The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1919-02-27

would be granted as means of re.
coupling war losses. The dividing up
of the spoils of victory, they held,
would be in absolute violation of the
promises that the rights of commune
ties and small nations shall be protect
ed. 1t was understood that If Italy
agreed to the Observation-Disclosures plan
she would surrender her claim to FL
ume and the Dalmatian coast as abso-
lutte possessions, perhaps being given
control of the latter until the territory
is ready to assert the principle of self.
determination.
The supreme war council tentatively
decided that the spread of lawlessness
In Turkey made it necessary that allied
troops should be sent there and the
military representatives were directed
to prepare report On the most equit-
able distribution of this military bur-
den among the allies. The occupation
of Turkey will continue until the peace
conference has determined on the flu
ture government of the Turkish terri
tories. 1t is understood that Palestine,
Armenia, Syria and Mesopotamia will
come within the scope of the plan OF
dealing with colonies by the manda-
tory system.
The labor question bulks big in the
doings Of the peacemakers at Paris,
and their international commission on
labor regulation is now considering an
elaborate scheme for the international
regulation of conditions of employ
ment drafted by Mr.. Barnes, British
minister without portfolio, in confer
ence with British trade unionists and
representatives of India and the do
minions.
The Polish commission of the SUI
tives of America, Great Britain,
France and Italy, prepared to depart
for Warsaw. 1t would seem that this
commission has big job before it, for
while the Poles themselves are work
ing fairly tremendously under the
leadership of Paderewski, they are be-
set by enemies on three sides and are
engaged in continual warfare. The
Russian bolsheviki and the Ukrainians
are unremitting in their alta cks, and
now the Czechs are assailing the Poles
along their southern border. The for
. hnx ha, Of
which they claim are properly within
the boundaries of Czecho- Slovakia, and
they also have seized the mining re-
gions of Karvin, upon which the Polish
state relies largely for its mineral sup
plies.
This fighting, Of course, is in direct
disobedience of the recent order of the
great powers that all hostilities must
cease everywhere, but the Polish rep
resentatives in Paris say their country
cannot stop fighting when it is under
constant military attack.
automatically, Russian matters
were at standstill, awaiting replies
to the invitation to a conference of all
factions on the Princes islands in the
Sea of MarmOra. The bolsheviki or
gans rather resented that plan, for
they asserted the bolsheviki were
gaining victories in the field that en-
titled them to more recognition. The
representatives in Paris of the other
factions continued in their attitude of
passive opposition to the conference,
and General Miller, head of the north
Russia government in the absence of
President Tschaikovsky, stated that it
is not only inadvisable to hold any par
ley with the bolsheyiki, but it would be
physically impossible for the represen-
tatives of north Russia to reach the
Princes islands by February 10 with
out passing through bolshevik terri
tory, which he considered impossible
The Omsk government insisted that
the campaign against the bolsheviki
must be pushed vigorously.
The claims of the bolsheviki to vic
tory in the field were not without
foundation. In the ATchangel region
they have forced the American and al
lied troops to withdraw quite dis
lance from their advanced positions,
and they have driven General Dutoff
out of the important city Of Orenburg
on the Ural river. On the other hand,
they lost Saranpol, province Of To-
bolsk, to the Siberians and are report
ed to have been overthrown in fash
kent, capital of Russian Turkestan. In
the Ukraine the soviet forces inflicted
a severe defeat on the army of Gen
eral Petlura and occupied Ekaterino-
slav. There is little to choose between
the contenders there
Just why the allied forces are in