Evening Star Newspaper, April 17, 1921, Page 45

1 THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, APRIL 17, 1921—PART 2. _FRANCE IS CALLING |THE S GERMANY’S BLUFF Beitonin Blacass a5 They Realize They Face Firm Action by Allies on May 1. BY OLIVER OWEN KUHN. L RANCE is sounding the tocsin. “The time for words has passed. We must now revert ‘to acts,” says Premier Briand in looking toward Germany and as he discusses the German lethargy in living up to the terms of the treaty of Versailles. “France must be paid. If Ger- many refuses France must go in herself and exact payment. It is a question of life or death.” Thus spake M. de Lastevrie. Flamboyancy of utterance may rest in expediency, but, no matter how these utterances may seem on their face, they, nevertheless, represent the will of the French government and a vast section of the French people. to quit “dilly dallying” with Berlin and exact what is due France for the tremendous losses the Ger- mans thrust upon her during four years of inexcusable and bloody war- fare. And it is the will of the French to collect that must be con- dered in weighing the future, which, all must admit, is fraught Wwith the gravest of potentialities. May Have Belglans’ Ald. Wrance today, by virtue of political rejudices existent in England, may forced to strike with the sole aid of the Belgians, when May 1 ar- rives, and passes, as it undoubtedly will, without the Germans having met’ stipulations in regard to in- demnities prescribed in Paris and * London by the supreme council. Ger- many could not under any circum- stances meet the demands for 226.- 000,000,000 gold marks in the form asked, and if shke does not, and the . allfes live true to their pledge, fur- ther penalties will be levied. ‘The allied reparations commission created under the treaty of Versailles is supposed to present its findings to Germany as provided for on May 1. It may or may not do so, but it is known that this bill will be much greater than the 226,000,000.000 gold marks agreed upon by allied pre- miers during past consultations. But, as Germany cannot be expected to meet even thé smaller, more lenient dispositions, the continuing threats * of French officlaldom become more ominous, not only from the viewpoint of Germany herself, but for the general reconstruction processes throughout Germany. Marshal Foch and Gen. Weygand have arranged, after long consulta- tion, to carry out further exactions through the force of arms. That the French will strike toward the Ruhr, occupy it fully and then levy taxes approximating three hundred million marks a year on coal exports to Ger- y is exceedingly probable. if France also occupies the West- phalian industrial regions then it may be truthfully stated that France will have struck a blow at the very vitals of Germany, one that it is de- clared may preclude Germany from ever paying that which is demanded of her. Separation of Provinces. That such French occupation even- Rubr from Germany is not gques- tioned. for during the fifteen to thir- ty years of French occupation any tendency looking toward perpetual separation will be fostered. The French may be successful in proving to these provinces the disadvantage of once more becoming openly af- fillated with the German govern- ment. This is a dream cherished among _foreign office attaches in Paris. It has been existent since the wvery inception of the Paris peace conference and was the subject of a constant combat with English and ierican delegations. Since then the * Americans have been striving to wash their hands olvghe 'ho'ledmllnell ln'.d. ‘England, by virtue o levelopmen! in various sections of the old world where London desires to strengthen British influence, has been forced to make concessions to the French—at least, agree that France go as far as she likes in settling the reparations questions, which concern France more than any other nation. With a free hand there is little chance that even the most conservative of the French schools of political thought will be able to frustrate plans look- ng t the eventual taking over of the left bank of the Rhine and the Bubr in one gulse or another. And, it must be frankly stated, in many countries of the world there is little objection to France doing man; That this will tend to cripple German in- dustries is a foregone conclusion, but Just this, if she can obtain rewards for German perfidy which struck at the very life and soul of France. Complications Certain. That this French policy, however, ‘will lead to camplications beyond end is unquestioned even in Paris. But the Frenchman is adaptable and easily handles situations as they arise and it is not expected that France will be unable in any case to care for such Questions as may arise to the direct interest of France. That France may ignore the con- sequences of further occupation in so far as it may retard general European reconstruction, is possible, but then, as Premier Briand has indicated, France is most intent upon making Germany pay, and pay to the fullest, for the evil she has done. And she should. The only question lies as to what is the fullest, and notwithstand- ing the pronunciamentoes of Briand and other statesmen, conservatives in official circles of Washington and London feel that Germany never can pay all that the supreme council has asked. Premier Briand at the moment must drive home his policy of no compro- mise with Berlin. He sustained his po- sition after the London conference despite strong influence brought to bear by former President Foincare. He is maintaining his position today. but it is stated reliably in Paris that should he waver in, the least and agree to change the two-hundred-and- twenty-six-billion-dollar stipulation or fail to heed Germany’s failures to meet other sections of the Versailles treaty, the Poincare group will over- throw him and press home the most stringent measures against Germany. Financial Influences. Should Briand agree to compromise and still retain power, it will be through one great influence within France, and that the financial pow- ers. According to some advices busi- ness men of France are