, 1919-12-25

protocol. Certain concessions were
made to them, but these were not
enough, for they insist they are unable
to turn over the 10000 tons of harbor
and dock material demanded In repa-
ration for the sinking of the interned
warships In Scapa Flow. Late reports
said their proofs of this inability were
so strong that experts of the allies
were disposed to consider an offer to
reduce the amount to 200,0 tons.
Gernany's chief internal trouble
just now is financial. The premium
loan, by which 1t was hoped to raise
five billion marks, was a failure, and
some of the papers assert that open
bankruptcy is not far distant.
Austria Is starving. That grim fact
has been established by the testimony
of numerous persons, and 1t appears
to be. up to the United States to supply
the fOod for that unfortunate nation.
All the other nations of central Europe
are suffering only in less degree, and
Herbert Hoover. who knows more
uDout tnt lDTtlkn lOOu SltuhllOu tudh
anyone else, proposes that the great
surplus of wheat and fiou held by the
grain corporation be sold to them on
credit.
The Russian bolsheviki and the Es-
thonians in conference at Dorpat are
not arriving very rapidly at an AMIGA
BILE understanding. The E~sthonians
suspect the Russians of treacherous
designs, and in addition there are ru-
mors that France is intervening in
the Baltic against the soviet govern
ment. In the field the b~olsheviki had
more victories to report, including the
capture of Kiev, capital of the
Ukraine. from General Denikine's
troops. They also occupied Kupiansk,
southeast of Kharkov.
The United States and Great Britain
have become involved in an unpleas-
ant controversy over the treaty by
which virtually a British protectorate
over Persia has been established A
Teheran paper accused the United
States Of having abandoned Persia,
~ Oai EhIi ~ n
statement this country had lone its
utmost to befriend Persia but that the
act of some Persian authorities In con
Guiding the treaty with England had
indicated that they did not desire the
friendship of the United States in the
future.
British Foreign Minister Curzon has
taken extreme exception to this state
ment as being u~ndiplomatic, unfriend-
ly and even hostile. and asks that the
impression made by 1t be corrected in
Persia by our state department. In
the reply from Washington 1t is plain
Iy stated that-the United States will
not, at the present time, approve of
the Anglo-Persian treaty.
According to what is called anthem
tic information from the highest
sources, the government will not re-
turn the railroads to private owner
ship on January /, but will continue to
operate them until March /, or per
hnps for a month longer. This was
good news for everybody and served
to remove the apprehension that the
return would be made before congress
had passed the needed legislation.
which certainly would result In the
paralysis Of transportation and bust.
ness and in great general financial
loss. There is NJ immediate prospect
of the passage OF the Cummins bill
which the senate is considering, or any
other railroad bill, and Director Gen
eral Hines is said to have recommend.
ed to the president hat the govern
ment retain control until Legislation is
effected.
Mexico's reply to Secretary Ian
sings latest note on the case OF Con
sular Agent Jenkins was received In
Washington Thursday, and doubtless
gave the state department little salts
faction. In 1t Carranza said he took II
for granted that the release Of Jen'
kins on bnil had removed the cause Of
complaint. and then declined to have
the proceedings against the consulaf
agent dropped. He asserted that the
American governments belief in the
innocence of Jenkins was not sufficient
cause for removing that official from
the jurisdiction of the Mexican tri-
bunals. So once more II is up to Wash.
ington to make the next move, and
what that win be there is no intima
ton. Senator Fall thinks that our gov
ernment will not depart from its time
honored policy of permitting Carranza
to insult and defy 1t with impunity.