Evening Star Newspaper, February 6, 1921, Page 33

EDITORIAL SECTION ' he Sunday Stae. 1921. EDITORIAL PAGE NATIONAL PROBLEMS SPECIAL CABLE NEWS Society News » inces, where depreciation of currency, ] .~ Part 2—18 Pages’ TRADE BODIES FEAR LOSS OF MARKETS Deluge Congrcss With Protests Against Reduced Allowances for the Con- sular Service. BY WILL P. KENNEDY. HE business interests of the coun- 3 try, through their great trade organizations, are protesting to members of the House and Sen- ate against the reductions, totaling more * than a million dollars, that have been made in the diplomatic.and consular ap- propriation bill, under the current funds, for trade promotion service. They de- clare that now more than ever before efficient foreign service is needed to assure markets for surplus production. A short-sighted policy, they insist, such as they see in the consular appropriation ®ill, as it passed the House, would ren- der the great American merchant ma- rine worthless. And Congress is paying a great deal of attention to these protests, with the prospect that the bill, when it passes the Senate, will carry about the same amounts as for the current fiscal year. A year ago the House similarly in an appropriation bill cut out the entire com- mercial attache service of the Depart- member of the foreign affairs com- mittee of the House has been in close touch with the alms and work of the consular service, is friendly to the policy of adequate representation in the world's markets, but that he was held down by the economy and re- trenchment demands of the republican steering committee. In the Senate the bill has been referred to the committee on foreign relations, which, on account of its familiarity with the needs of the con- sular service, will, it is expected, en- large the appropriations to about the same figures as in the current meas- ure. It is'on the Senate committee that the drive is being made most insistently. Secretary of State Colby, who was in South America when the bill wds being framed in the House, will appear before the Senate com- mittee this week, insisting that the appropriations must be increased. While on his trip to South America he observed especially the value of ment of Commerce, and a howl went up from the bysiness interests, as a re- sult of which the service was restored. Now the attempt has been made to econ- omize on the consular service, which furnishes trade and economic informa- tion which the Department of Commerce supplies for the guidance of business interests. Reduction of $835,700. ‘When the diplomatic and consular appropriation bill was framed it show- ed a reduction of $835,700 under cur- rent appropriations, principally in sal aries for the consular service and for clerks at embassies and legations, ‘whose principal business is in taking care of foreign trade interests of the United States. Points of order made ‘while the bill was under discussion Kknocked out several other items, the most vital being $250,000 for post al- "Jowances to allow the foreign trade agents of this government to Iive in China, Japan and the British prov- Fates of exchange or high cost of liv. @ng has cut their salaries in two. Telegrams and letters and peti- tions from the biggest trade organi- sations in their districts have been deluging’ members of the House and Senate, and more than a dozen of the most powerful ~organizations hive sent personal representativestosfm- press upon House and Sesite. ers the necessity for efficient per- sonal representation of this govern- ment in the foreign markets. The §p- - peals to Congress are being made by such people as William C. Redfield, fermer Secretary of Commetce, now ‘president of the American Manufac- turers’ Export Association; O. K. Da- 'vis, secretary of the National Foreign Trade Council; Jobhn F. Fowler, pres- ident of the American Exporters and Importers’ Association; Willlam E. { Peck, chairman of the committee on [ foreign commerce of the Chamber. of Commerce of the State of New York; ' J. Philip Bird, general manager of the National Association of Manufactyr- ers; J. B. Morrow, director of the; Mississippl Valley Association, which; .speaks for twenty-seven great pro- ducing states; John M. Glenn, the Il- linois Manufacturers’ Association; the Seattle Chamber of Commerce and many others. Blame Steering Committee. Those who are speaking for the ‘Dusiness interests feel that Repre- sentative John J. Rogers of Massa- chusetts, chairman of the subcom- mittee that framed the appropriation bill, and who, for eight years as a MILLIONS SPENT | EDUCATION FOR ABSENT PUPILS .gIn Washington $710,000 Is Paid Out Annually to Those Who Fail to Attend Officials of the bureau of education have delved into figures and ascer- tained that it costs the United States nearly $194,000,000 annually to make provision for the 5,000,000 children who are daily absent from the public &chools. They elso calculated that the everage school term in this country is 160 days a year, or eight months, and that the ordinary child completes ' eix grades of school work during a lifetime. Continuing their figuring, they discovered many other interest- ing facts, proving conclusively that America is a nation of sixth graders. ‘While studying the cost of provid- ing