not much be- ing misled by the idea that repara- tions are the sole essential to the full recovery of France and that further military incursions will bring desired ends, pointing to the failure of the Dusseldorf_expedition to do more than increase France's military burden, with few compensating features. It is asserted by these financiers and busi- ness men, who have a great influence on any government existent in France, that France can better profit by following the American and Brit- ish viewpoint of permitting Germany to recover economically and commer- cially at the earliest possible moment. In such case France will be paid in full without continued entanglement. France's course in the future may, as pointed out, be governed in measure through the influence of these bust- ness and finanecial interests, but for the moment, at least, it is very ap- parent that pressure has as yet not been exerted on the Qual d'Orsay. ‘Germany Takes Heed. ‘Whatever the situatidn in France now or in the immediate future, it is very apparent that Germany is taking the firm utterances of French statesmen strongly to heart. Busi- ness and financial interests of Ger- many are taking affairs in hand and are said to be pressing the govern- ment to act expec;l(lou!ly to ll.vrt:.l‘fl nalties for non conform- :'l::‘th.t'o Ke treaty of Versailles and edicts of the supreme council. The German government is holding con- ferences galore, but as yet all prop- ositions looking toward frustration of French .purpose are nebulous in the extreme. But it is expected that the Germans may make new pro- posals involving the payment of a tremendously large sum of money to France, along with agreements to help rebuild the devastated sections of France. The latter proposition is meeting more favor in France. though it is one violently opposed in the past, but Germany must pay the full amount demanded by May approximately 20,000,000,000 gold marks, "h l!ltz’ e;veeu to influence the French attitude. It has been proposed during the past week that the United States take a hand in the situation and that President Harding - initiate steps looking toward arbitration between Germany’s expressed ability to pay and France’s demands, but whether or not anything will come of such a suggestion is extremely problemati- cal. The odds are against any action that will stay the hand of France by May 1. France is in the act of ulllnfi(‘!‘er- many’s treaty-dodging bluffs. is sucoeeding. " WILL EXPRESS APPRECIATION TO ENGINEERS OF GREAT BRITAIN : American Mission, Going to London, Also Will Witness Presentation of John Fritz Medal to Sir Robert Hadfield. To express the obligation which the world owes to the engineers of Great Britain for the part they played in win- this summer. of pationally known engineers and rep- resenting the so-called Founder socie- neers; Col Arthur S. York, the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers; Ambrose Swasey of Cleveland, the John Frits medal board of award and the American + Society of Mechanical Engineers; Dr. P. B. Jowett of New York, the Ameri- can Institute of Electrical Engineers. Dr. Ira N. Hollis, president of Worces- ter Pol Institute and past presi- dent of the American Society of Me- chanical eers, will accompany the deputation and bear the message from the American engineers. Joha Frits Medal The John Frits medal is a gold medal presented for achievement in applied science as a memorial to_the engineer whose name it bears. Pre- vious recipients of the medal have been John Fritz, Lord Kelvin, George Westinghouse, Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Alva n, Cha; Ediso ries ‘medal | Talbot Porter, Alfred Noble, Sir Wil- liam Henry Whi ite, Robert Woolston Hunt, John n Sweet, James 8 tional ‘Douglas, Elihu Thomson and Henry ion Howe. The medal is awarded to Sir Robert Hadfleld this year be- cause of his invention of manganese steel. The medal -was established by the professional associates and friends of Johnlhlu of Bethlehem, Pa., August 21, his eightieth birthday, to , | Perpetuate the memory of his achieve- ments in jndustrial progress. There are no restrictions on account of na tionality or sex The trust funds supporting the medal are held and ad- ministered by a board of sixteen di- rectors, consisting of four from each of the four national engineering societies represented on the mission to England. GOES TO SCOUT CRUISER.| GOES TO PARIS EMBASSY. Commander Foote Assigned to the |Sheldon Whitehouse Appointed Salem, Pasific Fleet, Commander P. W. F for sev- eral personal na ald to former Secretary Daniels, and at present acting in a similar capacity for Secretary Denby, has been as- signed to command the scout cruiser Salem of the Pacific fleet. He will be relieved of his present duties about May 1, and will immediately join his ship at San Diego. Secretary Deab: has pot selected Commander Foote *sucuessor and may not do so for some time. During the war Commander Foof was captain of the transport Pres! dent Lincolr, which was sunk by a German submarine while en route to New York. For his conduct on that occasion he reseived the distinguished \ service cross and several foreign dec- BT L Senior Counselor. Appointment of Sheldon White- house as senior counselor of embas- say at Paris was announced yesterday at the State Department. He succeeds Leland Harrison, who was recalled and assigned to duty in the State Department. Mr. Whitehouse has been on duty in the western European division of the State Department since October 16, 1920. Prior to that he was secre- tary of embassy, at Paris. He began his diplomatic career as private secretary to the ambassador in Great Britain in 190! nd was taken into the diplomatic service the fol- lowing year, visited us in the days immediately following our entrance into the war. TORY THE WEEK HAS TOLD BY HENRY W. BUNN. HE following is a brief summary of the most important news ef the world for the seven days ended April 16: GREAT BRITAIN—At last, on Monday, the 11th, Mr. Lloyd George brought mine ewners and miners’ chiefs together in conference, the chiefs having been persuaded to advise the miners to refrain