davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-11-20

financial situation has changed with
the enormous increase in wealth here.
and American capital is seeking more
and more for fields of investment
abroad and China is a very fertile
field, indeed.
The more concessions, leaseholds.
etc, which other nations hold in
China, the more closely Is the door
shut to American capital and to
American products. 1t matters little
if the policy of the open door" is
proclaimed If one nation dominates
through concessions in given slice
of Chinese territory.
OF the raw materials obtained by
the United States from the far east,
silk from Japan, jute from India.
vegetable oils from China are out
standing importations. along with
copra from the South Sea Islands and
the Philippines.
Like the United States, Great Brit
ain and her colonies want China for
a market and for a source Of raw ma
terials; they want an opportunity to
invest their capital in China, too. And
SO it is with the other powers gath
cred here to discuss the problems of
the far east. France has great in
terests, and SO have Holland and Bel
GUM. and. to a less extent. Portugal.
in the east and in China. Hollands
holdings in the far east are very
large. Her colonies in the orient have
an area one-fourth that of the United
States and a population Of some
100000.
Japan's right to obtain such raw
materials as she may need from China
is not denied by other powers. In
fact, her needs and her geographical
position with relation to China are
recognized as of especial significance.
But the other nations, because of
their own economic problems and in
terests. are not anxious to see Japan
dominate in China to their exclusion.
The Japanese, on the other hand, rec
ognize the fact that being dominant
in China they would be economically
Independent of the rest Of the world,
to very large extent, at least.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-11-20

the Atlantic in numbers far greater than Lloyd
George had asked for, or that the widest Ger
man pessimist had dreamed of practicable.
and which made possible the allied victory the
same year.
X \
One other act Lloyd George took during
these fateful days. The military arrangements
of the Versailles council had broken down. The
military council had made the plans. but diff
culties of many kinds had prevented their
fruitioa when March Fl came. Lloyd George
decided Immediately for Marshal Foch as gen.
eralissimo. Foch had always impressed him
as the greatest general on the allied side. He
had asked for him for the Versailles council.
His plans for dealing with the impending on
set had seemed complete. He was the only
general whom he felt he could ask the British
and American armies to serve under. Lord
Miner went to France and agreed with Clemen-
ceau and Gen. Pershing that Marshal Foch
should coordinate the strategy Of the allies,
and week or two later, at a meeting of the
supreme council he was made the commander
in-chief.
So at last the allies had real unity Of COM
mand. The effect was Immediately seen. Prac-
tically alone among the generals and statesmen
of the allies Marshal Foch was confident that
victory would be achieved in 1918. Throughout
the German attack he had been iercest in his
determination not to yield yard Of unneces-
sary ground or even to contemplate the pos
sibilities Of disaster, and at a time when every
body else was wondering whether it would be
possible to hold out during 1918. SO as to win
in 1919, when the whole American Army had
arrived, Foch made up his mind to win the war
in 1918. He saw that once there was unity of
commando with one mind directing the French
British and American troops as one army, it
was positive advantage that the Germans
should attack first and exhaust themselves. al
ways provided the allies could resist the blow.
He saw that the German advance would open
q dangerous flank and that II the allies could
launch a counter attack delivered with Sufficient
strength and followed up through the rest of
the year with further continuous attacks the
whole Of the German army would crumble into
ruins. He saw, too, that the allies still had the
strength for an effective counter blow, and that
the enormous stream Of Americas reinforce
ments pouring into France would enable him
to keep up the pressure during the rest of the
year.
X X X, X -...
So he brought his plan into operation. The
Germans made . second desperate thrust, this
time toward Paris. and again they were parried.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-11-20

