Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-31
|SOMBER OUTLOOK,
IS BRITISH VIEW
Outstanding Problems for
1921 Abroad as Seen by
Economists and Others.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the ASnocaAfed Press.
LONDON, December so.-Brital
outlook for 1921 is pictured IN rather
som1ber colors by the POLITICIANS
economists, financiers and labor lead
ers. At home two outstanding PROD
1ems-unemploymen and lreiano.
have baffied the government, WnIte
is also besieged by many results u
the war, including a vigorous news
paper campaign against so-caieo CIV
eminent extravaganza.
In the foreign field. looking east
ward, there Is the perple1lnS Pioui
of settling the Palestine DounoAries:;
promising some pointed skcnanfemia
with it's huge expense and Its OIL; ing
ever-present Persian difficulties wmcn
the last agreement has not alIayeo:
India, which is in greater state "
unrest than for years. reauirptnE .. Ha
with her trade proposals. which nave
caused a split in the British CABINET
and the uncertain Greek situation.
Dealings With United States.
Officials here believe that within
the next twelve months important
dealings between Great Britain ana
the United States will necessitate
most careful handling. Neso na hoen
between the two countries have neen
almost dormant since the poiiticai
Conventions in the United States.
There is a desire here to clear up
the oil question, which has oeen the
subject Of long series OF communI-
cations as to the extent to Whlch the
United States shall participate in the
world petroleum supply. mucn OF
which is under British mandate. It IS
believed, however, that considerable
more negotiatin G is necessary BEFORE
an agreement is reached.
~
offers many perplexing things. par
ticularly in that the United states
is continually reaching farther Tor
world trade. Shipping experts ana
officials are of the opinion that the
new mercantile marine Of the United
States Is likely to bring up ques.
tion Of adroit diplomacy and point
to Secretary Daniels announcement
of a big naval program as the 1ofe-
runner for shipping differences.
officials here have not desired 20
push these questions to settlement
until advent of the new American
administration, but hope to get them
under way soon after March 4.
Expenditures Discussed.
While the government is being seri-
ously pressed on one side to cease
enormous expenditure. 1t Is besieged
on the other with demands for unem-
ployment funds, cash for housing
schemes ana OLuSE pOSksWA 81 CAP0AN~
lures, with a result that there Is little
likelihood of reduction in the burden
some taxation.
Some relief is promised in reduced
cost of living, except in the price Of
food, which rose steadily during 1920.
With industry hard hit and a million
jobless, merchants who had been hold
ing commodities for high prices are
expected to continue to dump their
goods at a loss. This has caused
slight reductions during the latter
weeks Of the old year.
AS the year opens, the Lloyd-Ieorge
government apparently IL maintain
ing a Arm hold, and there is little evil
dence that any Of the many small fac
tons in parliament. either separately
or in concerted actions, is able to de-
feat the cabinet and force general
elections. The cabinet ministers. as
they pass between their offices and
parliament, see evidence of unrest.
Strongly policed barbados still OBJ
struct the approaches to government
buildings, and the huge iron gates at
the entrances to some official build
ings are kept closed. This Is done.
the government announced, because 1t
feared a Sim Fein outbreak. but 1t is
known also that it considered the Ill
effect bolshevik agitators might have
on the FESTIVE minds OF the unem-
ployed.