from further interference with salvage operations at the mines. The con- ference was to be without conditions; all mat ters in dispute were to be freely discussed. But at the conference the miners’' chiefs refused to discuss wages unless the owners should first agree to a national pool of profits. On this reef the conference struck and went to pleces. The government and the owners con- tend that the national pool-of-profits plan im- plies natfonalization; for, they say, it could not be made to work without a degree of control which only the government could exercise; and nationalization, whether by its own or any other name, stinks in the nostrils of the government after its experience with the mines. The premier made desperate efforts to keep the conference going. He submitted certain suggestions as to a system of wage settlements, he even offered temporary financial assistance from the government to tide the weaker mines over the transitional period; but Herbert Smith, the miners’ president, brusquely waived aside all the proposals except that of financial assist- ance, and, in the manner of a dictator, an- nounced that the time was late, the miners’ officials would make formal reply in writing. * % * The executive committees of the transport ‘workers and the railwaymen had, upon the con- vening of the conference, suspended strike or- ders which were to be effective on Tuesday night. Upon the breaking up of the conference they announced that the suspended strike ‘would take effect at 10 p.m. on Friday. The triple alliance, at the same time, issued a very insolent manifesto in which, among other amiable statements, the government is accused.of being “an active, If secret, partisan,” rather than “an impartial arbitrator in indus trial disputes.” But there was a singular development. On Thursday evening Frank Hodges the secretary of the miners federation, intimated to certain M P’s that the miners’ chiefs would be will- ing to discuss a temporary wage arrangement; discussion of the larger issues to be postponed. Acting on this intimation, the premier the next day invited the miners’ executive com- mittee to such a discussion. The majority of the committee, however, repudiated the secretary's suggestion and de- clined any discussion except upon condition of prior acceptance by the mine owners of the national pool of profits plan. Thereupon hap- pened the singular thing. The executive com- mittees of the transport workers and the rail- waymen (whether because they found the intransigentism of the miners’ chiefs a little too fantastic even for these days, or because they had discovered the majority sentiment of their followers to be against a strike, or for what- ever reason) revoked the order for a strike on Friday night. *x kX X X z Thus the situation now stands: the miners' executive committee, apparently more confirmed that ever in their obstinacy, but isolated; the triple alllance apparently shattered; Lloyd George as usual triumphant. The miners seem doomed to defeat. By their insolence and brutality their chiefs have be- trayed a cause which has many points of Justification. It is to be hoped that the mine owners will see a beautiful opportunity and concede these points where possible. But behind the strike and the logomachy and the vast preparations of government to meet the emergency looms the really vital problem of the mining industry; namely, the problem of its reorganization on such a basis that it can pay' adequate wages to the workers and a decent profit to the owners. To this problem the government has mot sufficiently addressed itself. On its satisfactory solution “fnore than upon any other material factor depends the future of British industry and the British foreign trade; in fact, the pros- perity of the empire. * % ¥ % GERMANY:—In an interview which Dr. von Simons, then resting at Bern, recently gave to a correspondent of Le Matin, he said: “I believe that in a very few days we are going to show In an irrefutable manner our good faith.” What did he mean? One must think he meant that the German government is going to act on Secretary Hughes' intent and submit a new reparation offer wot is an offer. The time is getting short. May 1 will soon be here; and on May 1, as M. Briand remarked the other day in his neat Gallic way, “in full agreement with our allles we (the French) have a rendezvous with Germany. France shall not fall that rendezvous”. In the interview above referred to Dr. von Simons observed: “The capacity of Germany is not only a matter for technical consideration, but also of psychology.” Very true; whoopingly true. But fer that very reason the junkers think von Simens sheuld not have sald it; they would like to remove that indiscreet gentleman from office. The German dye output of 1930 surpassed that of any previous year; that of 1921 will be still greater, The Germans are out to conquer all the markets. The cost of production is one- fourth that in Britain. One must congratulate the Germans upon their industrial recovery, and please oneself with the reflection that, useful as their dye plants are in times of peace, they are even more useful in war as manufacturers of poison gas. And, if a good American, though one may waste few tears on infant in- dustries in general, one must sincerely hope that our infant dye (pelson gas) industry will be adequately protected. The recent Leipsig fair was all but the biggest of the Lelpzig fairs since the first ene, some 800 years ago. There were some 15,000 exhibitors and tens of thousands of visitors. In the magnitude of the exhibits, in the number of visitors, in the plans disclosed for expanding the fair plant there was convincing proof of recovery of German industries. * Kk ok K TURKEY:—The Greeks attribute the recent Turkish successes in the Brusa region not only to Turkish reinforcements but to Italian aid in ‘war material. This has a familiar ring. The Greeks have “come back” on the south- ern (Aflum-Karahissar) front. Mustapha Kemal tried to turn the Greek right flank, but the Greeks counter-attacked and beat him off, with considerable losses, which approximately offset the recent