going concern. The preceding Con-
gress expired only a little more than
a month before this one came into
existence and one does not have to
remember very far back when one
Congress merged into another be-
tween suns.
X X + +
A few years ago, at this period
preceding the opening of a new
session Of Congress, there would be
wise speculation upon the Presi-
dents message, with the public won
dering what bills would come up
first. Now everybody is more inter-
ested in what the Committee of ad-
mirals" will do with the American
suggestions for naval limitation and
what the secret councils Of the COM
mittee on far eastern questions will
decide to take up first.
The public must expect to read a
great deal Of technical accounts Of
tonnage and displacement, about per-
centage of naval strength allocated
to the nations and lot Of profoundly
sionally applicable Information which
will be a liberal education in itself
on naval affairs If closely followed.
The question is how long will the i'm
patient and tickle American reading
public follow these accounts.
X X X X
Here 10 a guess: They will read it
all, "eat it up" because it is evident
that the heart Of the American people
is passionately fixed upon the objects
Of the international conference, and
at this time that meeting and the
purposes in view constitute the big
gest things in the public eye.
Premier BRAND of France, in his
address to the conference at the
second days session. touched a key
note when he declared that it would
be pity If mere dollars and cents
involved In the Limitation Of arma-
ments were the sole consideration.
They are not, if the demonstration
Of public interest in the conference
Is a guide to sentiment. The public
utterances of delegates to the con-
ference also show that they are not.
The lessening of the risks Of wars
in the future is the main considera-
ton Of this conference in the intent
and purpose Of the delegates and the
world at large.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-11-20

blow fell on the British front It was worse
than anybody had expected, and for the first few
days it looked as If the Germans were going to
win the war They had made, for the first
time, a genuine break through" But the COL
lapse in morale which the German expected
after their terrific blow did not take place, and
at last the jaded, battered British line came to
a halt, pressed right back to the outskirts Of
Amiens, but still intact. Once during those try
ing days saw Lloyd George really depressed.
1t was the only time during the whole war
the day when the news came that the British
line was definitely broken. But few hours
later when went into the cabinet room he was
making jokes with his colleagues to lift the
weight of their minds, master Of himself and
thinking only Of ways and means Of saving
the situation.
1t was pretty bad. The worst had not oc-
Cured But the German onslaught was only
checked. It was certain to be repeated as soon
as the Germans, with feverish energy, could
build up their resources for a second blow, and
If that was as successful as the first the British
and French armies would be divided and the
war would be lost before ever the Americans
could arrive So every lever within reach was
pulled. A CONSUMPTION act was passed
calling out men up to fifty, and. within an as
tonishing short space of time, most Of the gaps
in the battered British army were filled up
again. largely with lads of eighteen and men
over forty.
But LLOYD george saw tnaC tnlS WIS uot
enough. If the Germans were able to continue
their battering tactics uninterruptedly during
the summer nothing that the allies could do
could enable them to last out. One day he saw
in q flash the way out, and instantly acted upon
1t. He sent q long personal telegram to Presi-
dent Wilson pointing out the extreme gravity
Of the situation, explaining that in one way.
and in one way only, could 1t be put right and
asking that the United States should send 100-
900 men month to Europe for four months,
and that such Of these men as were not sum
GENTLY trained TO fight American divisions.
should be brigaded regiment by regiment with
French and British troops in order to make up
the necessary numbers He also offered the
whole resources Of the British navy and marine
to transport and protect them. It was big
thing to. ask-the reversal Of the whole United
States Army program, the brigading Of Ameri-
can troops with those Of the allies. the in
evitable .dislocation from SO rapid Transports
ton. But to Ms eternal honor President Wilson
did not hesitate. He accepted the whole plan.
and within . few hours there began that amas.
ing transportation Of the American troops across
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-11-20
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

