The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-06-15

Russia, II the new situation seemed
to threaten Japan the latter would
| take measures for self-protection. This
means she would declare war on Rus
sia and take away Manchuria and pos
sibly, outer Mongolia.
The best informed opinion is that
the entente allies have little to hope
from Russia in the way of further ac-
tive participation in the war. If she
1 can be persuaded to reject a separate
peace and to hold the Germans back
from further invasion, that is about
the limit of reasonable expectation.
The provisional government seems ut
terly lacking In cohesion and it's power
is negligible.
! The strike of munition workers In
| Petrograd was averted on Wednesday,
but only by granting the demands Of
| the men, including the six-hour day.
| General Brussiloff was made com
mander in chief of the Russian armies,
and General Gurko again resigned as
commander on the western front.
TWO Things Worry Germany.
Two things are causing especial
anxiety In Germany. One is the per-
sistent demand Of the masses in Aus
tria.Hungary for peace on the
Scheidemann plan of no annexations
and no indemnities-a separate peace
Ii Germany remains obdurate. The
German Socialists are aroused to an
ger by the prospect of this breaking
UP Of the alliance of the central pow
ers, and lay all the blame on the pam
Germans.
The other cause for German worry
Is the scarcity of food, which admit
tedly is increasing throughout the en-
pire. Food Controller Won Batocki
told the reichstag that the potato crop
Is smaller than was expected, and that
the crops in the occupied territories
are a great disappointment, as seed
will hardly terminate in ruined soil.
In Turkey, Bulgaria and Austria, he
admitted, the food situation was des-
perate. The cities and towns over
there are suffering far more than the
country districts, for the peasants re-
tain much of the meats and other food
stuffs they produce, despite the ef-
forts of the officials to force them to
disgorge. In some parts of Germany
the townspeople have been conducting
regular expeditions into the country to
seize food, by armed force If neces-
sary.
The war and the question Of China's
participation therein are causing a
lot of trouble for the rulers Of that So
called republic. The situation is con-
fusing to oecidentals, but the concrete
results have included the revolt of IL
provinces, which formed provisional
government, and the resignation of the
vice president.
Germany undertook to appease
Spain by apologizing for the sinking of
a Spanish vessel and offering to pay
damages, but the Spaniards are still
angry and the food situation there is
bad King Alfonso last week made
demand on the central powers that the
abuse of Jews in Palestine be stopped,
and In this was backed up by the Ar
gentlne republic.
Northcllffe Comes to America.
An interesting development of the
week was the acceptance by Lord
Northcliffe OF the position of head Of
the British war commission In the
United States In succession to Arthur
]. Balfour. The great editor and pub
Usher is, next to Lloyd-George, the
most influential man in Great Britain
and II is predicted that his work in
America will be momentous.
A neat example of German methods
of oppression is supplied by the treat
ment of Mons. That Belgian town
was fined 100000 last week because
Belgian paper, printed In Holland,
announced that Crown Prince Ru-
| precht of Bavaria was In Mons when
that city was bombarded by allied air
men-also. probably, because the Ger
mans needed the money.
The finance committee of the senate
/ put in another strenuous week revamp-
ing the war revenue bill, and finally
1 got IL IN SndpS lof conSlueratlon Oy
the senate.
The campaign for the sale of Lib
erty bonds is still being carried on
with vigor and the greatest success
throughout the country. Why 1t should
be necessary to urge people to put
i their money into these absolutely safe
and very desirable securities is moi
easily understandable. but since 1t is
the men who have the work in charge
are to be highly commended for the
skill, persistency and ingenuity with
which they are pushing the canpsign