Greek losses on the Brusa front. It seems likely that Mustapha has thrown in about all his reserves, whereas (if report is to be belleved) the Greeks are bringing up large reinforcements preparatory to launch- ing a grand general offensive. Nevertheless it will be heavy going east- ward into the Anatollan country. And what of the bolshevik alllance? Will Chicherin do nothing for his ally, after all the pledges ex- changed? * %k X X RUSSIA:—Lenin says he has become re- spectable; but Reynard said as much of him: self when he came unto Chanticler in the like- ness of a hermit and affirmed that he was become a monk, vowing to perform a daily penance for his sins and showing his beads, his books, and the hair shirt next to his skin. “I am now waxed old,” quoth Reynard, “and ‘would only remember by soul.” Completely taken in, Chanticler omitted his wonted precautions, with results well known. Some reports assert that there are no more re- volts in Russia; that demobilization proceeds apace. Other reports aver that peasant re- volts are rife as never before, that huge new forces are being levied. One report of the latter sort alleges that the peasant revolt headed by Gen. Antonov is of very dangerous proportions; that the insurrectos hold the governments of Tambov, Voronezh, Kursk and Samara; that the Don Cossacks have joined Antonov. Frankly, I do not know with how many grains of salt this report should be eaten. * X % ¥ UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:—The Sixty-seventh Congress convened in special ses- sion on the 11th. The House immediately took up the Young emergency tariff bill, and the Senate the Colombia treaty. Among the most important things in the President’s address to Congress was the intima- tion that the Versallles treaty, amended so as to lop off the league contract and to exclude all clauses which might involve undesirable foreign entanglements, would be submitted to the Senate. A notable omission was that of any sugges- tion concerning a disarmament conference. Senator Knox has again presented his resolu- tion for technical peace with Germany; as altered, it is a mere declaration of ending of the war, with a clause reserving to the United States all rights acquired by the latter under the armistice or the Versallles treaty. Among the important bills already presented to the House are the Young emergency tariff bill (the old Fordney bill with an anti-dumping clause added, and with the period of opera- tion six instead of ten months); a federal bud- get bill; the immigration bill which President ‘Wilson vetoed; the Snell forestry bill; a one- per cent sales tax bill; a soldier’s bonus bill, and a bill to refund tolls to vessels of the United States passing through the Panama canal. Among the bills and resolutions already sub- mitted to the Senate are the Dillingham immi- gration blil; a bill to exempt American vessels from payment of Panama Canal tolls; a soldiers’ bonus bill; an anti-raliroad strike bill; a resolu- tion calling for investigation of the railroad situation; a public welfare department bill; a resolution calling for an investigation of roads, and the Borah resolution authorizing the Presi- dent to institute negotiations with Japan and Great Britain looking to reductions in naval construction in the future. The fight waxes hot and furious in the Benate over the Colombia treaty. How it must amuse the shade of T. R. hob- nobbing with the shades of Cecil Rhodes, Drake and Clieve and carefully shying away from the shades of Gladstone and other “unc guid.” * Xk K X MISCELLANEOUS:—In a speech in his usual forthright style (somewhat resembling the style of our Secretary of State), Premier . Hughes of Australia expresses approval of re- newal of the Anglo-Japanese treaty, provided it be renewed in a form satisfactory not only to the British empire and Japan, but also to Amerfca. He finds the chief hope of the world In a close understanding between the English-speak- ing peoples. Premier Hughes is evidently a little worried as he reflects on Japan. Australla has an area a little greater than that of the United States and a coast line nearly three times as long. The ‘question of whether or no the Anglo-Japanese treaty shall be renewed— one of the important questions of the day— and if so, in what form, will be decided at the conference of imperial premiers in London in June. Conditions in the Chinese famine area are getting worse. The most critical period has begun and will last till the harvest in June. Very little tree bark is left. The Chinese con- sortum plan will probably be accepted by the Chinese government, though it is obnoxious to the tmmemorial Chinese official tradition; there will be no rake-off. France has replied courteously, but guard- edly, to Secretary Hughes' note on Yap. She cannot well speak out till she has conferred with the other great allies. But apparently her attitude is that of Barkis. (If the reader happens to have forgotten his Dickens, that gentleman was.willin.) No reply has been re- ceived from the other allies. Much hangs upon their reaction to the principles asserted in the Hughes note. French census returns indicate an alarming falling off of population in France—three to four millions, it is estimated; by no means to be entirely accounted for by war losses. The fascisti (the Italian vigilantes) are still at it rounding up and applying the lex talionis to the communists. Of course, the fault cannot always be with the communists, but it generally is; at any rate they have proclaimed a religion of blood and confusion, and should, in fact, wel- come such proselytes of sorts. (Copyright, 1921, by Tbe Washington Star.) Daniels Writes of Special War Envoys ent by Great Britain to United States Former Sectetary of the Navy. ‘WO figures stand out with un- forgetable distinction from the group of interesting trans- atlantic personalities which except that in a war for humanity, bottomed upon Christian principles, I believe that the ox-in-the-ditch principle, rather than strict exclusion of all save ‘church worship, ligion in war. Admiral Fletcher in that Sunday morning conversation, reported