education for children who ere |trade, sbipping and commercial in- the service rendered to American business by the consular agents. Wil- bur J. Carr, chief of the consular service, will also appear before the Senate committee and among otber alarming facts will show that within the last year thirty-four of these trade scouts have left the service be- cause they could not live on thelr salaries and were offered Ieve!fll times those salaries by private busi- ness enterprises. Ceonsuls Not Provided For. One cause of complaint against the reduced appropriations is found in the fact that it allows no funds for con- suls who must be sent to such coun- tries as Germany, Austria and Turkey as soon as accredited officials can be assigned. The estimates submitted by the State Department contemplated such appointments, but the bill has whittled the amount down to where the consular service as now organized not operate. nconsistency on the part of Con- gress is emphasized in the telegrams of protest, the business interests pointing out that the report of the committee while saying that “along consular lines the dutles imposed are very greatly enhanced as a résult of the increased. volume of our world | i | tercourse,” yet the funds for doing this' work e been' reduced. In this connection stress is again laid on the fact that six years ago the total vélume of exports and im- ports was_less than $4,500,000,000, while for the calendar year 1920 the total volume of United States trade was' $13,600,000,000, three times the amount in 1915. The increase, especially in import trade, which jumped from $2,000,000,000 to $5,000,000,000, has multiplied the work of the consular agents. The business organizations point out that this work is essential to the orderly progress of American trade and pro: perity, and the House appropriations sommittee, in its reéport on the bill agreed to this. The action of a few men in the House in hacking out the post al- lowance fund is believed to be help- ful to the drive of the business men. As it now stands no one is sponsor for the bill, and so if and when the Senate makes amendments boosting the funds, the real friends of the for- eign service in the House, like Rep- resentative Rogers, chairman of the subcommittee that framed the bill, will be more ready to co-operate in having the House agree to the Senate increases. IN PROVIDING | I School. said, wastes over $13,000,000 and Call- fornia almost $10,000,000. In measuring the loss in money in providing education for children who are absent from school, the educators have taken into consideration these facts: The teacher has to be provided, the necessary supplles have been pur- chased and the education feast has been spread. Yet one-fourth of those who are expected to be present are absent. Officials of the bureau of education point out that though the %asted por- tion of the school term is appallingly great at present, it is not so great as it was thirty, forty or fifty years " absent from school these educators found that in Washington $710,000 is expended every year for this purpose. Statistics indicated that 169 school days a year are provided for chil- drea of the nation’s capital, and that the days actually attended are 134.4. Consequently the days not attended reach 33.6, making 22.3 per cent of the school term utterly wasted, with the subsequent financil loss of $710,- 900, S » ‘Waste in Some States. ‘The loss of money in providing edu- cation for the children in the District of Columbia, who fail to attend school, however, {s small when com- »pared with New York's waste. It is estimated that in that state almost $18,000,000 is wasted on public educa- 3lon every year. Pennsylvanis, it is ago. In 1870, it is estimated, the average child enrolled in school wast- ed 41 per cent of the short term at that time of 132 days. The corre- sponding percentages for 1880, 1890, 1900 and 1910 are 38, 36, 31 @nd 28, re- speoctively. . Repeaters in First Grade. From a study of the distribution of pupils by grades in 1918, the educators found that there were about twice as many pupils in the first grade as actually entered echool for the first time. In other words, they learned thaet about 2,000,000 children are re- peating' the work of the first grade. It was stated that it is very difficult, if not impossible, to make a precise analysis of this condition. No other grad (Continued on Third Page.) German reparations? submit as she has been forced to do in the past by exigencies of very try- ing economic and political internal situations allies try to enforce the terms so re- cently agreed upon? considered in all international circles since it was announced a week ago that the supreme council considered the aforementioned vast sum, to be paid in forty-two years, as just pen- alty for Germany’s war-time sins. sons learned during the war, has fre- quently resorted to_the sending up of “flares’ idea of how far it may or may not go ‘in the determination of final policies. France, for instance, through indirect channel: ment is about to inaugurate certain policies as to the Ruhr. from England and Italy is not long in coming. office to proceed along more definite lines and with co-ordination of French WASHINGTON, D. C., SUNDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 6, Next House Faces the Possibility of Revolt Over Appropriations Plansec o BY N. 0. MESSENGER. NSURGENCY'S threatening shadow is pro- Jecting in the House to meet the Congress ‘which is to be called {n extraordinary ses- slon, by President Harding, early in April. 