Evening Star Newspaper, December 31, 1923, Page 13

vents of 1923 Pass in Review : Great Progress in Economic an il WORLD EXCEPT B2 NATIONS BETTER OFFATEND OF YEAR ermany, by Own Folly, and Japan, by Earthquake, Main Sufferers in 1923. AMERICA FAR AHEAD; TURKEY GAINS POWER Turn for Economy in Spain Taken When Generals Oust Politicians. BY EDWARD W. PICKARD, With the exception of Ger- many, ruined by her own acts, and Japan, shattered by the forces of nature, all the world was better off at the close of 1923 than at its beginning. Thi; is especially true of the L'nited‘ Stat, Italy, Finland, Czecho- slovakia, Turkey Russia, though the information coming from the land of the soviets has been so colored that it was difficult to determine true conditions there. Economic recovery of world was retarded, as it was during the previous twelve months, by failure to settle the matter of the German repara- tions and by the steady decline of Germany toward the point of . absolute collapse. The occupa- tion of the Ruhr by France and the resulting disputes with Great Britain brought on repeated crises. each of which seemed to threaten the final disruption of! the entente cordiale. and -probably ! the | Tt REMIER PO INCARE oF FRANCE PREM | FREDERICKWILLIAM, FORMER CROWN PRINCE OF GERMANY: | | | COUNT WITOS. QF POLAND - Several proposals for commissions to determine Germany’s capacity to pay were made, but ticipation of the United States each of them required the par- , and each time the American government found unacceptable the restrictions insisted upon by Premier_Poincare of France. other effort on this line made b approval by the United States. Turkey gai power and prestige tlrough the Lausanne peace confer- resulting treaties with S nd with the United States. in the year she added herself to st of 1epubiics with Mustapha Kemal Pasha as her first president. Under the leadership of Gen. Primo Rivera and other army officers nnd ristocrats, there was a houseclean- ing in Spain that resulted in the turn- ing out of the crowd of politicians that Lad for years been battening on the spoils of misgovernment. The ®o-called democratic government was overthrown and a dictatorial council substituted Coolidge Carriex On Harding Aims. ident Harding's death in_ San sisco threw all the United States and, indeed. all the civilized world— o feartfelt mourning. Vice Presi succeeding to ,_carried on in general the policles of his predeces- sor. Mr. Harding had been considered the ecrtain nominee of the republican 1 and his demise threw and made the political intest intensely interesting. nforcement “of the prohibition endment and the Volstead act con- ued to demand & considerable share he government's energies and resources, and the attacks the “we on the law did not seem to abate with the passage of time. | International Affairs German reparations and complication: Fsulting from the failure to pay them ocupied much of the attention of Euro- pean diplomats. Early in Janyary the allied premiers held a futile conference in Paris and France prepared for sepa- rate action to collect from Germany. About the same time Secretary Hughes announced the United States would not consider Berlin's proposal for a_four- power Turopean pence pact and also in- formally advised France not to occupy the Ruhr. France, however, was deter- mined and the reparations commission | gave her the opening by declaring Ger- many in willful default in coal deliv- eries, , Germany formally protesting and G:>at Britain not approving, the French on January 11 began the occupation of the Ruhr, seizing its most important cities one after another. President Harding expressed his disapproval by recalling the American troops from Germany. Chancellor Cuno, with the support of the reichstag, declared a “moral war” or passive resistance and ordered all state employes not to obey ¢ the French. French Are Balked. The mine owners and later the indus- al magnates fall in with this pro- gram and for months the French were halked in their efforts to get any con- siderable revenue from the Tegion. seized customs, bank funds and e, and arrested many industrial rders and officials, but the passive ‘ance was not broken until late in iber. The occupation was assist- 1 ively by Belgium and passively aly. " Great Britain, though she { cluded. As the year drew to a close an- y the allies was given unofficial Soon after this the industrial magnates of the Ruhr and Rhineland signed -a pact with the French for the resump- tion of work and of payments of mate- Parley Breaks Up. Turkey’s diplomatic victory at Lau- sanne was not easily won. While the conference