Evening star., 1921-05-29


tails but 1t is now a white elephant a devastat-
ing expense. The financial commission OF the
league Of nations has devised scneme Tor
Austrias behoof, the commission 10 ne In et-
feet a board of receivers for austria the
entire assets Of the Austrian state 10 be ad-
ministered by 1t. to be used as security for
credits. the latter to be obtained from private
bankers bonds issued by the Austrian govern
ment, to have Endorsement of the commission:
the commission to determine application OF the
credits. All on the preliminary condition that
Austria shall set her house in order. as per
directions from the commission. An admirable
scheme. but it cannot avail to save Austria
without customs union OF tne states in
heriting from the empire For when reason, as
l said the world awaits with anxiety report
of the results of the Partarosa conference
hoping that thence will eventuate such GUS
toms union.
Meantime. athwart such hopes is the agita-
tion within Austria for union with Germany
The other day the Austrian assembly voted for
a plebiscite to determine whether the govern
ment should petition the council OF the league
for permission to join the German reich. But
that is another story for another time A
complicated and fascinating story. To Austria
twho. though she made a botch of empire has
produced so many g!ories of art and science)
home more nearly than to any other Suf-
ferer by the war the Dantesque truth that "a
sorrows crown of sorrow is remembering
happier days"
X x X
PORTUGAL-Every little while something
unconventional in the political line happens in
Portugal. The other day the cabinet resigned
under pressure from faction in the army who
demonstrated" According to accounts
the demonstration was ferocous. according to
others it very mild. 1t proba bly, mild.
Portuguese government is very sketchy affair.
and the racial blend seems to insure that it
always will be. Centuries ago the Suevic and
Visigothic strain with just the right Iberian
aan eay IN
years of glory seldom surpassed in arms in
adventure and exploration and in literature:
but that strain has long been bred out. The
present day Portuguese misses the fierce joy of
high achievement. but he escapes the danger
and the toll of it. lie is above all averse to
toll. Your Portuguese peasant is the most
illterate, lazy. amiable and happy peasant in
Europe. Having to write of Portuguese politics,
one naturally digreSses.
ECYPT-Following certain amount of
rioting elsewhere in Egypt recently, serious
riot ragged in Alexandria last Sunday night and
Monday morning, wherefrom the casualties were
twelve Europeans and thrty-siX natives killed
and 191 persons wounded Whatever the i'm
mediate cause of the riot. whether it
spontaneous the work of agents provocateurs
Of certain nationalist leaders. the ultimate
explanation is the temper engendered in the
natiTe populace by nationalist agitation. Most
Of the foreigners killed or wounded were Greeks
of the lower ella sses. The riot was quelled by
Egyptian police and Egyptian troops. but the
city WAS afterward occupied by British troops
at the request of the Egyptian government. An
Egyptian delegation had just started was
just about to start for London to confer with
representatives OF the British government con-
cerning the future of Egypt. A place this
delegation had been offered to Zaghiul Pasha.
the most prominent of the nationalist leaders,
but he declined because the premier would not
make him head of the delegation. The deega-
ton, then. included nationalist member. and
the nationalists &roth in consequence.
The nationalists out for complete Egyptian
independence. The premier ABLY ,Pasha. would
60 more slowly. Therefore the nationalists
embarrassing ABLY Pasha much they
But the nationalists may he hoist with
their own petard. An outbreak against Euro
peans some forty years ago caused the British
occupation. Now just the British govern
ment Ia considering withdrawal of almost all
it's troops from Egypt and granting Egypt
almost complete self-government, occurs this
outbreak. which makes such step seem ex-