The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-10-20
SOME CRAZY MANS
IDEA OF A JOKE
Would Partition United States Among
Powers of Europe to Satisfy
Their Ambitions.

Paris Oct 1o.--The subjotned Gu
/ rious communication written on Thick
/ official-looking folio paper, without
/ any indication of its origin. has been
| delivered by messenger at the office
OF the Asence Havas. the principal
news agency in France:
T The United States as the prize for
/ settlemtn of the present European
I conflict.
I 1T is stated on high authority That
/ suggestions have been made in the dir
plomatic circles of European chan
cellories declaring that the easiest So
luton and the one most acceptable
| to all the warning nations would
be the partition among them Of the
United States of America. The United
States Of America are most inviting
prize as compensation for the sacri-
fees rendered by these nations. and
an arrangement ons the basis OF the
respective relations of the different
nations Is surprisingly practicable.
so far from being a visionary
scheme for solution of this great
world conflict the fact is only too ap-
parent that only a small part of the
effort expended in the sanguinary
struggle. now raging. would have Suf-
feed to satisfy all nations in their re
spective ambitions.
"A noted diplomat declared his sur
prise that this idea Of the partition of
the United States had not emerged
sooner. because the land is so largely
made up of the constituency of all the
warning nations.
"The tentative plan to satisfy thus
the national ambitions OF the Euro
pean countries nj war instead of pro-
longing the internecine struggle. is
broadly outlined as follows:
Great Britain is 30 occupy New
England, MARYLAND Virginia, North
and South Carolina. Georgia and
Florida
France Is to get the French ports
of Eastern Canada and the States #
Louisiana. Mississippi, Alabama. -r-
kansas, Tennessee and Kentucky.
Germany is 10 occ0rv the States
of New York Pennsylvania, Ohio, In
diana. Michigan. Illinois Missouri.
Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Japan is to take the Pacific Coast;
the State Oregon Upper and Lower
California.
"Mexico Is to be compensated for
Lower California by cedng TO it Arr
IONA, New Mexico and part of Texa 3.
Russia Will receive Alaska,
The Panama Canal will he deciar-
, ed free. whilst the Western States,
North and South Dakota. Nebraska,
Kansas, Oklahoma. Washington. Mon
tana, Wyoming. Idaho. Utah and COL
orado will be consolidated into an i'm
perial crown domain of the German
! empire.
"Thoueh these 'satisfactions are TO
| be acquired in concerted cam paigu
each OF tie several nations is to eff
! feet the occupation of its own allotted
territory.
! THUS, It Is claimed. would best be
met the rights and interests of the
J different nations of old Europe. al I.
I would safeguard their nationals un-
! der their respective flags
/ "Whatever he said about this bold
! solution II should he appreciated r1at
! In many WAYS it is more feasible than
| the three successive partitions of Po-
land. which nevertheless are historic
/ facts.
Truth is sometimes stranger than
| fiction. This alleged tentative under
standing of tsae powers at var may he
| rels gated 10 ina ginative fiction, bun
I 1t Is surely not stranger than the So
j her truth. and it might easily take its
/ form"