there was deadlocked in January Mustapha Kemal mobilized | armies to move against Constanti- nople, Mosul and otfer points and called three classes to_the colors to combat the Greeks in Thrace. The quarreling in the peace ference was incessant. On January 31 the allies submitted a treaty to the Turks, demanding its acceptance within four ays. The Turks agreed to sign it if the economic clauses were reserved for future settlement. Lord Curzon de- parted in a vage, and on February 6 the conference broke up. Diplomatic conversations continued, however; the British _indicated they would make concessions, and the conference was resumed on April 23, Russia being ex- On July 24 a treaty was signed which gave to Turkey nearly all she had demanded, the question of oil concessigns being left for later consideration. A few days later the United States and Turkey signed treaties of amity and commerce and on extradition. By October 2 the allied military forces had evacuated Constantinople and the Turks soon after took formal posses- sion of their old capital. War Narrowly Averted. Warfare between Italy and Greece {1n the autumn was narrowly averted. An Italian military commissioner and his aldes were murdered in Albania, and on August 28 Italy demanded that Greece apologlze abjectly and_ pay reparations. The Greek reply being unsatisfactory, the Italians promptly bombarded and occupled the Islana of Corfu. Greece appealed to the league of nations, which was disposed to take up the affair; but Premier Mussolini declared Italy would with- draw from the league and ignore.its decision if it insisted on arbitrating the dispute. The situation was most embarrass- ing for the league, but the allied council of ambassadors rescued it by assuming jurisdiction and ordering Greece to comply with Italy's de- mands almost in thelr entirety. Greece gave in, apologized and paid 50,000,000 lire indemnity, and on Sep- tember 27 Italy evacuated Corfu. Xtaly Wins Fiume. Missolin! achieved another triump! by an agreement with Jugoslavia whereby Italy obtained possession of Fiume, In January American an@ British commissions met in Washington - to negotiate the refunding of the Brit- ish war debt to America,~and -their task was soon completed to the ap- parent satisfaction of both natioi The Washington treaties on reduction of armament and concerning the Pa- cific were ratified by Italy in Febru- ary'and by France in July. Through the efforts of an American comm sfon sent to Mexico, the government of our neighbor was finally brought to amicable terms and the long-with- held recognition was accorded by 10t actually hamper the French, » them no help. May 2 Germany made a new rations offer of $7,500,000,000, with .y conditions, and it was immediately ected by France. England also de- ~ed the offer insufficient. Berlin then ed a new reparations.conference the total sum and offered annuities ,500,000,000 gold marks, Great ain invited France and Italy to join in a reply to this and submitted & [ . of her proposed answer, but this tell through. g British Oppose Move. he British government _thereupon a note to France and Belgium ripg the Rubr occupation illegal 2 failure, insisting on an impartiel ations inquiry after the plan sug- 4 by Secretary of State Hughes, @ying France must pay enough of money lent her to enable Great sin to pay America. Again no re- s, Preniier Poincare declaring Ger- .any must settle the reparations ques- ion " beforo an economic. accord could be reached. Chancellor Stresemann, who had suc- seded Dr. Cuno, announced the aban- onment of passive resistance and said 10 more reparations would be paid and the treaty of Versailles would be repu- diated. He also put an end to the aid which the government had been giving g inhabitakis gL the occupied regions, ‘Washington on August 31. | FOREIGN AFFAIRS | Geérman internal troubles, polit- lfeal, economic and financial, were in- extricably tangled up with her {nter- national woes and brought her to so low a state that her regeneration Roy- separatists and . communists conspired, revolted and rioted. Un- employment {ncreased and in. the cities all but the industrial magnates and the profiteers were reduced to near starvation, although the crops were large and the rural districts were overrunning with foodstuffs. The government tried to meet the sit. uation by keeping up the flood of pi per marks, and of course, the mark declined until billions could be had for one dollar and those who had anything to sell refused to accept the practically worthless currency. In August Chancellor Cuno presented a “rescue plan” to the reichstag, It was rejected and Cuno resigned, Gus. tave Stresemann succeeding him and forming the first coalition majority government in Germany’s history. He -undertook 39 Ieformy ihe STANLEY BALDWIN. { ments of Saxony and Thuringia re- o THE EV > MUSTAPRA KEMAL of TURKEY. GEN.PRIMO RIVERA OF SPAIN. 