Evening star., 1921-09-04
BY HENRY w. BUNN.
Copyright. 1921. by IN. washi.ssea star.)

TNHE following IL q brief summary OF the
most important news Of the world for
the seven days ended September 8:
- THE BRITISH EMPlRE-There
has been fresh rioting in Belfast; eighteen
killed, thirty or more injured: whether started
by Orangemen nationalists. nobody knows.
The military now control the situation. Lloyd
George has Mr.. De Valera's answer to his
latest note What does it say?
The Moplahs of the district Malabar in
British India (southwest coast) are running
amuck. They ara a Mohammedan sect num-
bering about q million, descended Of Arabs who
landed on the coast in the ninth century. They
perhaps the widest fanatics going. Often
in times past the Moplahs have satisfied their
religious emotions by slaughtering the aboriginal
Dravidians. Though the present outbreak was
casually started by a government inspection
for Illicit weapons 1t seems to be the usual
sort Of thing; the British and Dravtdians are
equally obnoxious unbelievers. There is
rumor that Gandhi. the Hindu nationalist
leader, has been invited to Malahar by tbs
authorities to calm the Moplahs But the up
rising is not nationalist. since the chief present
victims of the Moplahs should be their as
sociates in q nationalist movement
In this sense however, there is connec-
ton: that the nationalist agitation which Is
headed, by Gandhi. and which has in many
parts of India strangely associated Moslem and
Hindu. has spread a wave Of vague unrest
throughout India. Military law has been pro-
claimed in the Malabar district and the militia
control the situation, but not in time to
prevent considerable destruction of life and
property. Indeed, 1T is said the devastation
has been SO great that q famine may result.
The known British loss Of life has been slight,
but there Is fear for the lives Of the British
(including women and children) in outlying
places. The episode seems to show that II tho
British were capable Of such meanness they
could smash the nationalist movement by
exploiting" through insidious propaganda re-
lfefous fanaticism
The non-Moslems Of Malabar (mostly Draw
dians) number some two millions. Fortunately.
the Moplahs have few modern firearms and
little knowledge Of their use. Their weapons
chiefly two-edged swords, blunderbusses
and such like antiques.
X X X +
GERMANY.-The murder Of Erzberger has
started things in Germany. For some time the
monarchists have been holding exuberant
demonstrations and the reactionary press has
been growing more and more violent toward the
government The press Of the left charges
the reactionary leaders and the reactionary
press with at least indirect responsibility for
Erzberger's murder. Since the murder the ma
jority socialists. Independent socialists and
communists, who include the great mass Of
German labor. have been demonstrating Inn
pressively for the government, calling on the
reaction.
Premier Wirth has issued a decree for
bidding seditious meetings and demonstrations
and publication of seditious matter. So much
might be justified, but when the decree goes on
to forbid the wearing of uniforms except by
members Of the army. one revolts at the cruelty
of it. Some mean enough to insinuate
that Wirth Is exploiting Erzberger's mur-
der for both domestic and foreign purposes.
These demonstrations for the republic, they
say. are being encouraged to impress the outer
world and incline the league council favorably
toward Germany on the Upper Silesian matter.
The Wirth government is desperately in need
Of stanch friends at homo. for when. within
month, the reichstaE reconvenes. violent at
tack will be launched against the portentous
taxation program Of the government. The
reactionaries are also likely to attack the
government for its complete surrender in the
American treaty.
One might have expected that wirth's new
stand would draw the Independent socialists
closer to the government and repel the peoples
party (the party Of SINNERS and big business).
1t Is said. however, to have had the somewhat
singular effect Of attracting the peoples party.
It is even limited that that party may join
the government coalition. It is difficult to i'm
agine them supporting the governments tax