Evening star., 1922-02-12
BY HENRY W. BUM.


TIME following is brief sum-
mary of the most impor-
tant news of the world for
the seven days ended
February II:
The British Empire.-The extra
ordinary change in attitude dis
played by Michael Collins at his
recent meeting with Sir James
Craig from the accommodation at
titude Especially on the boundary
question) displayed by him at
their first meeting may be at
tributed to pressure by the south
ern extremists. AT almost any cost
Collins must conciliate doubtful
southern sentiment at this precise
time. On the e1st the ard
fheis meets (the assembly of dele
gates from all the Sim Fein
clubs). to decide whether or not
the Sim Fein shall indorse the
treaty creating the Irish Free
State. The most important ar
ticle of the program to which
the Sim Fein organization is at
present committed, is as follows:
'The Sim Fein aims at secur-
ing international recognition of
Ireland as an Independent re-
public" A two-thfrds majority is
required to abrogate that article.
With failure of such a two
thirds majority. would the fat be in
the fire again? The convention
Gard fheisl will comprise between
1000 and 5000 delegates.
The dali eireann is the executive
assembly of the ard fheis. With
out the two-thirds majority above
mentioned the dali eireann would
presumably continue indefinitely
in being, and that would be en-
barrassing.
Bands of Irish republicans have
been raiding across the border
line between Ulster and the Irish
Free State. ambushing Ulster
police patrols. killing. wounding
and kidnapping. The British gov
ernment has ordered the COM
mander of the British troops in
ernment in defense Of it's terri
tory, and has requested Michael
Collins, head of the provisional
government of the free state. to
take appropriate action. The out
RACES may be attributed partly to
feeling over the boundary Ques-
tion, partly to feeling upon the
account of certain members OF
the Irish republican army under
ster authorities and whom the
British government is without au-
.thority to reprieve or pardon.
On February the king opened
a new session of parliament. like
1y to be an important one. In his
speech to the commons upon this
occasion Lloyd George rather
lightly touched the various ques-
tions besetting him-the Irish.
European questions. and the do
mestic questions of unemployment
and Of the reform" Of the house
of lords.
The Indian office announces that
sternest measures will be used to
suppress Gandhi's campaign of
civil disobedience.
Germany.-The reparations COM
mission demanded from the Ger
man government statement
showing the 'reparation payments
Gn gold marks and in kind) it
proposed to make during the year
1922 and the fiscal and financial
reforms it proposed to set on foot.
On January 90 the German gov
ernment submitted a statement.
but the accounts thereof show it
to be vague and unsatisfactory.
II is understood that Poincare
would leave action upon the
statement to the reparations COM
mission. but that Lloyd George
would have the supreme council
meet and act. 1t seems probable
that, whichever course is adopted,
the German government will be
called on for more definite
statement. 1t is said that only
through an eleventh-hour agree
,nent with the peoples party (the
party of the great industrialists)
was Chancellor Wirth able to sub
nit any proposals whatever Of pay
ments or reforms.
And now developments in Ger
many since the 1st of February
have rendered dubious the value
of UirthsS pronosals inadeoUate