n CONOMIC questions not only
H underlie but are IN reality the
fundamental cause Of the SO.
called problems of the Pacific
which are in process of solution al
the Washington conference. These
economic questions will come in foi
their full share of discussion about
the conference table before the con.
ference is concluded. A full and care
full study of these matters has been
made by the experts of the United
States, and of course by the experts
Of Japan, Great Britain. France and
the other nations that have been in.
vited here to discuss the far east
situation.
In considering the economic side
Of the far east problem. it is neces-
sary to look with particular attention
to the situation in which Japan finds
herself. Her need Of a constant in
fiux Of raw materials is the key to
many Of her political policies; the key
to her interest in China, whose vast
territory contains untold quantities
Of the raw materials which the is
land empire requires.
1t is the desire Of Japan to build
up a great manufacturing country
as a source Of wealth and prosperity
to her people, just as England has
done in the western hemisphere. 1t is
impossible, however, to make bricks
without straw" to manufacture tex
tiles without the necessary fibers, to
make steel without the needed coal
and iron.
"A survey of Japan and her re.
sources reveals tho fact that Japan
has at her command, and within her.
self. adequate supplies of copper. silk
and camphor. In fact, her silk and
camphor industries today amount almost
to monopoly. The United States. for
instance. obtains practically all of the
raw silk, which is made into silk
fabrics from Japan, as we'll as guam
titles of manufactured silk goods
Japan's silk industry depends largely
upon her market in this country for
raw silk and II it were suddenly
shut off. the industry in Japan would
receive a severe blow that would be
reflected throughout the country
In regard to camphor. that article
is being made synthetically to some
extent in this country, but we are
still largely dependent upon Japan
for this commodity.
+ X -
OF the raw materials which Japan
must have for its manufacturing in
dustries. those for textiles are cot.
ton, wool and jute. The coarsei
grade Of cotton she imports from
India, and the finer grades from the
United States. Japan is at presen,
making efforts to grow cotton In
Korea, which she dominates, SO al
to provide source Of this raw ma
terial practically Of her own. Wool
Japan buys for the most part from
the British empire, from Australia
New Zealand and South Africa. Jute
Japan obtains from another branch OF
the British empire, India.
Japan has developed a large crush
ing industry-for the production OF
vegetable oils and food products. For
this industry she must have soya
beans, which grow in great quanti-
ties in Manchuria, and peanuts. some
Of which she raises herself and some
Of which she brings in from China
There is copra, too, obtained from
tho cocoanut, which Japan imports
from the South Sea Islands, the Phil
ippines and New Guinea.
Japan has largo deposits Of clay
useful in the manufacture of pot.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-11-20
lndemnities Of the Losers
And Debts of the Winners

e. "Oulu nave INeH UcCohc hcSeo-
sary to reduce all credits, as in
cases Of bankruptcy. France held
first place as regards reparations
Cat first she demanded Sc per cent
of all the sums paid by Germany
and could therefore Nay claim to
=. the lions share OF the indemnity,
whereas on a sum representing
the reimbursement Of the whole
cost Of the; war she would have
been entitled to less than 20 per
4 cent.
The treaty of Versailles lays
down that Germany, having
brought about, by her unjustified
attack, all the losses and damages
sustained by the victors. is bound
to indemnify them. But in view
Of the permanent manning Of Ger
many's national resources. as as
certained at the peace treaty. Ger
many is only held (but unre-
servedly) to the reimbursement OF
direct damages and of pensions as
specified in annex I Of Part XIII
of the treaty. The commission of
reparations establishes the total
amount of Germany's debt. to be
paid in yearly installments fixed
year by year by the commission.
The payments will continue for
thirty years and even longer IL
at the expiration of that date the
debt be not Sully settled.
**+*
The commission of reparations
is invested with sovereign powers
on German territory, powers far
more ample than those claimed in
Turkey by the commission for the
Ottoman public debt. 1t may even
(Which is an unprecedented fact
in the history of civilized nations)
modify the laws and regulations Of
the state in Germany and establish
all sorts of controls, while Ger
many must mot consider these
sanctions as acts Of hostility.
The peace treaty has not only
forced Germany to acknowledge
herself solely responsible for the
war. but has also INDUCED in the
irony of obliging her to declare
that she would not be offended at
any violence committed on her
territory.
Always, according to the terms
of the treaty of Versailles. Ger
many, after having handed over
all her transferable possessions
COLONIES, shipping. submarine ca
bles. commercial organization
abroad, rolling stock. etc.), was to
pay on May 1, 1921. not less than
20.000,0e0,000 marks, gold. in goods
and raw materials. subsequently
issuing 10000, 0oo.o 900 marks, gold.
in bonds to bearer and binding
herself to all further issues which.
the commission Of reparations
might require.
Speaking at the French cham
Der on the 5th Of September. 1919,
the minister Of finance. Klotz. cal
culated the German indemnities. on
the basis Of the Versailles treaty,
at 375. 1000. 100000 marks, the inter-
est Of which was to mature till
1921. after which date Germany
would have commenced to pay her
debt in thirty-four yearly INSTALL
ments Of about 25.000.000.oo0
marks each. Of which 13.750.00o.-
600 marks would have been handed
over to France. AS. "a matter of
fact. France continues to put down
in her budgets the sums deriving
from the indemnity which Ger
many is unable to pay. AS re-
Gently as last year, in an official
request Of the commission Of
reparations. the French govern
ment valued the damages sus-
CONTINUED on Third Page.)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-11-20