1t is a baleful prospect to the elder statesmen, who recall the doleful experience of insurgent movements in the past and the wreckage oc- casioned thereby in the republican party. Need- less to say, the outlock is viewed with delight by the democrats, who will lose no opportunity to facilitate its fulfillment. The trouble is over the experiment now in application of depriving of power committees which hitherto had jurisdiction of appropria- tions and vesting it in one expanded appropria- tions committee. If majority of opinion could be collated, it would be, it is thought, that the ex- periment has already proven a failure and that the appropriating power must be distributed among the committees as of yore. But the so- called “leaders” of the majority party are averse to going back to the old custom and will fight the proposed change. Therein rests the germ of possible insurgency, which, once germi- nated, may produce many kinds of bitter politi- cal fruit. . * k k ok There is possibility that as the situation in the House grows more acute and the resent- ment of members against the present plan of appropriating is further manifested in points of order, delaying the great supply bills to com- pletion, all the appropriation bills may be al- lowed to go over until the extra session. This could be done without injury to the public serv- ice, since the moneys authorized by them do not become available until the beginning of the new fiscal year, July 1 next. The practical effect of postponing the ap- propriation bills, however, would be to raise the issue of changed procedure at the outset of the extraordinary session, which will be called to consider tariff legislation, changes in the tax laws, and other constructive work. President-elect Harding upon the occasion of his last visit to Washington requested the lead- ers in the House and Senate to clear the decks of all legislation rightly pertaining to this ses- sion, and leave the way clear for the new Congress to go on with the great work ahead. Instead, the opening weeks may be devoted to ‘wrangling over the allocating of the appropria- tions, and considering the bills themselves, let- ting the tariff and tax questions follow. * Xk %k % The ground will be ripe for an insurgent movement in the next session, it is sald by congressmen. There will be an unusual amount of new blood In the House of the Sixty-seventh Congress, to assemble in April. Practically all of the old members will be there, intrenched In their positions of authority and committee rank by virtue of seniority of service, but there will ‘e scores of republicans in places now occupled by democrats. It may be expected in &ll human probabil- ity that these new members, fired with zeal and ambition to make thelr mark, will lend them- selves readily to plans to unhorse the men who it will be charged by the insurgents hold the reins of power to the exclusion of the rank and file from partlcipation therein. It will be urged by the insurgents that membership in and even chairmanship of some of the more tmportant committees will be largé- 1y an empty honor and the opportunity for con- structive committee work limited to legislative questions coming up, whereas the desire of con- gressmen 1s to participate in the appropriating of moneys. B The fickleness of human nature fs shown in the existing situation in the House. It must not be forgotten that the power now wielded by the expanded appropriations committee was not seized by any group of men, by an oligarchy, or by methods to be classed with czarism. It was granted by the House itself, by vote in open ses- sfon, after debate. It was a grant from 435 mem- bers of the House to a committee of stipulated number, How far the majority membership re- grets the action can be shown only in a motion to reconsider it. The trouble being made is by the men whom the House itself deprived of the appropriating power in what was considered the interest of economy and benefit to the public service. * % Kk In the Senate the other day attention was called to an international condition said to exist, which probably will be a surprise to many Americans. This refers to an alleged state of 11l feeling said to be cherished by Canadians against the people of the States, and which {t was sald would be accentuated by passage of the pending emergency tariff bill, erecting a cus- toms wall against the flow of Canadian products into the United States. It was Senator Pomerens of Ohio who ‘brought the case to the notice of the Senate by reading from a letter he had recelved from a dis- tinguished Canadian. The writer referred to the “always smoldering embers of dislike and dis- trust of the United States whjch prevail in this country.” “Why this dislike, amounting almost to hatred, does exist in would take a long time to explain,” the writer continued. “The subcon- sclous reason, I think, is that Canada’s anoma- lous position, neither a colony nor an independent