealt with the United States and the World Court. The President said in effect that many nations had indicated their unwillingness to accept the senate reservations without modification, that he would not ask the senate to modify its position, and that unless the senate reservations were met he saw no prospect of this country adhering to the court.
In comment on the speech, European critics remarked that the United States had played a large part in the war and an even larger one in making the peace. “It was on American inspiration,” said the London Evening Standard, “that the European powers were tied up—if we may be allowed the figure—like a bag of snakes. That was done on the assumption that America would play the part of snake charmer in chief. That part she has refused.” The London Daily News declared that her economic interests in Europe would make permanent isolation on the part of the United States an impossible policy.
GREAT BRITAIN
Autonomy of Dominions Confirmed.— The agreement upon full equality and autonomy for the British dominions was confirmed, subject to action of the British Parliament, in the final report of the Imperial Conference of Premiers. The definition of the status of the dominions, as adopted by the conference, was as follows:
“The position and mutual relations of the group of self-governing communities composed of Great Britain and the dominions may be readily defined. They are autonomous communities within the British Empire, equal in status and in no way subordinate one to the other in any aspect of their domestic or external affairs, though united by a common allegiance to the crown and freely associated as members of the British commonwealth of nations.”
The report declared that the tendency of the dominions toward equality was both right and inevitable, distance making federation impracticable. In view of the changed status of the Irish Free State, the King’s title will omit “United Kingdom” and will be altered slightly to read:
“George V, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland, and the British Dominions
Beyond the Seas, King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India.”
Each of the dominions stands on the same footing as Great Britain, free, equal and self- governing, but united in a commonwealth of nations by allegiance of all to the King. Although in the matter of foreign relations of the empire as a whole the chief responsibility is left with Britain, the dominions have the same power to make treaties as the mother country, and when all join in a treaty the British ministers will sign for Great Britain alone, and the ministers of the dominions will sign for the dominions, with Canada signing next after Great Britain.
In reference to the Locarno Treaty, the report approved the negotiations and the results, but pointed out that “This, of course, does not commit the British dominions to incur obligations under the treaty of Locarno unless they so desire.” None so desired.
A comprehensive plan for control of immigration was also adopted, the dominions maintaining the right to take only such immigrants as they wish, after limitation and careful scrutiny, rather than any the mother country may wish to send.
Coal Strike Drags on.—On November 13 the British coal strike was reported over when the miners’ delegates accepted the peace terms proposed by the government. These, however, were afterwards rejected by a close vote of the whole body of miners, to whom they were referred. Thus, though perhaps a third of the miners have gone back to work on separate agreements, the strike still continues.
The government terms would have forced the miners to accept longer hours, lower wages in some cases, and district agreements rather than a national agreement. It would have been binding for three years.
The national loss from the strike has been estimated at from eight to fifteen million dollars a day, and unemployment relief is now paid to over 2,300,000. Public sentiment appears to have supported the miners, as shown by the increased labor vote in recent municipal elections, and by the loss of prestige of Baldwin and the Conservative Government. These changes may hasten nationalization of the mines.
FRANCE
Poincare Program Successful.—At the opening of the French Parliament on November 12 Premier Poincare at once insisted that all other questions should be subordinated to consideration of the budget, during the short session to end December 20, and, demanding a vote of confidence on this issue, he was supported 365 to 207. The budget amounted to 33,000,000,000 francs and had already been approved by the financial committee of the chamber. The latter also declared the French debt terms with the United States were more favorable to France than those with Great Britain.
MEDITERRANEAN STATES
More Power for Mussolini.—Following the latest attempt upon Premier Mussolini’s life, the fascist cabinet issued a series of “emergency legislation” measures, the general effect of which was greatly to increase the police power against enemies of fascist rule. The premier will appoint the courts martial which will apply military law to political crimes. These political crimes are extended to include almost anything from attempts against the head of the state to “spreading exaggerated reports.” Emigration is practically prohibited to antifascist!. Hostile organizations are dissolved and their newspapers suspended. A special fascist secret police force is created, and the Premier has taken over the Ministry of the Interior, his seventh cabinet post, in order to have the appointment of police officials and control personally this new campaign.
Friction between France and Italy. —Anti-French feeling in Italy, arising chiefly from the use of French soil as a refuge and center of activity by plotters against the fascisti, culminated after the latest attack on Mussolini in a number of affairs of violence. At Ventimiglia, near the French frontier, French railroad employees were arrested and an enthusiastic fascist made a hostile speech from the balcony of the French consulate; at Benghazi in Tripoli an Italian colonel demanded that the Italian flag should be hoisted along with the French on the French consulate.
Ill feeling was increased by the arrest in France of Colonel Riccotti Garibaldi, grandson of the great Italian leader, who confessed that he had been paid by the Italian police to act as a spy and agent-provocateur among anti-fascisti. It was shown also that Italian police had operated within France, using forged passports.
As a result of protests from France, Premier Mussolini made formal apologies for the Ventimiglia and Benghazi affairs.
Italian Guarantee to Albania.—In addition to her treaties with Jugoslavia, Greece, and Rumania, Italy on November 27 signed a compact of friendship and security with Albania. In the treaty Italy guarantees the territorial integrity of Albania, with the further agreement that neither party shall “conclude with other powers political or military agreements prejudicial to their mutual interests.” Albania, though thus taken under Italian protection, is treated on a plane of full sovereignty.
