Evening star., 1925-11-12
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL y. COLLINS.

Russia is deemed the most outstand-
ing example Of retrOgresSiOn from the
"humaniZatiun OF man in society" for
its whole policy is based on denatur
iZing man and making him pawn of
the controllers of the so-Called state.
x x
There are observers Of Italy, under
fascism, who claim that the ultra
nationalism Of NusSulini, while aim
ing to build up a strong nation, sub
orGinateS the individual citizen. This
IS strongly denied by the FaSCistS.
Italy is progressing, they say, but
the policy Of its administration today
appears threatening TO the peace Of
Europe. because OF the ambition for
national glory and power.
There was threat of hostilities and
war between Greece and Bulgaria a
few days ago, but the League of Ma
| tionS Willed i otherwise, and the
beIligerents withdrew TO their own
territories. That is claimed 10 be evi-
dence of the greatness and power Of
the league. But it is the same league
say the critics. presided over by the
same president-Briand of France
and it has not stopped the Franco
Syrian war. Nor has it stopped the
Franco-Riff war If the league has
pcNNL ~ sup Wal - NiLtll VIII II
notify the foreign minister of France.
NJ. BRAND, to cease hostilities both
in Africa and Asia?
Should France not "humanize her
civilization?" She now has 10000
troops around Damascus, and is plan
ming more, so as to demonstrate to
the natives the superiority of a higher
civilization than that which would
leave Syrians to govern their own
country in their own way. Likewise,
as to the Riffs in Africa.
France IS unable to begin paying
interest on her -hillion-dollar in
debtedness to the United States. It
takes a vast expenditure to conquer
the territory of the Syrians and the
Riffs.
NJ. Painleve, head of the cabinet,
proposes a great increase of taxes,
involving every person and all prop
erty in France, simply to fund the
domestic debt. The Socialists refuse
to support the tax plan because it
does not go 50 far as to levy a large
share of all capital, though it does
what is almost the equivalent-taxinS
profits so per cent and large incomes
as high as 81 per cent. The Socialists
may hold a balance of power III the
assembly and overturn the present
administration, and all succeeding
ones. until the capital levy is conceded.
Contributing to French chaotic
| conditions, NJ. Painleve also pro-
poses to initiate currency with the
issue of billions Of paper francs.
making them legal tender for all
! debts, except taxation. The franc,
nominally worth 20 cents, is now
| quoted at 4 cents. and international
! bankers prophesy that in the shadow
of paper initiation 1t will probably
sink out of sight. while French credit
| in foreign marts will be nil. All
/ this was avoided in the height of
| the World War; it comes in peace
at home and imperialistic campaigns !
abroad.
| Great Britain is facing a serious
military situation in her inundated
| kurdistan, but greater unrest IN fler
| labor circles at home. For years she
has been placatine agitation and un-
| employment with doles and subsidies.
| These have added to the burdens OF
! taxpayers without satisfying the
subsidized industries or creating Jobs
| for the unemployed. There are mil
] lions unemployed, and the number
| is increasing.
| An inquiry has been started to
! discover whether the doles have actu-
| ally added to the idle, through put
! ting a premium on idleness. The
| doleS are not supposed to be suffi-
| cient TO support the beneficiary, yet
/ in many cases the idle manage 10
| live on the dole alone. Industrial
depression in England is due to de-
| preston in her foreign markets.
| hence cannot be overcome readily.
| According to Lloyd George, ma
tional expenditures which had been
reduced after the armistice, are
again rising, and imports exceed ex-
ports. Coal exports have so fallen
off that. coal mining is depressed and
many operators threaten to close
tcopyrfght. 1925. by Paul v. Co,linAl
| their names.