nation, & new world country, in fact, but from an international standpoint the possession ‘of a European power, causes many people to be- lieve and a still greater number to pretend to believe that she is in danger of annexation by the United States, and that the United States government is constantly plotting to that end.” Shades of James Monroe, will you listen ‘to that! But there is more of it. “A member of parliament in my hearing the other night declared its purpose (the emergency tariff bill) to be the crippling of Canada finan-. cially 8o as to force her into annexation.” Stranger, be there any one in your meck of the woods who wants to annex Canada, or, in- deed, who ever thinks of Canada except as & pos- sible haven of escape from the Volstead act, for those who have the price of the railroad fare and the time to travel? * k ¥ %X It will probably surprise most Americans to know that the Canadians entertain a feeling amounting almost to hatfed of us. Travelers and sojourners in Canada may have noticed at times a reflection of the British personal antip- athy to the “Yankee,” on account of his man. ners and the points in which he fails to conform to conventional English standards of English personality, but thousands of residents of this side of the border cherish memories of Canadian hospitality and good fellowship. ‘his present bill,”” the writer goes on to say, “is interpreted here as a cruel and wanton attempt to pick a quarrel at a time when Can- ada is trying to pick herself up after the ter- rible losses in money and men occasioned by the war. Parliament opens on the 14th, and I look for immediate reprisals if by that time what may be fairly interpreted as unfriendly legis- lation is enacted.” So, we can “put that In our pipe and smoke it * ¥ k* % Another drive is to be made at once in be- half of adequate appropriation for hospitals for the ex-service men. Congress has been thorough- 1y aroused over the lamentably insufficient care taken of the sufferers of the world war. If the general public could be apprised of the details recited to congressmen in communications, a wave of indignation would sweep the country which would compel instant action. The blame, however, cannot be laid all at the doors of Con- gress, for there is evidence that departmental red tape is responsible for some of the back- wardness in utilizing the means Congress has provided. The pending bill carries an appropriation of about thirteen millions. Action upon it may be hampered by a contest over appropriating the money in a lump sum, or allocating it. But the easure has sturdy friends in both houses, who intend to see to it that if anything gets through this session, it must be this bill. * ¥ ¥ X Protests are coming to Congress from the departmental branches of the government against the omission from the appropriation bills of important provisions for the public service struck out on points of order in the House by men who are fighting the appropriations com- mittee. It is asserted that segious damage will result if these items of legislation are omitted. Some of the men who caused them to be struck out admit their merit, but nevertheless would not refrain from the point of order. (Copyright, 1921, by The Washington Star.) Allies May Modify Reparations Demand; Internal Conditions Hazard Enforcement BY OLIVER OWEN KUHN. in Paris ever Intend serlous- ly to set 226,000,000,000 gold marks as their final word in countries. Did the council expect Germany to States If Germany resist, can or will the ‘These questions have been seriously arraigning May Have Sent Up “Flare.” European diplomacy, following les- in order to gain aproximate States. may announce the govern- ‘The reaction It is easier for the foreign The Regarded as Likely to Be the school %building has been Inul‘ % i it was pointed out, contains so large a percentage of repeaters. One :.':'m m industrial eamter-|Italy undoubtedly would resist re- prises. 2 “ sort to military means to enforce Secretary of the Treasury uations, tal venture. ‘W. A. MELLON, viewpoint with that of nations work- 1D the allled supreme council |ing with her in view. scheme frequently is used by other There {8 some ground for believing that Premiers Briand, in shaping their most recent decisions in Paris, did no more than send up a flare with the hope of de- termining sentiment in the United in regard to the proposed terms, if not Germany as well. The vast indemnity agreed upon in Paris is thoroughly satisfactory to the French, inasmuch as they obtained a measure of guarantee in the 12% per cent German export tax. has not accepted the decision so ‘whole-heartedly. the which it is declared the whole nation will be placed in a state of abject bondage for mnearly half a century Opinion in the United States, which ‘was not represented in the Paris par- ley, has turned against the agreement on the ground that proposed export taxes will react against the United Great trade will place the United States In position of paying a large portion of Germany’s war obligations to France, likewise hindering a normal flow of international commercial exchange. Germany Is Aroused. reparations aroused Germany to a point Where she has not reached since the dec- laration of war, in 1914. the sentiment