1ER PREMIER MUSSOLINI. DR.WILHELM MARX L1 YUAN HUNG WQORK-. Photographs Copyrighted by Harris Ewing, finances by the issue of a new cur- rency. the rentemmark, backed by the country’s resources. This was far from successful. German Royalists Aetive. Throughout the year the royalists or nationalists of Germany were ex- | ceedingly active, those of Bavaria usually taking the lead. In Septem- ber the Bavarians actually revolted against the Berlin government and made Gustave von Kahr dictator of the state. The reichstag thereupon gave Stresemann dictatorial powers. A little later the soclalist govern- fused to obey the chancellor, and he subdued them by a show of military force. He ylelded to Bavaria's de- mand for greater autonomy, but this was not enough. On November § Hit- ler, ‘leader of the Bavarian fas- cisti, and Gen. von Ludendorft at- tempted a royalist voup d'etat in Mu- nich and other cities and threatened to march on Berlin. This revolt was rather easily put down by the na- tional police and the workers® and Hitler and Ludendorff were arrested. On November 10 Frederick William, the former crown prince, suddenly returned to Germany from Holland. There was tremendous excitement in the capitals of Europe and various protests were sent to Berlin. But Stresemann said the ex-prince had the rights of any German citizen and Would not be expelled, and Frederick Willlam went quietly to his estate in Stlesia. Uprising of Separatists, In October the separatists of the Rhineland got into action and set up a republic which was looked upon with favor by France. However, it was not able to maintain itself very successfully and there was almost continuous fghting with the natfonal forces. Another separatist movement was started in the Bavarian palatin- ate, but it failed for the time being. Late in November Chancellor Strese- mann’s coalition went to pleces and, being denfed a vote of confidence in the reichstag, he reslgned. Dr. Hein- rich Albert, unpleasantty remembered in "America, and Adam Stegerwald both failed to form acceptable min- istries, and so Dr. Willilam Marx, leader of the Catholic party, was made chancellor on November 29 and got together a cabinet that included tresemann as forelgn minister and that was expected to carry on his policles. A few days later it was re- ported that Germany had completed negotiations for. a "foreign loan to support her new currency. e revolutfon in Spain, which was connected” with the unsatisfactory war with the Moors, took place in Septem- ber. The revolt, led by Gen. Primo Rivera, Marquis de FEstella, was against the cabinet and corrupt poli- ticlans and also was an expression of reaction against the growth of so- cialism and syndicallsm among .the workers. The king supported it and the cabinet resigned on September 14. A military directorate was established and Rivera was made sole chief of the administration. The new govern- ment-meade itself popular at once by 1a campaign on profiteering and gam- bling, by cutting expenses to the bone and by other drastic measures of reform. ~ Trial by jury was sus- pended, because of the corruption of the courts. Altogether, it was a happy revolution for Spain. Revolution fa Bulgaria. Bulgaria also had a revolution, al- most bloodless, when Stamboullsky's Deasant government was overthrown on June 9, and the premier himself was captured and killed. Prof. Zank- oft was head of the new government. In September the communists and peasants resorted to arms in an at- tempt to regain power, but they were soon suppressed. Andrew Bonar Law, prime minister of Great Britain, resigned on May 20, because of the iliness that caused his death in October. He was eucceeded by .Stanley Baldwin, who ‘had' been chancellor of the exchequer. On Oc- tober 1, an imperial conference and an economic conference of the British empire opened in London, and various important measures were debated and adopted designed to bind the compo- nent parts of the empire by closer commercial ties, at the same time leaving them thefr full measure of i1f-government. ‘These _questions ‘brought to the fore the old question of free trade or protection, and since the government had promised there should be no change in the existing hould be no change in the tariff pol- icy during the life of the existing pariiament, Prime Minister Baldwin dissolved parliament on November 18, and an