IRECTLY he became prime minister
Lloyd George applied to the national
affairs the same direct. energizing. I'M
- conventional methods which he had
used in the board Of trade and the munitions
ministry. The British generally regarded
as a somewhat conventional people 1t 1s a
political maxim in England that 1t is danger
Gus to touch constitutional principle or prac-
tice. Lloyd George cared for neither where 1t
was q question Of winning the war. With a>4ew
swift strokes and in three days he transformed
the constitution which had worked unchanged
for moro than a century.
The cabinet disappeared, to be replaced by
war cabinet of five men without departmental
functions, possessed of supreme power The
other ministers, including even the foreign Sec
rotary, were to be satellites called in only when
their own subjects were under discussion. Par
lament found that 1t was to be led not by the
prime minister. but by deputy. New minis
tries were created to deal with shipping. the
enrolling Of the nation, the air service and the
food supply. Then having reconstructed the
machinery. Lloyd George sat down to do the
work. Tho whole nation was put on rations
In order to economic food and so release agri-
cultural workers for the trenches and reduce
tonnage required for importing food Imports
of all kinds were cut down to the minimum for
the same reason. Landowners were ordered to
plow up new land. Shipping was brought I'M
der a single control and distributed to the best
s>rvice Of the allies. Industries were oombed
ont again and again to see where women ana
disabled men could replace men At for active
service abroad.
X \ X X
The strain was terrible and events added to
IT. In January Germany announced her intro
duction Of unlimited submarine warfare, and by
May was sinking tonnage at the rate of 900
tons q month. In February the Russian revo-
luton occurred and Lloyd George saw at once
that It was bound to weaken If not destroy Rus
sia.s power to cooperate militarily with her
allies Then came the military failures in the
spring The French attack was a disaster. The
British attacks were local successes. but pro-
ducsd no impression upon the general German
position. And during the long wet autumn
there went on the steady British attacks on
Paschendaele Ridge, bloody. costly and rem
dered fruitless by mud and rain Often and
often have ] sat with Lloyd George in his
house ut Walten Heath listening to the boom
Of the guns. sounding quite clearly through
some peculiarly Of the ground. more than 100
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-11-20
BY N. o. MESSENGER.

