Evening star., 1923-02-04
BY HENRY ". BUM.
- HE following is brief summary OF
the most important news of the world
for the seven days ended February 8:

the most important news of the world
for the seven days ended February 8:
The British Empire.-On January 81 the
British government cabled acceptance of the
proposals ("suggestions" is. understand. the
official and more delicate word) of the Amer
ican debt-funding commission as to arrange
ments for funding the debt owed US by
Britain.
bill embodyng the suggestions" is to
be presented to Congress within a few days
The principal features of the suggestions"
are (roughly) as follows:
Interest at AZ per cent from the date the
debt was incurred TO December Is, 1922, to
be added to the principal Certain interest
payments already made being properly credit
ed, of course) to form new principal 94,-
600, 900, ,000). Interest on unpaid balance dur
ing the first ten years. commencing December
Is. 1922. at per cent, and thereafter at ~
per cent Yearly gradually increasing pay
ments to be made on amortiziaton, so that
two years. But apparently the British have
the option OF paying off the principal as rapid
Whether the bill will be framed to apply
only to the British debt or will propose
provide for settlement with all the govern
ments which owe US war debts on the basis
above outlined remains to be Probably
The Irish republicans have been going in
DESTROYED by fire Sir Horace Plunketts house
near Dublin. Sir Horace (now a senator of
the Free State) has perhaps done more for
Ireland than any other living Irishman
The Ruhr.-On January 81 the French and
Belgian governments sent joint note to Ber-
lin informing the German government that
fuel shipments from the Ruhr basin to unoc-
cupied Germany would cease at midnight
January 31-February /, and threatening
sterner measures than those already set on
foot, should German efforts to thwart the
Franco-B Belgian enterprise continue. The
military Gordon about the Ruhr basin having
been made thoroughly effective fuel ship
ments to unoccupied Germany ceased as an
nounced That is the important news of the
week from the Ruhr.
1t would appear from dispatches that the
strike of German river and canal workers is
complete but that the French have substi-
tuted sufficient personnel of their own. The
dispatches leave us in doubt to the extent
of the strike of the railwaymen. Apparently
no Germans have assisted in transportation of
fuel to France Belgium, and one sees no
sign of German yielding on that issue An
parently the German railwaymen had planned
complete cessation} of work Except for trans
portation of fuel to unoccupied GERMANY
service now ended) and were proceeding ac-
cording to plan But the procedure aroused
it threatened to cut off the import and dis
trlbutlon of necessary supplies. including
food. that apparently again) the German
to man trains, except those carrying fuel to
France or Belgium, directly serving the
needs of the occupying forces.
Apparently, once more. not much coal or
coke has reached France Belgium-a good
many french blast furnaces reported o
nave closed down for lack of coal. But ap-
parently q must in honesty continue to use
the qualifying word), the French are by way
OF completing a railway organization, with
French and Belgian personnel, adequate 10
the transportation of fuel to France and Bel
gum Cat least in reparations quantities) of
army supplies and tshould the necessity
therefor continue) of food for the population
The chief object of French solicitude has