election was called for-Decem- ber 6. _Former Premier Lloyd George, who had been on a speakin tour of the United States, arrive home just in time to make up his old quarrel with the other wing of the liberal party, and went into the cam- paign with the prospect of becoming prime minister again it the conserva. tives should be defeated. During the early months of the year hie Jrish. ‘sontinded shair ENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, LATE PRESIDENT HARDING, STAMBOULISKY of BULGARIA . POSTMASTER GENERAL A EW BONAR ANDR Law. NEW. FORMER SECRETARY FALL Kerstone, Wide Wor uerrilla warfare on the Free State, ut on April 10, their chief of staff, Liam Lynch, was killed in a fight and on April 27 Eamonn De Valera ordered his followers to cease hostilities and negotiate peace. The Dublin govern- | ment refused to treat with him and on August 15 he was placed under ar- rest Manuel Teixeira Gomes waswlected president of Portugal in August and was inauvgurated on October 0. His first task was the suppression of i olt in the northern part of the country. Poland was threatened by Lithuania over the possession of Memel, but the league of nations in- tervened. The Polish_cabinet re signed on May 27 and ‘Witos became premier. Premier Bratiano of Ru- mania was forced out of office in April. and so was Premier Branting of Sweden. Chinese factions fought bitterly throughout the entire vear, and in October President LI Yuan-hung w succeeded by Marshal o-kun. Considerable excitement was caused | in May by the capture of a number of foreigners by Chinese bandits, who demaaded large ransom and im- munity. The prisoners included sev- | eral Americans and glish, and for a time armed intervention by their governments seemed likely. How- | ever, the Pekin governmeni bought off 'the outlaws after long nego- tiations. Sovietxs Meodify Policies. In Russia, as the soviet rulers grad- | ually - modified their communistic policies, there seemed to be steady progress toward stability. Most other nations still withheld recognition of the Moscow government, but a num- ber of them made commercial ar- rangements with the soviet regime. The Russian supreme court condemn- ed Archbishop Zepliak and _Vicar General Butchkavich of the Roman Catholic Church to death for revolu- tionary activities. The latter was executed, but Zepliak's sentence was commuted to ten years’ imprisonment. DOMESTIC AFFAIRS Overshadowing all other events in the United States was the death of President Warten G. Harding. He had long planned a trip through the middle and far west and to Alaska in order to talk with the people and get their reactions. Though tired out and far from well, he started on June 20, accompanlied by Mrs. Harding and several members of his cabinet. After delivering several important. ad- dresses, notably one advocating American membership in the world court, he sailed to Alaska. Return- ing thence to San Francisco, he fell {ll there on July 28. Four days later, on August 2, he passed away. The taking of his body back to Washing- ton, the services there, the trip to Marion, Ohio, and the interment there of the little town’'s distinguished citizen on August 10, gave the people of the country ample opportunity to show in what high esteem and affec- tion they held Mr. Harding. Literally the entire nation mourned sincerely, and all the other nations gave e: pression to their grief. Coolldge Assumes Presidency. Vice President Calvin Coolidge took the oath of office as President at his father's home in Plymouth, Vt, and assumed his new duties at once, re- taining the entire Harding cabinet and announcing that he would carry out the Harding policies where pos- . It has been taken for granted that the republican party would nom- inate Mr. Harding in 1924, and Mr. Coolidge immediately became a prob- able nominee. However, before the year closed other candidates came forward, notably Senator _Hiram Johnson' of California, Gov. Pinchot of Pennsylvania and Senator La Fol- lette of Wisconsin. For the dem cratic nomination there were several probabilities, including Senator Un- derwood and . Willlam G. McAdoo, avowed = candidates, .and _Senator Ralston of -Indlana, Gov. Al Smith of New York and Gov. Siizer of New Jersey. There was much talk of the possibie momination of Henry Ford y_one of -the old parties or by a third party, and his admirers were exceedingly active. Changes in Cabinet. Secretary of the Interior Fall r tired trom President Harding's cabi- net on March 4 &nd was succeeded by Hubert Work, ' the latter’s place as Postmaster General -being filled by the appointment of Harry S. New. Attorney