to me his impression of the members of the mission. and Admiral de Chair—the latter the is re- of responsibilities upon there was a lilt in his eye when he smiled that made you wish you could have known him when wars did not make gravity sit like a mas- He said Mr. Balfour ter upon his spirits. peared in those dark days after years of difficult and bafling warfare. His ;nn form was bent as if with the experts. They were masters in their line, competent to confer and con- clude with the officials here who were charged with like duties by the American government. Mr. Balfour never lost sight of the one big thing he came for, he never forgot the interest of his country, but he left to his able associates the carrying out of the many details and amazingly big transactions which full Taken singly, each has an individ- wality which anywhere would com- mand attention. Together they pre- sent as strong a contrast as one could ‘well find in men of the same race. Arthur James Balfour came first, at the head of the British high commis- sioners, who arrived in Washington on Sunday, April 22, 1917—sixteen days after our declaration. Two months later came Lord Northcliffe. It is of these two men in particular that I want to write in this article.| They made a profound impression upon Washington and they did’ much to promote the co-operation which| was essential to the successful doing of the common task. Of course, both men were well known to us by reputation. North- cliffe. had been in the United States before the war and had many ac- quaintances here. Balfour we knew as a statesman, a student, a philosopher. His fame was built upon his conspicuous service in government office and his scholarly and illuminating contributions to the discussion of some of the most pro- found problems of human life. Balfour of Ancient Lineage. References to a British “Who's Who™ @discloses the less generally known facts that he was an enthusiastic golfer and tennis player, and at one time president of the English Cy- clists’ Association. And_ Balfour was a Cecil. BY JOSEPHUS DANIELS, | In Great Britain that meant much.y Here it meant little, and one of the difficult things for us to understand was that Balfour, scion of an ancient and aristocratic British family, nephew of Lord Salisbury and uncle of Lords Hugh and Robert Cecil, came to us as plain Arthur James Balfour, Esq. or Mr. A. J. Balfour, whereas Alfred Harmsworth, who began life without influence or wealth, came to us as Lord Northcliffe. I was prepared for the arrival of the British high cothmissioners by a visit from Admiral Frank F. Fletcher, who had been chosen by me to go to Hali- fax as naval member of the commit- tee on welcome. He called at my home on Sunday morning, after leaving the distin- guished guest of America comfortably established in the capital, and that afternoon the whole city turned out to make a gala day of its welcome. “Religion in War.” Sundays in wartime were apt to be quite unlike the Sundays with which a plous training had made us fa- miliar in days of peace. I found during the war that except for the church hour, it was imperative to vary from the long-established cus- ton of not working on the seventh day. Indeed, in planning, as well as in fighting in the world war, as in most wars, history shows that the quiet of the Sabbath has seemed conducive to important conferences and bloody battles, Why is this? I " Amas the guery on, having no enswer naval member of the British mis- sion—talked freely, but seemed to be deeply serious, if not depressed, by the gravity of the situation. They expressed confidence of ultimate vic- tory for the allies, but regarded the German submarine warfare as most dangerous, and thouxht there would be a terrible and probably a long struggle before victory. Admiral Fletcher and Admiral de Chair were old acquaintances, and there had been no reserve between them. Balfour in Double Character. And so, with the background fur- nished by the admiral's report, I went pregently to meot these men who had come to extend to us the hand of comradeship in the great ! fight for civilization. Of course, Mr. Balfour, as I have said, was the outstanding figure. In the second year of the war he was first lord of the admiralty. He had been blamed for giving Jellico the high sea command. He had been praised for many successes of the British navy. Was he Balfour, ths great. philosopher, or was he, as some of the Irish called him, “bloody Bal- four”? Vfl?l-l he a real Dr. Jekyll and 3 e If you had met him as I did on e Monday after his arrival been privileged to be his dinner partner at the White House, you could never suppose he was other than the rather aloof scholar and philosopher. He looked the student, not the administrator; certainly not a man with whom “bloody” could be associated. He had a calm, rather majestic bearing, but you felt that he could not harm a fly. Balfour impressed me by his re- serve power. He always seemed to be telling you only a little of what he knew. You felt his largehess of knowledge, his breadth of judgment, his clarity end his charity. He had learned 8o much he could not be dog- matic. It was hard to tell whether ou liked him best when he was talk- o€ or when he was listening. There was a certain charm in his drawing you out that made you feel at once that he was deeply interested in what you were saying; but when he was answering your inquiries his fund of information was so ready and ac- curate that you understood his place of primacy when world leaders dis- cussed big problems with him. Con- ditions in Egypt or India or Mesopo- tamia were as familiar to him as those in his own neighborhood. Balfour Not an Optimist. Of course, I talked to him mostly about the Navy and naval operations and naval policies in the war. He had so recently directed the British navy that his knowledge was full and interesting. _Like most Englishmen with whom I talked during the war, Mr. Balfour was frankly grave. He irradiated none of the optimism which fairly dassles one when Lloyd George talks. He did not Mook glad or_joyous. 