TRESIDENT HARDING finds him
- self in the position of one
entitled to say II told you So"
His arms Limitation and Tar
eastern conference starts off with the
jewel of success glittering upon lts
forehead.
From the time that Secretary OF
State Hughes. head Of the American
delegation and as such spokesman
OF the government of the United
States and of the administration, ef-
fected the coup Of presenting def
mite program of limitation OF naval
armament. inviting the cooperation
of the nations. there was not ques-
ton of final agreement being
reached.
An agreement-some kind OF an
Understanding, broad or narrow. cir
cumscribed or liberal. whatever 1t be.
it's bound to be. Its assurance was
vouchsafed by the prompt acquies-
cence Of Great Britain and Japan and
tho concurrence Of France and Italy
in the basis proposed.
Whatever the final terms may fur
nish In disappointment to the over
expeotant or surprise to the pessi-
mistic, they will provide gratifca-
ton to the middle of -the-road people.
who will be thankful that at least the
menace of a contest for supremacy in
naval building has been removed.
And for that much. If they get
nothing more, they will think they
have cause to render thanks.
4 + X X
Looking, backward, it will be re-
called that President Harding him.
self never yielded to overenthusiasm
over the prospect. and the chances
are that. while he can now be able to
say IT told you So" he did not feel
confident that he would DE able to
rejoice in such favorable prospect
as Is now presented. You will remem-
Der how from time to time he back
pedaled and besought the public to
20 not too fast in expectations.
That was not because he lacked
faith in the ultimate outcome. but
because he was dismayed by the
avidity with which a section of the
public rose to the lure Of idealism
involved in the project while he
Soresaw the limitations but realized
the practical possibilities.
One Of the current writer's on the
arms Limitation conference. in his de-
3ightful way. spoke Of "optimism be-
American writer's" He's right-and
the present writer confesses to having
an aggravated case Of 1t. Secretary
Hughes Is responsible.-for he spread
the Infection.
In the many intimate and pains
taking conversations the American
premier held with the group of
writer's attending his daily confer
ences at the State Department, it can
not be recalled that ever did he falter
once in his confident prediction that
the conference on limitation Of arma-
ment and far eastern questions would
have q successful outcome.
with his broad vision he foresaw
the result of the nations sitting down
calmly at the council board and dis
cussing in a business like and matter
of fact way a proposition that pos
sesses all Of the elements which
would appeal to a meeting of the
board of directors Of a great corpora
tion-a business proposition. II you
please, with the added equation Of
humanitarianism.
II X X X
Possibly 1t has occurred to others
who witnessed the two plenary ses-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-11-20
BY FRANCISCO NITTI.
Former Premier Of Italy.

u. Va AkAsSs
a was sas s"s great ss -" deal H@e Of 't dis
cussion As to the indem-
mites to be paid by the
losers. AS a matter of fact,
the subject had never been
preached before. To be more
precise, the entente in all it's
declarations. and Wilson in his
fourteen points, had not even re-
motely alluded to any demand Of
indemnities in the event of an
allied victory; at that time the
claims of the entente appeared to
invaded territories and Of that part
of Belgium which had been de-
vastated.
But the cessation Of hostilities
was followed by period of war
like exaltation; minds were over
cast. former promises forgotten
and the morale Of victory justified
every abuse. Wilson's fourteen
points constituted solemn
pledge and covenant by which
not only the United States. but all
the entente powers, were bound to
the enemy peoples and in a higher
and greater sense to humanity and
civilization. Unfortunately, all the
peace treaties concluded at. Paris
have resulted in a negation Of
these principles and have brought
about the situation of profound
spiritual discomfort in which the
winners are now placed.
At first there was much uncer-
tainty as to whether it was more
advisable to ask the vanquished..
or. to be more precise, Germany
(for the other losing nations had
Immediately declared their COM
plete insolvency.. to pay to the
winners of the war the total
amount of the expenses sustained
by allies and associates or to limit
the allied request to certain cate
gories Of war damages. In the
first event, the indemnity claimed
would have amounted to about
100000, 100000 francs or lire at
par; in the second, at not less than
$50. 100000; altogether over
1.oso.0Oo, 100000 francs (about
5000. 900, 00O.O 0O.
1t was stated and inserted in the
treaty of Versailles that Germany
and her allies were the sole re-
sponsibility for the war. They
were therefore bound to reimburse
unreservedly the whole cost of the
war. because a principle sane
toned by jurisprudence says
that the malefactor must repair
the evil he has wrought to the
utmost OF his means. On the
strength Of this recognized prin-
ciple 1t was proposed to saddle the
losers with the whole weight Of
the war expenses.
During the winter of 1918 and in
the beginning Of 1919 fantastic re-
ports and figures. compiled by
"HOlIy lTISSpoHSlolc peToOHos "cIc
submitted to the various parlia-
ments, before a public accustomed
to the most astounding events and
prepared to believe anything. thus
contributing to the creation Of that
atmosphere of decisions and vio-
lence which has been more HARM
full to the countries of the entente
than any economic loss.
+ \ + +
The thesis Of a reparation Of
war damages prevailed on that Of
total reimbursement Of the cost Of
the war besides damages, for a
very simple reason. If the idea
so warmly backed by Mr.. Hughes
had been adopted. namely, re-
quest for all damages and all ex-
penses, the indemnity would have