The Cordova daily times., 1920-05-24
SMALL NATIONS WANT ID JOIN
 BIG LEAGUE

ed Press) ).-Applications by four of the smallest countries in the world Iceland, the Republic of Georgia, and Marine and Luxemburg-for admis- sion to the League of Nations, which are to come before the council of the league when it convenes shortly in Rome, Italy, have awakened interest in these lands and peoples.
 Iceland, which until 1919 belonged to Denmark, has population of ap- proximate1y 10000 and an area of s5,e00 square miles. It was discover ed by Norsemen in the 9th century and continued as a republic until 1292 when it united with Norway In 1889 it was taken by Denmark in whose hands it remained until two years ago when, in full agreement with the mother country, under a principle of self-determination Iceland proclaimed it's independence. King Christian of Denmark, hOnored his former colony by sending a warship to salute the Icelandic national flag.
 The Danish government in 1913 for bade the manufacture or sale of in- toxicants and the parliament of Ice land subsequently enacted prohibi- tion law making the 19 syssels or par 1shes in the countrys three amts or provinces forever dry. Icelandic B women have long had the right to vote.
 Reykjavik and Ak2eyri, the princi- pal villages of Iceland, are on the coast which is a belt of rich pasture land The interior is a vast plateau 2,000 or more feet above sea level composed largely of sand and lava desert and practically destitute of of grass or trees excepting a few hardy beeches. There are no roads. For centuries Iceland was the center of volcanic eruptions, the lava fields covering an area of 4,500 square miles.
 Georgia, formerly ancient 1verla, part of Russian Trans-Caucas1a, is populated by people who call them selves Martli and who are known by the neighboring Persians as Guri. The seats of government are Tiflis and Guria In the third century they constituted a mighty state which last ed until 1424 when it was divided in to three parts. Tn 1900 Georgia was incorporated into the Russian en- pire
 The population of Georgia, at the time she declared her independence of Russia, on May 26, 1918, was about 3,O00t0O0. Eighty per cent of the Georgians are farmers. On March r last the independence of Georgia was recognized by Italy. Under the Turkish peace treaty Baum is to be- come a free port.
 San Marine or Sammarino, is not only one of the smallest but one Of the eldest republics in Europe. It IS enclosed by three Italian provinces and consists of a craggy mountain 2,240 feet high on which is the town and some circumjacent terraces with four or five villages. The population prior to the war was about 5000. Sa- Marine furnished an army to the Ali flies. The chief industry is agricul- ture including the rasing of cattle. The legislature of the republic is composed of senate of 60 members elected for life equally from the ranks of peasants, citizens and nobles Two presidents are chosen by the senate every six months.
 Luxemburg, which lies between Rhennish Prussia, Belgium and Al sace-Lorraine, and which was occu- pied by the Germans during the war, was made Grand Duchy in 1914 by the king of the Netherlands. In 1867 it was declared neutral territory by the Treaty of London. It has belong ed. however, since 1842 and since the signing of the Versailles Treaty to the Zollverein or German Customs Union.
 The population of Luxemburg be- sfore the war was approximately 200, 900 living in an area of about 1000 square miles. Walloon French is spoken in few villages but the lan- guage of the people is chiefly Ger man dialect.
 After the armistice in the world war, the. Germans evacuated Luxem- burg, a revolution occurred but was halted by the Allies. The American troops passed through the country
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