1 am writing of him now as he ap- A short time before he arrived, I heard a story which I never doubted after talking with Mr. Balfour. The story was that an American journal- ist visiting London desired for his paper above all things an interview with Mr. Balfour, and framed some leading questions he wished to ask. At length an appointment was oOb- tained with this condition: “At the end of fifteen minutes your audience must terminate.” Worth Losing “Scoop.” | As he was presented to Mr. Bal- four the editor thought to be agree- able by speaking of the deep interest with which he had read Mr. Balfour's work on “Philosophy” or “The Future Life,” I've forgotten which. It was a fatal error, for, once launched upon his favorite topic, Mr. Balfour did not pause for fifteen minutes. At the end of that time the American jour- nalist was shown out. Not one of his questions had been even asked, he had lost his “scoop” interview, and ‘was bemoaning his blunder of pay- ing a compliment before proceeding to business. But afterward, telling the incident to a friend, the Amer- ican said: “It was worth losing the story to hear a real philosopher dis- cuss great, immortal questions in the most immortal’ way. He seemed to rise from the plains to the heights and to carry you into a new world of speculation and thought and faith which you did not believe any man had fathomed. And that explains Mr. Balfour and is the secret of the good impression he made in Washington. He discussed international _diplomacy, war and books with President Wilson, and they spoke the same language. He discussed finance and loans with Mr. McAdoo and obtained a loan of $200,- 000,000 for his country—the first loan any associated nation obtained from our government. He discussed ship- ping with the members of the Ship- ping Board, munitions with the Sec- cretary of War, and with the Secre- tary of the Navy {e discussed naval co-operation and invention to detect submarines. He was at home with the parliamentary leaders of the House and Senate. Relies on Experts. 1 observed one thing about him and the job he had come to do_which showed British thoroughness. He was the head of the mission and debated big problems and talked about what- ever was uppermost. But he relied on Gen. Tom Bridges (a fine soldier and fine man he is) to carry on the negotiations with the War Depart- ment; upon Admiral de Chair, with the Navy Department; Lord Cunliffe, governor of the Bank of England, with the Treasury Department; Lord Percy on blockade and export ques- tions; Mr. Anderson on wheat and food supplies; Mal. Puckle on trans. ports; Mr. Layton on munitions, an Bo on—an expert on every matter that might arise was at his elbow. "And those experts were more than co-operation required. Northeliffe Blows In. And after Balfour came Northcliffe. | tion. The great British journalist arrived on |® June 11, or rather I should say NEW NATION PLANS FOR GREATER FUTURE Dr. Bianchi, Guatemalan Minister, Dis- cusses Outlook of Federation of BY BEN McKELWAY. NEW nation has been bor: and is about to begin active life. What has the Federa- tion of Central America In prospect? What are the advantages of the union, and what are the prob- able results? Dr. Julio Bianchi, Guatemalan minister to the United States, & lifelong student of Central American affairs and a strong advo- cate of the Central American union, sees in the formation of the Federa- tion of Central America by Guate- mala, Honduras and Salvador the beginning of a rich and powerful nation —a nation which will rank fifth in population among the Amer- icas, and one whose natural resources and ideal location will put it in the fore among the countries of the world. One of the first steps to be taken by the federation is disarmament, disbanding the three armies of the member states and substituting a new and smaller national army. This step alope will effect a saving of $16,000 a day, will release hundreds of men who will return to profitable employment, and will have the ef- fect of creating a spirit of confi- dence in the new government. An- other saving will be brought about when the three Individuai govern- ments cease to operate as such, and one governmental machine is formed. Merging of the three states into one will bring about a stabllity of govern- ment which, it is believed, will invite forelgn investment as a safe venture. and Dr. Bianchi believes that payments on foreign loans will be as regular as those of other countries. Confidence in plans of the federation already is illus- trated, Dr. Blanchi states, in an appli- cation by two New York bankers for a franchise to establish in Guatemala a bank capitalized at $10,000,000. Central America is thinly populated and a large number of the inhabitants illiterate Indians. Propaganda is alrcady being prepared for circulation abroad to interest foreign immigrants in Central America as a new home, and Dr. Bianchi expects to see half a million white immigrants enter Central America within the next few years. Honduras, with an area of 50,000 square miles and a population of 600,000, alone can pro- vide a home for 5,000,000 people. Plans already are being considered for some method of extending federal aid to the farmers and to provide the lb!:“n;lhmnl ‘with l.nduwhlch can be it on easy paymen! Construction of good roads, railways and facilities for communication will begin with the actual formation of the new government, to be paid for out of the combined revenues of the three mem- ber states and foreign loans. Establish- ment of an educational system, modeled on that I:fugfll country, is another step contempl % The next move to be taken toward establishing the new government is ap- pointment of a representative from each of the member states to compose a pro- visional governing body to function until a constitution is adopted. Fifteen repre- sentatives from each country will mect in a constitutional assembly within a short time in Honduras, where a con- stitution will be adopted. It is hoped that the constitution will be promulgated on September 15 mext, the date of Cen- tral America’s first centenary celebration of its independence. Dr. Bianchi states he has received unofficial