General rty, against whom impeachment charges had been made the previous year, was fiilly oxomerated by the ‘House judiciary committee, report ‘being adopted by the House on January 25. Among the appointments made by President Harding were Robert Woods Bliss as minister to Sweden, Miles Poindexter as ambassador to Peru, R. M. Tobin as minister, to the Nétherlands, E. T. Santprd &% associate Justise of ihe A V. WALTON, QK LA. Underwood, GO d, Bachrach, Pacific and Atlantic Supreme Court and Gen. Frank T. Hines ax director of the Veterans' Bureau. The latter uppointment was fallowed by charges of mismanagement, against the former director, Col. Forbes, which were investigated by a Senate commitiee. Having passed the agricultural credits Lill and many acts of lesser importance and killing the ship sub. idy bill, the Sixty-seventh Congress me to an end on March 4. The Six eighth Congress met on Decem- ber 3 and the republican majority was so slender that a bloc of .so-called progressives held the balance of power. Among the new senators was Magnus ~ Johnson. elected by the farmer-labor party. Trouble. overnors got into serious Walton of klahoma, who was flghting the Ku came into conflict with the legislature and assumed vi ¢ dictatorial powers. Despite h to prevent it, the legislature ched him on numerous charges and the senate, sitting as a trial court, found him_ guilty and removed him YTrom his office. Walton w: then in- dicted by a grand jury. The other executive in trouble was Gi McCray of Indiana, who got into deep financial entanglements and also was indicted. The Supreme Court on April 30 de- cided that forcign vessels could not bring liquor 4nto American ven though sealed: and later ized at New York. action. government negotiated an agreement with Great Britain whereby the right of search was: extended to about twelve miles from shore and in re- turn it was expected the ship liquor regulation would be modified. The extension of the search limit was made necessary by the activities of the smuggling fleets which kept the country well supplied with wretched liguor. On May 4 the New York leg- islature repealed the state prohibition law. In Qctober a conference of gov- ernors on' law enforcement was held in Washington and President Cool- idge pledged thd full aid of the gov- ernment machinery, but insisted each | state must assume its own share of the burden. Naming of Kellogs. President Coolidge had the appoint- ment_of one ambassador last yea Col. George Harvey resigned his post at the Court of St. James on October 4 and Frank B. Kellogg was selected for the place. It was understood Col. Harvey would help manage the Cool- idge pre-convention campaign. Immediately after its summer vac: tion the Supreme Court rendered an important decision upholding the laws of the Pacific coast states which pro- hibit aliens from owning land, These laws, of course, are directed against the Japanese especially. DISASTERS Unequaled in modern times was the disaster that befell Japan on September 1 when violent earthquake shocks and resultant fires destroyed Yokohama entirely and about two- thirds of Tokio and ruined many smaller towns. The number of killed was estimated at 225,000, and the In- jured at more than half that number. Though many of the houses were fiimsy, the property loss was enor- mous. G The hundreds:of thousands of ref- ugees suffered severely, but the Americin government and the:Amer- ican Red Cross weére swift with re- Mef _measures, _and other nations Jjoined in the work. Shiploads of food and millions of ddllars were rushed to the: stricken land, and the Jap- ‘anese government was -materially nided In its task of rebuilding the citie Other Serious Disasters. Among other serious disasters of the year were: January 3, twenty persons killed by collapse of a btidge at Kelso, Wash.; February 8, mine explosions at Dawson killed 120, and one at Cumberland, British Columbia, killed thirty; February 18, twenty- two - patients and three attendants were killed in insane asylum fire on Wards Island, N. Y.; March 10, Greek transport sank with 150 ldie: April 6, tidal waves in_ Korea and Japan killed 600; May 14, Hot Springs, Ark,, partly destroyed by flood and fire; May 17, seventy-three killed in burning of a schooihoyse at Clev. land, S. C.; June 10, disastrous flood: in Kansas, Oklahoma and Colorads Jume 15, thousands of Persians killes by earthquakes; June 18, several towns destroyed by eruption of Mount Etna: August 14, coal mine explosion #b Kemmerer, -Wyoe killpd pinety~ GOV. M¢ CRAY, INDIANA- of the United States | Klux | ports, | the ! liguor stores of acveral liners were | Foreign nations | protested, but coutd not well take any | However, late in the wear the MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1923.