Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1921-09-16

| competent to revise treaties unless
they are "inapplicable."
Obviously the Monroe Doctrine is
involved in the dispute. Carlos Ara
mayo, head of the Bolivian delega-
ton, stated that Bolivia on several
occasions had requested the United
States to examine the Bolivian-Chilean
treaty. but the Washington govern
ment had steadfastly refused. ''The
South American states do not consider
themselves bound by the Monroe Doc
trine" he added. There are number
of prominent Americans in Geneva
watching the proceedings, and they
are urging President Harding's adj
ministration to make known its view
as to the competence of the league
to intrude in Central and South
American problems in direct defiance
of the Monroe Doctrine, pointing out
that the European states would be en-
abled to capitalize the petty differ
ences between the Latin-American re-
publics by posing as disinterested
benefactors, through which the allies
would gain concessions.
The league assembly was loath to
make any decision in the matter, and
at the suggestion of Van Karnebeek
of Holland, who had been elected
president, the discussion went over to
a later date
Hjalmar Branting of Sweden in
Thursdays session charged that the
league had been extravagant and had
Disseminated against nations that re-
NAMED neutral In the war He es-
pecially criticized the action of the
league council in giving the Aland
islands to Finland. Lord Robert
Cecil, representative of South Africa,
defended the league against these
accusations, and then went on to
severely criticize the purely mega
tive" position Of the United States
which he said was responsible for the
delay in the application of mandates.
The American government recently
sent notes to the allies reiterating its
claim to equality with them in the dis
position of the former possessions OF
Germany and her allies in the war.
Among the first things the assembly
did was to reject the amendment to
the covenant proposed by Argentina,
that all sovereign states should be
members of the league unless vo1un-
tarily abstaining from membership.
In Buenos Aires it was believed the
temporary withdrawal of Argentina
from the league would now be abso-
lutte and permanent and that certain
other Latin-American republics might
also withdraw.
The Greek and Turkish Nationalist
armies were locked in bloody battle
on the route TO Angora, and the Greeks
are reported to have the best of the
fighting. although their losses are
heavy. The Turks lost some $4,000
men and are falling back steadily.
Equally fierce but with fewer
fatalities is the fighting between the
Spanish forces and the Morocco tribes
men. The Spaniards are using bomb
ing airplanes against the Moors who
occupy almost inaccessible strong
holds in the mountains. The tribes
men besieging Melilla also are kept
busy lodging air bombs. However
the Spanish supplies are running short
and the offensive may be abandoned.
Directly applicable to the Chicago
district but materially important gen
orally was the decision of Judge
Lands as arbiter of the building
trades disputes. After several months
Of careful study the jurist decreed that
the wages of the men in the trades
concerned should be reduced by from
10 to SO per cent and promulgated
new rules and working conditions that
it is believed will speedily restore the
building industry of Chicago to a
sound condition. The new rules free
the Chicago district from the domina-
ton Of the contractors association, la
Dor unions, material mems cliques, or
from combinations entered into by all
three of them. The home builder can
now put up any kind of house he
likes, with any kind of material, with
out fear of interference from business
agents. Employers can now employ
and discharge men according to their
efficiency or ineficiency, and not be
cause some business agent gives the
word. Material men are free to COM
pete openly against each other.
The union workers naturally were
greatly dissatisfied with the lower
wages granted them, but, since the
unions selected Judge Lands for the
job, they will abide by his decision. |
One builder said the men actually will