assurance that Nicaragua will join the union, given time, and that Costa Rica, whose representa- tives already have signed the treaty establishing the federation, will be- come a member when necessary amendments to her constitution have been made. * * % % Probably one of the most dis- tinguished missions ever sent to the United States from South America is in New York today for the unveiling and dedication Tuesday of the monu- ment of Simon Bolivar. Venezuela's minister of foreign relations, Dr. Esteban Gil-Borges, heads the dele- gation. Dr. Gil-Borges is not only a leading figure in his own country, but_ is internationally known as an eminent jurist and writer. One of the many offices he has held in his sovernment was counselor of the Vene- Zuelan legation here some time ago. Other members of the mission are Central America. Senor Don Felipe Francia, Dr. Jore Santlago Rodriguez, Senor Don J. M. Herrera-Mendoza. Col. Antonio Mar- tinez-Sanchez, Senor_Alberto Adriani and Senor Don Manuel Segindo Sanches. Every Latin-American country repre- resented in the United States will send a delegate to the unvelling cere- monies in New York, the representa- tives for the most part being the ministers of those countries to the United States. Following the exercise in New York, members of the Venezuelan mission will come to Washington, where they~ Wwill te puests of honor at a number of entcrtainments. % *x % x Uruguayan-North American Chamber of Commerce is being or- ganized In Montevideo through the initiative of the American Association of Urugua d a committee of five has been appointed by the American® Ascociation to meet a simitar com- mittee of Uruguavan merchants to draft by-laws and take other neces- Eay, Icll'on. ; me of the main purposes of the chamber will be to create a board of arbitration, composed of an equal number of Uruguayan and American citizens, to adjust any differences. ;‘):::1 may cccur between the mer- s and manufae co;;nulem cturers of both resident Brum {s reported to be strong advocate of the proposed chamber, and Dr. Jacob Varela, Uru-- Euayan minister to the United State: in a recent interview granted the A soclated Press declared he was heart- ily in favor of organizing such bodies as a means of bringing closer rela- tions between the two republics. s * % x ¥ In view of the recent success in sell- ing -bred American live stock in South America, American lve stock men are preparing for a complete ex- hibit of American cattle at the inter-, nlilonl-l dairy exhibition to be held Palcrmo, Buenos Aires, May 8 to 2 by the Argentine Rural Society. * x % % The Marconi Company of London has reached an agreement with the Peruvian government whereby it will take over and operate for a period of twenty-flve years the Peruvian postaF telegraph and wireless system. The agreement becomes effective May 1, and during the first year the company will advance approximately $1,000,000, for entire reorganization and modern- ization of the system. * X % % Henri Pittier, an American, who has acted for ten years as technical ad- viser of the bureau of commerce of the foreign office, Venezuela, has been placed in charge of a commercial mu- seum, created under an executive ors fder. Mr. Pittier has informed the American consul general in Venezuela that he will proceed to order show- cases and other equipment within a° short time for starting the museum. y Mr. Pittier formerly was employed in the Department of Agriculture, in: ‘Washington. . * x % % | The Costa Rican congress has ap- jproved a proposal for a concession submitted by American interests for the construction and operation of a railway to run from the Bay of Cule-’ | bra, on the Pacific coast of the Nicoya. peninsula, past the head of the gulf of- | Nicoya to a junction with the Pacific i railway, near the port on Punta Arenas.” * *x x % Increase in Latin American trade with the United States is shown in figures recently compiled by the De-- partment of Commerce. Trade of the- United States with Latin America dur-. ing 1920 was surpassed only by its trade with Europe. While trade with’ Europe, however, dropped from 50 per. cent of the total in 1919 to 42 per cent of the total in 1920, trade with Latin America increased from less than 20 per cent of the total in 1919 to 25 per cent of the total in 1920. Total trade with Latin America in 1920 amounted” to $3,378,188,567. N * ¥ ¥ ¥ Anticipating_an increased flow of’ immigration, Brazil has asked forl bids from steamship companies for: the transportation of immigrants from Europe. Last month 1,000 Ger- mans landed in Brazil, and 2,000 Por- tuguese are expected within a short time. An Austro-German immigra- tion society already has been formed, with 2,000 members, for settlement: throughout Brazil. o action by the two English-speaking nations. Bundie of Energy. 1 found Lerd Northcliffe a bundle of energy and a personage of great abil- . He fairly oozed vitality and in- formation on any topic that might come up. Some people associate energy with quick action, behind which is lacking thoroughness of pre- paration and large knowledge. The - | career of Northcliffe refutes this pop- ular misconception. His large grasp of the great problems enabled him to co-ordinate British efforts here in a way greatly to facilitate the supplies to the armies and the civilian popula- As a fellow journalist it was happiness to come in such close touch as to appraise at its full value blew | the big service he rendered here, as in. If you were to enter a room al-|well as in his own eountnl'i and in e ready occupied by Balfour and North- cliffe, if there was a quiet fire burn- Ing and some books on philosophy or | resource and initiative. you statecraft were on the table, would feel it was Balfour's home. But if it were Northcliffe’s home you | in t would expect to see a typewriter pounding a late “scoop” and books here and there showing that their rij contents were employed to give them | France. Europe, to a cause which called forth {n“thg highest degree his remarkable (Another article by former Secretary Daniels omorrow’s Star.) (Copyright. 