Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1920-07-16

The Spa conference. which has beer
~eudeavoring to fix the noun Ger
many shall pay in PREPARATIONS, settle
the disarmament question and other
problems of the peace treaty, devel'
oped into a session Of much difficulty
From the outset, the allies showed an
outwardly united front, with little ap'
parent inclination toward leniency
Lloyd George especially showed a firm
exterior and V a very peremptory
attitude In dealing with the German
delegates. Indications, however, were
not lacking of internal dissension and
indecision among the allies. The Ger.
mans sought to mitigate the provision
of the treaty calling for disarmament
and the reduction of their forces
Their claim was that internal condi.
tons prevented their carrying out the
terms of the clause in the time speci'
fed also that in view of recent trou'
bles and the danger of recurrence, and
the Russian menace. it was unwise tC
do so. One stumbling block was over
the question of rifles and small arms
which the German soldiers carried tC
their homes after the conclusion of the
war, an action abetted by the govern
ment and which, 1t has been charged
has been utilized by the German au'
thorities as the basis for a big citizen
military organization still very dan
gerous to the peace of Europe.
Internal friction among the allies
which it was sought to keep hidden
was due to disagreement over a divi'
sion of %reparations and the spoils OF
war. Italy. Serbia and Belgium have
each claimed priorities. while the al
lotments to be made France and Eng
land have for some time constituted a
delicate phase In the relations of those
two countries and has affected the at.
titude toward them Of the other al
lies. The allies delivered an ultima
tum to the effect that Germany must
disarm by Oct. 1, or suffer an occupa-
ton Of her territory.
The Russian bolshevik menace
looms more strongly over western Eu-
rope, with Poland reported not only
weakening but in a state of near col
lapse under the red offensive and seek.
ing an armistice. Germany thus be
comes the barrier and is more strongly
insistent on an authorization of the
peace treaty which will permit her. In.
stead Of an army of 100000 men, one
of 100000, or even considerably larger.
The view has considerable support in
England and France that the reds are
at present more dangerous than an
armed Germany and that 1t might be a
good move to permit the Germans to
keep larger military forces if in re.
turn they will dam the soviet tide. If
POland'S condition is really so desper.
ate as reported, it leaves General
Wrangel, who is battling the bolshev.
Xxi from the Crimean peninsula north.
ward, the reds only opponent of i'm
portance. he recently has had some
great successes, including the wiping
out or capture of two Russian cavalry
corps; but with Poland III of commits
SlOu, TIE military mdclllue WHICH crum-
pied that country and also swept away
Kolchak, Denikine and Semenoff, may
be expected to make rather short work
Of Wrangel.
The advance of the Greek forces
against the Turkish nationalist has
been so rapid that resistance is said to
have been largely overcome. A juno.
ton of the Greeks operating In the
Smyrna area with others operating
from Panderma on the Sea of Mar
mora, estimated to require Is days,
has been effected in IL days. Musta-
pha Renal. the Turk leader. is said to
have been reduced to the necessity of
conducting a guerrilla warfare. Ameri-
cans throughout the war area are now
said to be safe. A Fourth of July cele-
bration was held by Americans in Con.
stantinople to the accompaniment of
British warships bombarding the ma