prevails that Germany cannot pay such a sum as has been proposed and, furthermore, there is open defiance in the declaration that the nation will not pay. Minister Simons announces that if the allies believe Germany will send delegates to the proposed conference in London February 8, with the view only of receiving definite allied stip- they are mistaken. many will attend the London parley only with the understanding that there she will present counter pro- posals, which shall be subject of fur- ther negotiations. Simons refuses to accept the recent Paris decision as final, and all Ger- many is in the same mood, the senti- ment being that before the govern- ment should sign away Germany’'s commercial futare Germany should permit the allies to do their worst in the imposition of penalties. In the question of penalties there prevails serious doubt in allied capi- , save Paris, that any of the far- reaching threats written Versailles peace treaty ean be real- ized. First of all, enforcement would | bring on another war, and, second- ly, there are certain industrial and economic problems prevailing in ev- ery allied country which would pre- clude continuance of prolonged ad- The labor elements of Eng- 1and, the socialists of France and the preponderant socialist element in the treaty. The same independently, Lloyd George. and|Rome. ‘Washington. England | made and pending. Germany Js bitterly decision, through agree. German-American | minor peace terms. agreement has Everywhere Foreign Ger- In other words, into the government, which, wholly impracticable. believe. . France, 1t is belleved, would not dare to take military steps thereby herself from announced Ppolicies of the foreign offices’ of London and Furthermore, France realizes that the United States mever would approve of such measure, and France today .keeps her ear close to the ground listening for echoes from There are many rea- sons, and these need be not reiterat- ed, save one, and that—France de- sires full approbation of both Amer- ican government and public, because of financial arrangements already Not only would the strongest pres- sure be brought to bear by the peo- ple against any concerted military adventurs within respective allied countries, but it is extremely doubt- ful if Lloyd George and Briand could In case the governments dis- agreed, the one hope of Germany would be realized, for with a divided allied bloc, Germany could resist in- definitely the application of even the Dangers to Future. It is becoming increasingly appar- ent that should the allies impose the Paris agreement to the strict letter, they will endanger future relation- ships of all nations. The policy domi- nating the Paris peace conference was to erase from all consideration possi- bilities of future wars. Wilson argued stoutly and long for adjustments which would not in any sense create seeds of dissension and hatred inspiring conflict among fu- ture generations. Lloyd George then professed the same policy, which since | seemingly has been forsaken by him. But it is realized in Paris that the insistence of the major reparations sum might do what the Germans have pointed out—cause every German of every political bellef to prepare through the years for revenge against the countries most involved in the infliction of economic burdens. The whole is a question which can- not be considered with the slightest partisanship under any consideration. The allies must be repaid in measure for the damage Germany did. Neither can they expect to collect more than Germany normally can pay. French insist 226,000,000,000 marks will be an easy way for Germany to escape. Yet British experts, since the agreement was effected point out that the annual installments will approach within 1,000,000,000 marks, paper, the total revenues of the present German they state, is The spirit of rejoicing prevailing early in the week in Paris and all France is beginning to fade, it is declared, because even France begins to see that possibly the agreement is not as iron-clad as ths premiers would have made the people Already London officially has hinted that during the parleys late in February, the exports tax pro- vision may be changed and-new &r« many is to pay. estranging allies do? vast amount is needed, President rangements effected by which Ger- But the German government at the moment is united with the people. It has no pressing bolshevist menace to contend with. The coalition appears secure for some time to come and will become stronger in corresponding measure with resistance to the latest allled edict. Consequently it may de- cide not to send delegates to London in case the allies do not modify their stands within the next four weeks. If the Germans refuse to send dele- gates even to consider the stipula. tions or do send delegates there to retuse absolutely the allied demands after first offering a sum Germany considers just, just what would the It is believed in conservative cir- cles in Washington, and dispatches would indicate in Europe also, there is little the allies can do except tem- porize and possibly formulate a new set of stipulations. The French might occupy the Ruhr, the allies as a whole might separate the occupied regions from the remainder of Germany and levy