° \ g $ECRETARY HUGHES “FORMERCHANCELLOR CUND,OF GERMANY. A Edmonston. eight; August 1§, Hongkong |damaged by typhoon; Aug: million-dollar flood in Arkansas val- |ley, Colorado; September 8, United States destroyers wrecked on | California £ being lost; September 15, typhoon and floods killed 5.000 in Japan: Septem- ber 17, large part of Berkeley, Cali destroyed by flames, tember forty ~killed in Burlington tra | wre at Lockett, V November {13, earthquake in province, {China, killed 1561 % nearly 500 killed b near Bergamo, Ttaly. ECROLOGY Death ped his usual harvest of prominent men and women in 1 The more notable of his victims were, in Januar W-r isin paper mill magnat vens, actor; Mrs. Cora L. mond, spiritualist leader; G. Hirsch, eminent rabbi of Chicag |George Hamlin, singer; Constantine, former King of Greece: W. i Moore, finfntier; Alexandre Ribof, French statesman; Frederic Harrison, Eng- lish historian; Wallace Reid, motion picture star; Max Nordau, German philosopher: Dr. Paul Reinsch, for- | mer minister to Chin Dr. W Haines, toxicologist of Chicago, Henry Clews, New York banker. Bishop Passes Awny. In February: Bishop C. J. O'Reilly of Lincoln, Neb.; Cardinal Prinsco, archbishop of Naples. E. E. Barnard, astronomer; ex-Senator J. A. Hemen- way of Indiana, Prof. W. C. Roentgen, discoverer of the Judge Mar- |tin Knapp of the federal court of ap- peals; Bishop C. D.. Willlams of Michigan, Prince Miguel de Bra- ganza, Theophile Delcasse, French atatesman Mrs. John A. Logan, George R. Peck, lawyer and orato; Charlemagne Tower, American states man; ex-Senator G. C. Perkins of California, Frederic De Belleville, actor; ex-Segator J. R. Burton of Kansas. In March: Representative W. Burke Cockran_of New York, Willlam ¢ Beale, Chicago lawyer: Orson Smith, icago banker; Chrales D. Norton. Néw. York banker; Chancelior J. R Day, educator; Dr. G. Frank Lydston, noted surgeon; Dr. John M. McBryde, southern educator; M. D. Campbel member of federal reserve boar Senator-S. D. Nicholson of Colorado, Mme. Sarah Bernhardt. actress: Rep- resentative John R. Tyson of Ala bama, Gen. Manoury, French war hero; E. D. Hulbert, Chicago banker. arl of Carnarvon. In April: Earl of Carnarvon, Horace Boies, former governor of lowa: Rear Admiral H. S. Knapp, Mother Superior General Carmela’ of _the Franciscan nuns; Stuyvesant Fish, financier and railway man; George A. Yule, Wisconsin financier; W. T. Hazen, former chief of the United States' secret service; Taylor Gran- ville, actor and _playwright; Jess Dandy, comedian; Bishop Daniél Tut- tle, ex-Gov, Fred M. Warner of Michi- Dr. G. C. Houghton, pastor urch Around the > York; Maj. Gen. Frank D. Baldwin, A. B.'Seelenfreud, international = secretiry of- B'nai Brith; Senator Knute Nelson of Min- inesota, Mrs. Matthew T. Scott, D. A. R. leader; Emerson Hough, author Bishop. Alfred Harding of Wash- ington. In May: Rear Admiral W. S. Cowles, Howard Saxby, lecturer; Representa- tive John W. Rainey of Chicago, Sadie Martinot, one-time musical comedy star; Brig. Gen. H. M. Robert, N. C. Wright, publisher of Toledo Biade; Dr. J. A. Macdonald, editor of the Toronto Globe; A.- G. Webster, -physicist; Dr..-T. N. Ivey, editor of Southern Christian Advo- cate; George Jay Gould, Dr. Florens Ziegfeld, veteran musical —educator; O. B.: Halvorsen, Norweglan states- man;: Capt. H. W. Baker, ship owner of Detroft; ex-Gov. J. 'W. Folk of Missouri and Representative Claude Kitchin of North Caralina. , Judge T. G. Windes. badl ansi December bursting of_d. | and nine | former | | 'side of the nation's GRHH, CHANCELLOR STRESSEMANN. PRESIDENT GOMEZ OF PORTUGAL COL.GEORGE HARVEY, TRANK B KELLOGG. PRESIDENTOBREGON. e 13 d Financia! World 1.5 POLTIES AL TOHALT PROGRESS OF NATION N 192 People Declared Alert to Ways of Demagogues Seeking High Office. WILL DEMAND SQUARE DEAL ON TAX PROPOSAL Americans Looked With Anxious Eyes on Troubled Conditions Abroad. Have BY DAVID LAWRENCE. Five years have passed sincc the great war. And even now the world but half realizes the terrific cost in life and property which was wrought by that greatest of all conflicts. Re conistruction, which seemed bu a task of months, has resolved itself into a problem of years perhaps decades. America, standing independ ently in the midst of a confusios of circumstances, has played : part. Opinions may differ as to the extent of that part, but no one will deny that the course o old world "events has beer shaped to some extent by the acts and policies of the