1921, by John F. Dille. Copy- "National Newspaper Bervice. Copy- bt 1o Great Britain, Canada and throushout Eice” Il rights reserved, including trans- as extracts to the world rather than |lation nto forelgn languages. includig the u for personal enjoyment. ised reprinting for any Scandinayian. In other words, Balfour looks like |purpose forbidden.) a dreamer. Northcliffe looks like a man of action. The truth is they are both dreamers and they have both had large parts in translating their dreams into world progress. When Balfour arrived the quiet hours for discussion and entertain- ment seemed fitting. When North- cliffe came over he said with a busi nesslike finality, “I am not here to talk. I am engaged in the task of organization, which precludes my ac- cepting this country’s offers of hos. pitality which have poured in on me since my arrival. I hope to gather new ideas for transmission to Eng- land and I shall be glad to answer any question bearing upon the les- NEWSPAPER MEN GET SUPPORT OF PRESIDENT Only Bona Fide Representatives of the Press to Attend White House Conferences. Assurance of his absolute approval and fullest co-operation is given by sons to be learned from any mis- | men stationed at the White House in takes Great Britain and her allies have made since the time when they were so unexpectedly plunged into|at th this horrible carnage.” words, in journalistic language, was time to go to press, and discus- sion and its amenities must wait un- til the paper is printed. Then—who was more delightful company than the remarkable British editor! Balfour’s Philosophic Utterance. their effort to restrict the attendance e White House conferences to In °lh=lr bona fide representatives of the press and to otherwise safeguard properly the privileges extended to the press at_the White House. George B. Christian, jr., the Presi- dent's secretary, also is_in full sym- pathy with the White House Coi spondents’ Assoclation and has ex- Contrast the above up-to-date ut-|pressed his unqualified support. terance with what the philosophical Mr. Balfour said upon his arrival: “On behalf of my countrymen, let me ex- press our gratitude for all that the cltizens of the United States of Amer- ica have done to mitigate the lot of those who n the allled countries have suffe most deliberately cruel of all wars. And again, “That this great people should have thrown themselves whole- heartedly into_this mighty strugsle, prepared for all the efforts and sac- rifices that may be required to win |Officials, success for this most righteous cause, in an event at once 80 happy and so The President in making known his interest in the endeavors of the as- | sociation expressed himself as fol- ows: “In your efforts to insure that there shall be proper safeguards about the privileges of the White House press adquarters ard that unauthorized he: T el oram oot 1 O ainS | persons or interests shall not be per- mitted to avail themselves of special opportunities that ere afforded to the press in that confidential relation Which it properly sustains with public You may be assured of my hearty co-operation.” ——— e faturs will be.abier as T peiieve; | PREDICTS NO SALES TAX. to _measure its true proportions.” Great Britain sent other great men to. hold other conferences, 3o that our team work would be perfect, but Bal- four and Northcliffe came in the first days of our entrance into the war; hey brought us the inside truths of | tax, Represe! a serfous situation, and their counsel ‘was then and will always be regard- Bepnlpnufln Mondell Opposes Such Revenue in Congress. Voicing his opposition to”a sales e d Cf =T min, f' o law rday ed as of great value to the closest|would be enacted at this session of Con- unity, which ripened into onencas of o - & President Harding to the leflunr} A SOCIAL WELFARE BUREAU 1S CERTAIN (Continued from Pirst Page.) % ery of our federal government to the purposes we desire to attain. While: others may have their eyes fixed upon some particular piece of legislation.” or some particular policy of social justice, which calls for sympathetic, interest of us all, I say without hesi- tation that our primary considera- tion must be in the machinery of ad- ministration, and that when the time comes for us to reorganize our ad-- ministrative government in Washing-- ton we must all stand together for, the creation of a department of pub- 1ic_welfare. s “It is almost useless for us to go on., expending our energies in advancing. humanitarian policies which we wish’ put into effect, and is useless for: us to hope for the effectve adminis. tration of humanitarian policies al- ready undertaken by the federal gov-n ernment until we have prepared to, create an administrative center for the application of our program.” - FARMS IND.C. IN 1920 . Census Bureau Reports That of the 204, 184 Are Owned by . ‘Whites and 20 by Colored. There were 204 farms ir. the District of Columbia in 1920, at the time of the taking of the census here, the cemsus, bureau has announced. Of the ap; proximately 38,400 acres in the Dis- trict, 5,668 acres were in farm land, or 14.8 per cent of the total land area. The average acreage per farm was 27.8 and the improved acreage per farm 20.9 acres. property in the District of Co-" 156,148, while buildings, implements and machinery, live stock and other items, made up_the remainder of the farm® values. The average value per farm acre in 1920 was $1,045.87, of which. $984.01 was in land and buildings, the land alone being valued at $733.27. The average farm in the District of Colums., bia had live stock on it valued at $43.47. Of the 204 farms, four were between 260 and 499 acres, fifty between 20 and. 49 acres, and the largest number, 127, under 20 acres. An interesting part of the figures on: farms in_ the District is that eleven, farms here are owned and operated women. One hundred and eighty-four: of the farms are owned by white per-. sons and twenty by colored persons. SHE CAME BACK. From the Boston Tramscript. “You remember Helen? - She went’ “Oh, no great harm done. Her family’ placed her in & fashionable sanitariun and zf:uphyin‘ a"Bstter game than, & 3 i VALUED AT $5,927,987¥- v v