The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-12-25
WAR is IN THE. AIR
Third Xmas Since German Sur
render Finds Slight Peace.
European Nations at Strained
Relations With One Another.
GERMANY HAS MOST JOY
Has Won Point After Point in
Big Battle of Wits.
Be No Christmas Cheer in
Soviet Ridden Russia.
BY ]. w. T MASON

New York. Dec. 25.-The third
Christmas since the surrender of Ger
many find the European nations still
in belligerent moods. but gradually re-
urnins to more normal conditions.
A desire for limitation of armament
which has especially marked this
Christmas in Great Britain is the most
pronounced sign that Europe is get
ting back to pre-war conditions.
France has not shown as much inter-
est in the movement as might be de-
sirable.
But that is because the French peo-
pie are still troubled by the fear of a
revival of German militarism. Never
theless. even in this respect, France is
far less suspicious now than she has
been at any time since the armistice.
The reduction of the CONSUMPTION term
to Is months from the two years urged
by tae ministry of war, is an indication
that France has not lost all belief in
the possibility of peace on earth.
Relations Are Strained.
Anglo French relations are more
strained this Christmas than they have
been for many years. Not the present
interest, but future ambitions are the
cause. France wants to secure an
overseas influence out of the war
equaling the British gain. This is a
very difficult ideal to realize because
of the enormous expense involved.
Nevertheless, France is trying to
make her own power paramount in
ASIA Minor to counteract- British in
fluence elsewhere. But the financial
rivalry thus entailed will be detri-
mental to the interests of both coun-
tries in the end. A termination of the
present Anglo-French competition for
nj for a is n
be expected.
Italy Is Weakest.
italian recovery from the effects OF
! the war is the weakest among all the
allies. Italy's financial situation this
Christmas is disquieting. Government
expenses are not being met by taxa
tion and there seems no present way
by which enough new taxes can be i'm
posed without threatening conse-
Quences.
The Russians will not celebrate
Christmas because they have nothing
with which to celebrate it. This is the
fourth Christmas season for the Boil
sheviki. Each succeeding one has
been worse than it's predecessor. But
the Bolsheviki have at last convinced
the allies of the uselessness of trying
to fight Bolshevism by warning upon
it from without.
Germany Is Happy.
Germany has every reason to cele-
/ brate happy Christmas. During the
past year. world opinion unmistakably
| swerved to the point of view that the
German people must be helped to
their feet as an economic policy to
{ benefit the world at large. The Ger
man government has carried thru a
! shrewd campaign designed to impress
the allies with GeEmany's sincere eff
forts to carry out the full terms OF
the treaty 1t iS GaTUna ON'e
purpose thus to try to demonstrate
that the terms are impossible. AL
ready the allies are beginning to dis
cuss the German viewpoint.
OF all the European nations, Greece
will have the happiest Christmas cele-
| bration. The return of Constantine to
Athens after the plebiscite in his favor
makes him the only king in the world
who holds his throne by direct vote of
his people.