Unitec States government. Europe Watched Anxiously. Whether Europe might have been helped to her feet by posi tive action from this side of the Atlantic, whether the reluctar i the United States has forc Europe to realize how much must be done within her borders to attract American aid, espe cially of an economic character all this may be debated. d But it is beyond dispute that the United States has looked agai | wondering whether the collaps n and again during 1923 with anxious eyes across the ocean. e of Germany, the outbreak of twenty-three lives |little wars, the spread of revolution from the right or the leii. would damage the commerce and indirectly the business pros- perity of this country But it is beyond dispute th: United States has looked again and again during 1923 with anxious eves across the ocean, wondering whether collapse of Germany, the out- ak of -little wars, the spread of volution from the right or the lef: rce and in- prosperity of the directly the business | this country. Polities and Trade Linked. 1 P and economics are inter- ere one begins and t Europe quarrels over t reparations due from cal consequences i elections in England and Fran inet upheavals in other countries p business men hopeful that the endency of the age {s toward stabil | zation instead of chaos. But does any { one really know ? Uncertalnty, therefore, has been and remains the outstanding characteri tic of 1923 in so far a perity is related to struction. There ha when those who hay 1ing to ess the eff fof Germany on American busines ihave said th could not see how ,malufirs could ever be much worse— and they might be better, TUnited States Takes First Step. Indeed, America with her enormous resources and economic independence cannot be driven into suffering and privation by European disaster, but the ill effects of a breakdown in Eu- rope would be felt. And officialagof the American government have known that unless they endeavored to aid Europe in some way theirs would be the responsibility for inaction. The latest development—the effort to furnish Europe with the benefit of the advice of American experts—is bt the starting point. It connotes hope. tiality is eerfously soug! c been moments been endeavor- t of a collaps: advise will at least give world opin- fon a basis for determining what is the right European statesmen to follow. Out of the agricultural west, where attributed, in part, to the falling off closer attention to foreign markets has been coming strong. Political isolation runs counter to economic | desire. | Farmers Grow Restive. Out of this same western region has come during 1923 an evidence of re- volt against the republican part: Political discontent is upon examina- tion found to be economic dissatis- faction. . When the late President Harding started westward he found the farmer unhappy and inclined to be bitter about his plight. Radical- ism was beginning to win converts by the thousands, Mr. Harding would have had @ disappointing_experience with Congress this year. Not that he was to. blame for the farmers' ills, but it is politically inevitable that the man in office or the party in power should be blamed. Then came the sudden death of Mr. Harding. It transformed the situation overnight. The new President came With a_clean slate—without responsi- bility for what had happened. 1t was as if the country had had a new elec- tion. Mr. Coolidge ~was free from campaign obligation. He entered the White House with a determination to shov the country in as brief a time as possible what policies he believed should be pursued. He was silent for four months except for a few hints of policy, but not until the first ad- country really learn, that a man of ‘caution and conservatism, a man of Judicial inclination, in éhort a man Wwhao_wouldn't “upset things.” was in the White House. Stresned Economic Side. stressed the economic A ot tha e roblems. He did In June: Judge Thomas G. Windes, [ not furnish a detailed ,program—he Chicago jurist; Plerre Loti, French Sriter, Maurice Hewleit, ' English novelist; John - McParland, . president of - International = Typographical jon ornoyer, Amer! Drtiots \Mitwara Adams, theatrical roducer of Chicago, and Edward . tter, sculptor. ) o Julys Ar W, Mardhmont, Ensll Inoveilst: Dr. J. G. Kiernan, alienist Bishop James Ryan . of Alton, TI; Mes. Cyrus MoCormici lanthropist and- widow of harv- B O fucturer.. Vice Admiral de Bon of France, former Supreme Court Justice William R. Day, Helen Ring Robinson, Colorado's first woman _ senator; Representative 4Continuedon Eighteenth Page.) left that for Congress to work out. I‘eor the farmer he held out the hope of cheaper fertiliser and the possibil- ity of aid from the War Finance Cor- poration in_financing exports. For business and industry he advocated a variety of measures designed to im- ve transportation and marketing. 