The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1917-05-19
EUROPEAN NEWS AND VIEWS.

London, May 18-(By Union Asso-
ciated Press)-So tumultous are con-
ditions in Europe that the unexpected
no longer occasions surprise. During
the week the parsonage toward whom
all eyes have turned is the Empress
Zita of Austria, who is said to be
working night and day against the
continuation of the var. That she il
in high disfavor with the Kasier and
kaiserin of Germany is an open Sc
cret. Rumor even has it that she
"sassed" the Kaiser roundly on q re-
cent visit. Emperor Carl, her hus-
band, is greatly Influenced by his wife,
so the reports that the Austrian So
cialists at the Stockholm conference
will favor a separate peace r given
fullest c~redence."
When the commissioners of England
and France return to their respective
countries they will receive a welcome
almost as great as that given them in
the United States. Everyone recog-
nizes that they have accomplished
things that would have been impossi-
BILE in the ordinary means Of diploma
tic intercourse, no matter how
cfeverly carried out. England and
France r happy over the relief af-
forded finances and food, Italy has
these two things for which to be
grateful, in addition to the hope of
having some of her tonnage problems
solved.
The crown lands in Siberia, which
the new provisional government in
Petrograd has confiscated from the
imperial family and turned W to the
state, include almost the whole of the
provinces of Altai and Nerchinsk, en-
bracing a territory larger than Ger
many and probably richer than Ger
many in its natural resources. Since
the eighteenth century, these lands
have been the personal property of
the Russian emperors, who being &C.
cupied with other matters, have paid
little attention to their development.
Both provinces are rich in minerals, in
GLIDING gold, iron, zinc and lead. In
cluded in these crown lands also are
the coal fields Of K~uznetsk, which are
said by experts to be among the rich
est in Europe.
Visitors are are in Verdun, but the
town holds out to them emphatical-
ly the freedom Of the city, every door
and window open and no human eye to
watch. Along the river bank are the
little restaurants and cafes, the floors
with cups and saucers, glasses
ranged on the counters, the open led
gers on the cashiers desks inviting the
of the curious. It has been
many months since the customers sat
these upturned tables Or out on
the terrace, and watched the green
slide below the bridges on sun
ny afternoons.
Verdun is only a little town, just
out Of villagehood into dig
nifty as an Incorporated city. Ten or
thousand was it's peace-time
It looks no different than
q peaceful American city, for the cit
adel is the least conspicuous of Yer
dun's features and the town deceit
fully seems indefensive, open to as
sault and outrage like a seaside wat
ering place. There is nobody above
the surface of the ground in Verdun,
but the su~bterranean fortresses ben
cath the Citadel, deep down under
mountain rock, are still animate with
men, soldiers who are keeping up the
defensive that months of German &C.
failed to break.
Dutch traders seeking fresh means
10 supply their home needs from home
sources and Dutch manufacturers anx-
ious to displace foreign-made goods
organized the first Dutch national fair,
low in progress at Utrecht. The first
attempt to bring manufact-
,rer and wholesale dealer in touch
With each other has been a success and
is repetition next year seems assur-
ID. All exhibits had to be of Dutch
manufacture. The results were high
creditable to Dutch enterprises.
The fair discloses the fact that Hol-
and is making a bold bid for indus
rial independence. In the last eigh-
teen months 200 new factories have
,een built in this country; not devot-
a, as elsewhere, to war work, but
.aised in obedience to natural econo-
mic demands.