Results of Greek Elections.—The Greek parliamentary elections, held early in November on a proportional representation basis, gave the various republican parties only a slight majority, with about 145 seats out of a total of 287. Indications were that the chamber meeting on December 6 would ratify the Constitution of 1925 and continue the republic. A coalition government of the five major parties was formed on December 2. Elimination of the army from Greek politics was secured, so it was hoped, by the creation of a non-partisan commission of officers to control appointments and promotions. The moderate press in Athens hailed the coalition as ending a decade of civil strife.
NORTHERN EUROPE
No Acceptance of Vilna Decision.— In reply to recent Polish protests, the Soviet Government on November 21 sent a note to Poland saying that the Soviet Treaty with Lithuania in no wise violated the Riga Treaty of 1921 with Poland, but that the Soviet Government joined with Lithuania in refusing to accept the Council of Ambassadors’ decision about Vilna as final, and in refusing to recognize the authority of this body to settle such a matter as the Polish- Lithuanian frontier.
Soviet Colony on Wrangel Island.— According to a recent report from Moscow, the Soviet Government last summer landed fifty families of Eskimos, with three Russian men and three women administrators, on Wrangel Island, north of Siberia, and provided them with three years’ supplies.
In 1924 a Russian government vessel ousted from the island Charles Wells, a U.S. citizen who professed to be acting for Great Britain, and who had attempted to settle on the island with a party of Eskimos.
Silesian Elections Favor Germans.— German news items stated that the November local elections in Polish Upper Silesia so strongly favored the German party as to make necessary a revision of the plebiscite partition of that region. The Germans received 60 to 70 per cent of the vote in the towns, only the country districts going Polish.
FAR EAST
Crisis at Hankow.—At the close of November the Cantonese forces in China were continuing their northward progress and were threatening the capture of Foochow, capital of Fukien province, with a population of 700,000. They had shifted their headquarters to Hankow on the Yang-tse and boasted an extension of their influence over 600,000 square miles in Central China with a population of 200,000,000.
At Hankow, where the Cantonese were in full control, native labor was organized on Russian lines and a general strike was threatened to begin on December 4. This, it was believed, was intended as a preliminary step toward the seizure of the customs administration and other foreign concessions. British, French, and also United States marines were landed for the protection of foreign interests. In spite of the lateness of the season, the U.S. destroyers Pope and Truxton were ordered up the river in addition to the four river gunboats already at the city under Rear Admiral H. H. Hough, Commander of the Yangtse Patrol. Destroyers were also ordered to Nanking and Foo-chow.
Belgian Treaty Denounced.—As a forecast of the Chinese policy toward all international agreements, other nations viewed with concern the formal annulment (November 6) by the Peking Government of the trade treaty of 1865 with Belgium- Technically, the treaty terms provided that it could be abrogated only by Belgium. Belgium had offered to negotiate a new treaty as soon as the United States, Great Britain, France, and Japan would do the same. Belgium also proposed that the matter be taken before the World Court, and when China refused to join, she did so unilaterally.
Similar requests for new treaties based on “equality and reciprocity” were sent by China to the other nations having treaties with her. Although the Peking Government is practically powerless, its action in the matter of the treaties was fully approved by leaders in Southern China.
Extraterritoriality Report.—The joint report of the Commission on Extraterritoriality in China, of which the U.S. Commissioner Silas H. Strawn was chairman, was made public on November 28. It was signed by delegates of the thirteen nations represented at the Peking Conference which adjourned indefinitely last July. The report called upon China for extensive reforms before extraterritoriality could be granted, but suggested that (1) prior to complete execution of reforms the powers “might consider the abolition of extraterritoriality according to such progressive scheme (whether geographical, partial, or otherwise) as may be agreed upon”; and (2) pending the abolition of extraterritoriality, the powers should make certain modifications in the existing system.
The report first emphasized the present demoralization of government in China, which it attributed chiefly to (1) the domination of military leaders, (2) the depletion of the treasury, and (3) the lack of uniform legal systems owing to the establishment of independent laws and courts in areas not recognizing the central government.
It then called for an extensive program of legal and judicial reforms, including protection of the judicial branch of the government from political interference; adoption of a civil, commercial, and revised criminal code; and development of a system of modern courts and prisons, with provision for their support. It finally suggested the concessions noted in the first paragraph above.
China's Foreign Trade.—According to figures cited in an article by James H. Dolan in Current History for October, Japan’s share in the foreign trade of China has fluctuated as follows: 4% in 1885, 20% in 1913, 33% in 1918, 25% in 1921. Since 1921 it has been again increasing. Aside from the immense commerce through Hongkong, moreover, the direct trade between Japan and China increased between 1904 and 1918 more than seven-fold. Japanese corporations with offices in China increased from 1,200 in 1913 to over 6,000 in 1921. In the same period British firms increased from 590 to 725. In 1924, out of a total of forty- two foreign banks, Japan had twenty-nine. Japan controls 90% of China’s iron production and 27% of her coal.
According to Mr. Dolan, since the end of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance Japan has pursued more vigorously a policy of rapprochement with China, employing such more or less effective devices as entertainment of Chinese business delegations and the “Pan-Asiatic Conference” of last August. In the tariff conference, Japan, while protecting herself by special agreements, planned to gain a reputation as China’s “best friend” by favoring tariff autonomy in 1929, but when the other powers fell in line on this proposal she intrigued to make the conference abortive.
As for the right of extraterritoriality, this is of far less consequence either to Japan or to the United States than to Great Britain, with investments in China amounting to perhaps a billion dollars. Surrender of this right might have been a shrewd step on the part of the United States, but thus far we have chosen to act with the other powers. American trade with China amounted to $300,000,000 in 1925 and is growing.