taxes, but the sums derived in either venture will not approximate that which the allies have demanded. Vast sums so essential to French re- construction would b& practically nil and it is believed that inasmuch as a even the French will hesitate about killing the goose that is expected to lay the New Ambassador of Italy The On Way to United States to arrive in Wash- ‘the duties of| |COLBY’S TRIP ENDED SLURS AT THE U. S. S:atc Dispelled Hostility in South America Caused by Propa- ganda Against This Country. BY BEN McKELWAY. ECRETARY of State Colby, on his recent trip to Argentina, Uruguay and Brazili accom- plished much in the way of binding the republics of South Ameri- ca closer to the United States. But what is regarded here as perhaps the chief benefit of his visit is that it helped to clear away some of the propaganda aimed at the United States in_some of the countries of the southern continent, not by the people themselves, but by others who have sought to instill in their minds the idea that the United States is not their real friend—that it has selfish and ulterior motives and desires to dominate their affairs. Mr. Colby succeeded in dispelling many of these illusions created by propaganda, judging from reports which have reached Washington since he started his homeward jour- ney and since his arrival in the capi- tal. In addition to the excerpts from the South American press received at the State Department, American dip- lomats in South America have sent reports which tell of the good effects which came from the Secretary's trip, of the cordial manner in which he was received as the personal rep- resentative of President Wilson. They are said to contain confidential pre- dictions of the beneficial results of the petroleum industry in Venezuela is rather uncertain, Mr. Bell believes, as a great deal of money must be ex- pended in road construction and ship- ping facilities. Venezuela has passed an oil pros- pecting law, which is interesting in the manner by which it safegudrds the government's rights. A territory which gives promise of containing oil is subdivided into squares. Full permission is given ,to explore this territory, and select some portion which it is desired to develop. This development may take place in any one “square,” but no adjoining “squares” may be touched. This law, in effect, therefore, means_that the government sits back calmly and watches the other fellow do the hard work, reserving to itself the benefits thereof. For the government always owns the “square” adjoining the one in which oil is found. * * x kK Luis Paz, formerly chief justice of the supreme court of Bolivia, has beén elected vice president, accord- ing to dispatches received at the Bolivian legation here. It also has been learned that the constitutional assembly of Bolivia has voted to re- solve Itself into the Bolivian con- gress, obviating thereby any neces- Mr. Colby’s visit, to be felt for years to come. Comments on his trip by three am- bassadors to the United States from South America are interesting. In his speeches in Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires, Mr. Colby spoke “to all America, which echoed his words tending to fortify American solidarity for peace, nec- essary today more than ever before —the peace that will execute the work of reconstruction and save the world from a return to barbarism,” states Ambassador Beltran Mathieu, dean of the corps of Latin American diplomats. - The Argentine ambassador, Tomas A. Le Breton, speaks as follows: “Secretary Colby’s trip has a deeper significance than a mere formal visit. Its effect reaches the very heart of our international relatiens and its full effect will bear fruit in the years to come. The telegrams I haye received from my country indicate in the clearest and most convincing manner a complete and abiding faith in‘the warm international friendship which~Secretary Colby has strengthened by his presence in my country. This friendship rests on a solid and permanent basis and is fully reciprocated by the government and peo- ple of the Argentine republic.” *Mr. Colby’s visit has marked a dis- tinct step in the development of Pan- American relations,” the Brasilian am- bassador, Augusto. Cochrane de Alen- car, believes. ¥When he was about to depart we assured him of the cordial friendship and good will with which he would be received. This has been ful- filled and we, on our part, have learned with pleasure of the success which ev- erywhere attended his mission, and the deep impression which he has left be- ‘hind him.” * % x x J. E. Lefevre, secretary of the Panama legation here, has announced the selec- tion of Drf William C. Braisted, presi- dent of the American Medical Associa- tion and former surgeon general of the United States Navy, as chairman of the committee arranging for the establish- ment in Panama of an institute for the study of tropical medicine, as 2 memorial to the late Maj. Gen. William C. Gorgas. Other directors on the committee are Maj. Gen. M. W. Ireland, surgeon gen- eral of the Army; Rear Admiral E. R. Stitt, surgeon general of the Navy; Dr. Hugh S. Cumming, surgeon general of the United States public health service; Dr. L. 8. Rowe, director general of the Pan-American Ukion, and Mr. Lefevre, who