'or the nation as a whole he recom- ‘mended a reduction of .taxes and the use of the surplus to ‘cut down the burden of.all taxes. Taxation stands out,’therefore, as the most important, if not the para- mount issue of the vear, Along with it is the effort of the ex-service men td. obtain adjusted eompensation. Economies of expenditure are com- pelled In the very nature of things as N woven nowadays. It is difficult to say | It means that American impar- | and that | what Americans of high standing may | or the wrong course for | the declining price of wheat has been | of the export market, the demand for | ‘dress was read_to Congress did the | contest between a bonus on t | The politics lican party opening up the tax q force of public ible. Th on its m last when such question as tax compete with it for conside American L ion thro h its effective ilegislative committee led 1 members of both hous Ithe campaign of lette | constituents in the ne will change th votes be seen. But at the moment the twin —bonus and tax_reduction—are | tributing still further to the ; tainty which has characteri: everything national and inter | for the last five years Prediction is always dangerous he cause 80 many unforesee may arise to cha But the outlook an- best e taking up each of the Veto Is Predicted. First, 1f the bonus b2 both houses it will ve { President Coolidge. Second. Although are sai to be pledged it _over a veto—two both houses are needed—there telling what the effect on iopinfon would be if the Pre stated his opposition in such a to indicate serious consequence the nation’s finances. His po | with public opinion cannot be under estimated or even be foreseen till th contingency arises. Third. The break of republicar members of Congress away from the President to override veto will be & much more serious affair politi jfor them all than it would have b {last year when not enough v could be mustered to override veto. i Fourth: If the bonus bill should b | passed ov the veto of P ide {Coolidge ihe true test of th ara of estimates on cost will then de velop. Tax veduction will be Insisted upon just the same and unquestion | ably a new system of taxation, a cor | sumption tax or luxury tax would be jdevised. This would admittedly | felt by the whole public, but the pa would be distributed, and, theoret cally, at least, business would not b i harmed as serfously as by a r ition of certain unproductive taxes |such as are being advocated by the demagogues in both ho s of Cor | sress. What the people of Ameri see in the first few months of 1924 is an effort to camouflage the tax bill lan effort to make belleve tax r duction has been accomplished wher the burden on the poor man in co. of living would not be changed Never perhaps since the war have there been such signs of check- the publi on the acts o Congress. It's by far the most en couraging thing about the year 19 —it has roused the American pec to & unanimous interest in what huj Dens to their tax laws. The presidential campaign of 19 is, of course, no small factor in th responsivencss of Congress to publ opinion. But if Congress should di: pose of the bonus and tax reductiol in the first four months of 1824 t campaign of 1924 will be a tame {fair. The danger is that nothing be done and that the issues may dragged into the campaign itself. Every sign points to the selection of candidates on the republican and democratic tickets from whom legiti- mate business would have nothing { fear if either were elected. The sup- iposedly dangerous radical—] Ford—turns out to be a conservative 8nd to be in favor of Mr. Coolidg Senator La Follette, the other radica’, leader, is in ill health. He has a aggressive following, shrewd in ma- ineuvers of a parliamentary characte: fand able to keep the two major or ganizations on the anxious seat. Outlook Better for 1924. But basically the government i not yet in control of the radicals, and the development of better farm aud business conditions in 1924 will mak: that possibility even more remote. This correspondent spent some time in Europe during xsfi, and he hax | been watching events in Washington levery day for many years and the * inescapable conclusion which he finds himself reaching Is that 1923 was not as bad as it might have been and that 1924 will be a much better year ,than the pessimists are predictin few remains e e a poss is be vetoed Vo P enough to public ident |