The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-12-30
By FRANK CHARLTON,
q. N. s. Staff Correspondent )

By FRANK CHARLTON, q. N. s. Staff Correspondent.) New York, Dec. 3O.-There was a lessening of turbulence, if not of tel-- sion, in Europe during 1922. but the end of the year still sees many acute international questions pending. So new wars were begun, and the year witnessed the end of two minor con- ficts-the struggle between Greece and Turkey in Asia Minor and that between Spain and the Riff tribesmen in Morocco. Both had been in pro- gress about two years.
 From an international political viewpOit the most important event of the year was the return of the Turk to Europe. Following the decisive defeat of the Greek Army in Asia Minor the Near East armistice proto- col, which was signed at Mundanta sovereignty over all of Thrace (Euro- pean territory) east of Maritza River Under the old Sevres Treaty, which is supplanted by the new covenant ar Lausanne. the Turks had been de- prived of all the European soil they formerly held
 Constantine ExiIcd.
 Although this war had been start ed before Constantine returned to the Greek throne in December, 1920, from his exile, in Switzerland, he and his ministers were held responsible for the collapse. Constantine was forced to ,abdicate and half a dozen of his ministers were tried, condemned and shot
 Prince Andrew, Constantine's broth CT, was tried, but owing to the pro- tests which poured into Greece from all Europe clemency was shown and the military tribunal of the Greek Revolutionary Committee sentenced him to lifelong exile instead of death.
 When the Near East peace con ference convened at Lausanne on No- vember 13 there appeared every, pros pect of a final settlement of the Near East. but the conference int a deadlock and then the Russians en- Gered with demands regarding the Dardanelles oj which threatened to went even further than the Turks in demanding Turkish concessions on the Turkish Straits.
 Would Close Straits.
 The common Russo-Turkish de- mand was that the DardaneIles should be closed to warships of all nations but Turkey; that the Turks should be allowed to fOrtify them but that they should be open to the worlds com The United States participated in inc Near East Peace Conference show ing more activity than at any other international gathering since the Paris Peace CCnfernce.
 Two conferneces were held in an effort to settle the Russian problem the first at Genoa and the second at The Hague Both were fruitless
 Under the Lloyd George regime Great Britain maintained policy Of moderation toward both Germany and Russia, which displeased France very much and brought the two cOun- tries to the verge of an open rupture many times.
 Lloyd George Resigns
 In October the Lloyd George Cab inet resigned. A general election was held in Britain on November 20, and a Tory government headed bv An drew Bonar Law as Premier. came into office. The newly-elected Brit ish Parliament convened on Noyero- Der 26 and immediately enacted the Irish Constitution bill. In the mean time Bonar Law and his colleagues were Worklng out new policy on German indemnity and international debts nearer to the French view polnt- It appeared certain that 1923 would see an agreement between Rri- tam and France by which the British would recall the Balfour rsparations note, reduce the size of the French debt to Britain and in return receive assurances that France would reduce tne amotnt of German indemnity to assist German trade. industry ana finance back to normal
 Disarmament
 mere was general move toward dlsarmament- The Washington con ference adjourned early in the wear after agreeing to limitation of 6svai arnaments. Great Britain. Japan and the United States quickly rstiffed these agreements. and began to put them into effect. but France and Italy held back
 On December a disarmament con- ference opened at Moscow. with six powers paticipating-Russ Poland f1nIand, Latvia, Lithuania and Estho nia- Rumania had been invited to attend, but failed to do so. Russia agreed to cut down her army to one fourth its size, demobiIizing 600. GOO men and retaining 100000 She of Iered further to reduce some of the divisions to the rank of militia. so that they would not be under arms continuously
 The League of Nations discussed disarmament at Geneva. but failed to do more than urge the disarma ment communication to make concrete proposals instead of continuing the dlScussions in general way.
 Finances Shalzy
 The international financial situation gave much anxiety throughout the Ing gained in value continually the German mark fell to the unpreced ent- ed figure of 9.20O for one American dollar. French and Italian money also failed to rally much from the low level of their depreciation
 During 1922 the United States re- cevelde the first payments upon war loans advanced to the European AL lies. Great Britain paid S100 oO0.oOO in two inStaNments of S50.000.O0e each on account of back interest upon the s4.2T7, 100000 borrowed here in war time At the same time arrange ments were made to send comnis-