will serve as executive director. Dr. John Bassett Moore, former coun- selor of the Department of State and prominent international lawyer, will be legal adviser to the committee. President Porras of Panama has ca- bled his satisfaction at the appoint- ment of the committee. * *x x % Dr. Franklin H. Martin and Dr. Thomas J. Watkins of the American College of Surgeons are oh their way to South America, where they will visit 2 number of republics in an ef- fort 'to bring about affiliation of Latin Amerian medical associations with the American College of Sur- geons. l * X X % The State Department has announced the departure of Dr. Maxime Zepeda, Nicaraguan minister of foreign af- fairs, for the United States. He will visit Washington as a special envoy lfar the Nicaraguan government and is expected to arrive here about March 1, to be present at the inaugu- ration of President-elect Harding. He will come by way of Panama. * * x % P. L. Van Buren Bell of the Depart. ment of Commerce, trade commis- sioner to Venezuela, returned to ‘Washington last week. He will re- main in the United States several months. Development of Venezuelan oil re- sources is the most interesting propo- sition in Venezuela today, Mr. Bell states. Representatives of British and American oil companies are arriving by every boat, he says, and a number of interests have their agents there now, prospecting for promising oil sites, The Standard Oil Company, dperating under the West India Oll Company and the New Hngland Oll Company, is active. The future -of -the-development of sity for a congressional election, about which there has been some dispute. *x % % Pearl fisheries along the coast of Venezuela are being industriously worked, according to recent reports. because of the shortage of pearis in the oriental fisheries and the present high price and popularity of the gems in the markets of the world. The Venezuelan oyster beds are located at Margarita Island, Mara- capana, Macanao, Cubagua, EL Ti- rano, Perlamar and the Golfo de Las Perlas, and have been fished since the sixteenth century. One of the largest pearls in history was found at Margarita Tsland. It eventually became one of the crown jewels of Phillip II of Spain, and was valued at $100,000. In the romantic days when Henry Morgan, L'Ollonnois, Portugues, Roc Braziliano and other outlaws of the sea harried the coasts of the Spanish Main fleets of pearl fishers were their favorite prey, Two - thousand vessels are now engaged in the Venesuelan pearl fisheries, and the annual returns from the Margar- ita Island beds alone are said to-be around $600,000. * % % % The Argentine ambassador, Mr. Le Breton, is bringing to this country two young students, Antonio ¥. Mori of the Universidad Popular of Ro- sario and Armando Gambaro, from the Universidad Popular de la Boca of Buenos Aires. They will undergo an intensive course of six months at the William Hood Dunwoody Insti- tute of Minneapolis, where they will receive instruction in baking. Fol- lowing their graduation the young lmen will return to their country pre- pared to give instruction in how American bakers prepare their prod- uct for the market. Because of Ar- gentina’s large production of wheat, knowledge of bread making is im- portant. The ambassador already has prepared a bulletin on bread making which he recently has had translated and sent to Argentina. * ¥ x x The Department of State has re- quested the Latin-American em- bassies and legations here to furnish their latest estimates on the popula- tion of countries they represent. Some of the figures will be only estimates, while others will show the result of a regular census, taken by the method used by the United States census bu- reau. Completed figures will be used |in connection with the latest United States census publication. * ¥ Xk ¥ Seror Juan M. Siero, minister of public instruction in Nicaragua, has resigned and his resignation has been accepted, the legation here has been informed. The ministry of public in- struction hereafter will be merged with the ministry of foreign rela- tions. FIRST SOAP BOX UNIVERSITY OPENED. TO FIGHT RADICALS RACINE, Wis, February 5.—Be- lieving that the only method of ef- fectively combating socialism, bol- shevism, I. W. W.-ism and the other revolutionary groups is by meeting them on their own grounds with “soap box versus soap boxer,” the Constitutional De- soap boxer,’ the Constitutional De- fense League of Racine has estab- lished here the world's first Soap Box University. Students are be- ing trained to meet the revolution- ary agitator with all of his own weapons, and it is planned to turn out an alumnae of propagandists who will be able to counter every move of socialist agitation by their knowledge of the socialist “bag of tricks.” The university is the outgrowth of the experience of a group of ex- service men who formed the Con- stitutional Defense League more than a year ago in order to yigor- ously fight socialism in Wisconsin. They say they realized at the be- ginning that much of the propa- ganda that has been waged in the past against socialism has been wasted. For one thing, it hasn't reached the audience tnat the so- dalists talk to; it hasn't founded upon a knowledge of the psychology of the radicals. - 1