South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-01-01

NEW YORK, Dec. 31-The world
nailed 1920 as peace year" but the
FAMILIAR sound OF battle rolled un-
Ceasingiy through many parts Of
Europe and asia. All OF the big
powers with the notable exception
Of the United States and Russia had
signed treaties or Joined the League
OF Nations, but the whole year was
marked by wars, revolutions and at
tempted military coups. Fighting
was continuous in Russia and Tur-
key. Civil war broke out in China.
Germany had a narrow escape from
civil war when a small clique OF
German militarists under Won Kapp
attempted TO seize the Berlin gov
eminent on March IS. Violent
strife has ragged and continues to
rage in Ireland. The year ends with
the virtual collapse Of the utopian
movement for universal disarma-
ment. The United States is maintain
ing nearly a quarter of a million men
under arms and is executing a naval
program that Will make her the first
sea power in the world unless Great
Britain enlarges her program. And
japan has. served notice upon the
League OF Nations that she Will not
disarm so long as the United States
continues to increase her land and
sea forces.
The biggest war Of 1920 was
fought between soviet Russia and
Poland. Enraged at the territorial
Entertainments of Poland and pos
sibly seeing an opportunity to push
Oolshevism westward the soviet
massed a great army against the
Poles. Fighting broke out in March
and soon terrific struggle was rag
ing over a battlefront approximate
ly 500 miles long. The Poles were
successful in the initial stages of the
fighting. but the Russians rallied,
smashed the Polish front and were
on the point of taking Warsaw
when, with French and British help,
the Poles beat Oft the invaders. After
six months of violent fighting peace
negotiations were opened at Minsk,
but were later transferred 10 Riga,
where they are still in progress.
Red" Armies Win"
Except for the Polish war, 1920
was a successful military year for
red Russia. Three extensive cam
paigns were conducted agaMst the
soviet with allied assistance, but all
collapsed They were led by Ad
miral Koltchak, who was executed
in Siberia, following his defeat by
Gen. Denekin, who fled 10 England
after his army was defeated and
scattered in south Russia. and by
Gen. Baron Wrangel, who fled 10
Turkey after his army was crushed
in Crimea.
During 1920 red Russia entered
into an alliance with the Turkish ma
tiOnalists under Mustapha Renal
Pasha and together they smothered
Armenia into submission. The pres
ent state of Armenia, about as big
in extent as an American county
lies in the Caucasus mountains out
side Of the borders Of the old Otto
man empire.
Protect Persia.
The military ambitions OF the SO
Wet were reaching into Persia. even
while red armies were cOntending
against the Poles and Gen. Wran-
gel, but the British put an army into
Persia and compelled the Russians
to withdraw. Red troops were land
ed at Enzeli, Persia, from 10 trans
ports in May and threatened TO
mach upon Teheran and convert
Persia into a soviet republic. The
BrlJlSn army winch uIoNC oul the
Russians is still maintained in Persia
as a bulwark for the protection Of
India.
Fighting in Turkey.
The thunder of battle has roared
almost without pause throughout
the old Turkish empire with four
allied armies arrayed against the
Arabs and the Turkish nationalists.
Although little news has reached
the outside world from MesopO-
tamia, that obscure quarter Of the
world has for months been the thea
ter Of a violent struggle between "a
British army of nearly 100000 men
and strong forces Of Turks and
Arabs. In the interior of Anatolia
the brunt OF the fighting on the al
lied side fell upon the Greek army