The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1922-05-12

subject of reparations was excluded
and then detailed number of tile pro
posals which he said Russia would not
accept. 49,
1t is quite apparent that what the
soviet government wishes is not gen.
eral agreement with Europe, but sep
arate treaties with the powers. such as
she already has with Germany. 1t
probably could do this with Great
Britain and Italy and the neutral ma
tons, and probably with some other
powers, and France and Belgium
would be left in an uncomfortable po-
sition. And Russia will be able to
lay on France the blame for the fail
ure Of the Genoa conference.
Soviet Russia's defiant attitude to-
ward the world was demonstrated in
the May day doings at Moscow. Leon
Trotzky, minister of war, reviewed
100000 most excellently equipped and
drilled soldiers, and in an address de-
clared that Russia "will resist until
her last drop of blood is shed any at
tempts Of the capitalistic governments
to enslave her."
France consented to sign the nonag-
gression pact proposed by Lloyd
George on three conditions: That
every European nation signed; that
Russia agreed to recognize all her
existing boundaries fol. ten years, and
that France surrendered none of her
rights to take action to enforce the
Versailles treaty. The Russians re-
jected the second of these and the
Germans the third.
IN ESPITEA the hard working propa-
- gandists, the American admins
tration shows no signs Of willingness
to take part at present in all these
European negotiations. Its position
concerning Russia was made clear by
Secretary Of State Hughes in his reply
to delegation of.the Women's Inter-
national League for Peace and Free
dom which asked him to advocate the
immediate recognition Of the soviet
regime. Mr.. Hughes told the women
that recognition is in the control Of
those who dominate the affairs of Rus
sia, and would be accorded only to a
government competent to discharge Its
international relations and demonstrate
ing a disposition to discharge them.
He added that there are no legal OBJ
stacles to trade with Russia.
THAT France fully expects Germany
i to default on the PREPARATIONS is
indicated by statement in Sketch Of
London, which says 1t has learned
from a reliable French source that
preparations are being made for i'm
mediate mobilization of the 1913 class
of reserves, numbering about 10000.
Mr.. Lloyd George gave up his plan for
meeting Of the nations signatory to
the Versailles treaty in Genoa to take
up the matter of enforcing the German
payments, but still hopes it may be held
elsewhere. The French insist that no
such meeting be held with after May 81.
~ URING most of last week the
II predicted battle between Gems.
WI Pei-Fu and Chang Tsao-Lin ragged
in the vicinity of Peking. Judging
from the dispatches, WI was having
the best of the conflict. The casual
ties were rather heavy. On Wednes-
day President Hsu made another eff
fort to stop the hostilities, calling to
the attention of the rival commanders
the fact that the foreign diplomats had
protested three times against the
fighting and had warned of serious con-
sequences to China should foreigners
suffer from the hostilities. Almost all
the plans regarding China made at the
Washington conference have been sus-
pended because of the warfare. The
Chinese press is almost unit in de-
crying the fighting, asserting that 1t is
only harmful to the country, which
ever side wins. Early in the week
General Chang issued statement
that General WI had been killed by
artillery fire. This has not been con-
| firmed.
Sun Vat Sen, head of the South
China government at Canton. asserted
he had combined with General Chang
and would soon start for northern
China. SUMS own government was
weakened by the detection of Gen.
Chen Chiung-Min, who resigned the
governorship of Kwantung.
a c non tho othar currant war. that