Missouri Valley times., 1920-06-17
irreconcilable elements, will be in a
difinl1lt aansitinn


Indications are that the coalition
will be obliged to continue at the helm
In order to make an appearance of
stable government before the allied
powers which will meet at the Spa
conference to settle the amount of
German PREPARATIONS and other impor-
tant questions. After that confer
ence new elections appear to be. a
necessity to remove the ambiguous
complexion of German affairs. One
seemingly bright ray from the recent
elections was the small vote polled
by the party Of the extreme left-the
communists or German bolshevists as
they properly may be termed. This
happy result, however, was somewhat
vftiated by the extremely heavy vote
polled by the independent socialists
who undoubtedly number In their
ranks many extreme radicals.
The Spa conference at the insist
ence of Germans and Italians and in
the hope that the United States will
send representative, has been post
poned until July 5. One of Germany's
big protests at the conference, aside
from the reparations bill, will be
against> fei1nbursing the allied nations
for the expenses of the armies Of oc-
cupation and of the several control
commissions These expenses are said
to amount to upward of 1OOOOO,OOO
marks or normally about 25,O00,000
day. If the conferees can be con-
vinced that German resources will
stand this big sum in addition to the
huge reparations, the money will be
very acceptable in tightening the mill
tary budgets of England, France, and
even the United States, unless our al
truism prevents the acceptance of a
portion Of it.
In spite of the uncertain political
situation in Germany, the problems
with which the Spa conference will
wrestle, the state OF affairs in Russia
and in the near and far East, a note
of distinct optimism comes from Eng
land and from sources close to Prime
Minister Lloyd George. The word is
that the whole world is settling down
and that nations gradually are return
ing to sanity. Ireland is said to show
definite signs of returning to peace on
basis of permanent connection with
the British empire; Egypt is ready to
abandon its claim to complete indie
pendence and to accept progressive
constitution; pan-Moslem agitation in
India is said to be dying down and
the Turkish situation is clearing. In
this optimistic condition of mind 1t is
impossible to say to what extent the
wish fathers the thought. But if Eng
lish problems really are clearing 1t
argues well for improved conditions
all around. That the principal coun-
tries of Europe are achieving a better
basis, materially at least, is evident
in increased production, more ship
ments to the United States and a
slight amelioration of exchange condi-
tons. Past history has shown France
and England at least, to be wonder
full in the comeback sense.
battle line of the Poles and Russian
bolshevilSi extending from point
north of Dyinsk on the Latvian from
tier to the Dniester river and the Rou-
manian border. show a series of at
tacks and counters with the net result
somewhat in favor Of the Poles. Their
campaign is strengthened by the fact
that they are more than holding their
own. Moscow admits an additional
reverse suffered by the bolsheviki near
Perekop at the neck of the Crimean
peninsula, but claims to have recov-
cred some of the lost ground.
Turkish nationalist forces defeated
Z government troops and advanced to
within five and half miles of Ismid,
which caused the British to close the
Gulf of Ismid which controls the ap.
from the Black sea. American wom-
en- relief workers who recently evac-
uated the Caucasus to escape being
caught in the red drive are returning
to Batoum. Hopes are entertained for
the resumption OH a limited scale Of
relief work in Armenia, which country
is reported to be combating the inter.
Tor bolsheyik movement. Fighting
against the French in Cilicia has
stopped in accordance with an armis-
tice pact. The French troops evacu.
ated Thrace where the nationalists
the Turkish government and the Bull.
garians are uniting to oppose Greek
occupation.