Evening star., 1925-07-12


seven days ended July Il:
Great Britain.-Sir Esme Howard.
the British Ambassador to the
United States, made a very interest
ing speech the other day to the Amer
lean Iron and Steel Institute. He
drew a gloomy picture of economic
conditions in Britain, terrible shrink
age in invisible exports" certain for
eign markets, once lucrative, now
almost closed; most serious depres
sion in the coal trade, in the ship
building and engineering industries,
in the cotton and woolen manufactur-
ing industries, and above all in the
iron and steel industry. OF total of
102 blast furnaces in Scotland, where
S5 are normally in operation, only 21
were working at last report. A few
bright spots Sir Esme noted, or per-
haps, less gloomy than the lave, but
not many. There is no hope Of recov-
cry, as he sees it, except through firm
establishment of international peace,
good will and sense of security,
whence revival of credit and trade.
Premier Baldwin has asked the
Commons to consider whether it may
not be necessary to avert disaster, to
subsidize some of the greatest indus
tries Ito which the safeguarding of
industries act does not apply.
OF British Industries, that of coal
is the greatest: some 100000 persons
are dependent on 1t; 160, 900 British
miners are unemployed; 500 British
coal pits are closed. How in the
world can the most terrible disaster
be escaped unless production costs
are cut down? Yet the men clamor
for further reduction of working
hours and further increase of pay.
1t is reckoned that there was a loss
of a shilling and a half on each ton
of coal exported within the past three
months 1t is not, however, by any
means altogether a question of the
attitude of British labor. Very great
reforms in organization and produc-
tive methods are indicated. But even
supposing such reforms effected and
labor conciliatory, it is doubtful that
coal can remain the mainstay of
British trade. That doubt stirs the
imagination.
The Moroccan War.
Gen. Stanislas Naulin has been ap-
pointed to the chief command of
French military operations in Moroc
CO, relieving Marshal Lyautey of mil
itary responsibilities.
The French attack countering ADD
cl-hIlIIl > IIcISC NllI uol dl doti " 40
particularly successful, the enemy
abandoning arms and munitions in
considerable quantities, and a good
many tribesmen who had recently
gone over to him returning to the
French allegiance. Reconnaissance,
however, indicates that the Riff leader
is preparing for another attack in
force, and, as no rebuffs in the field
check Add l-Krim's propaganda ef-
forts, French anxiety on that head is
unabated.
The Franco-Spanish negotiations in
Madrid respecting Morocco are nearly
completed. An agreement has been
signed providing for Franco-Spanish
collaboration in land and sea blockade
of the Riff frontiers, and another is
about to be signed providing for
political collaboration respecting the
Riff. 1t is understood that the latter
contains the general terms Of peace
which the two powers are agreed
Jointly to offer ADD d-el-Krim-that
autonomy be offered under a Spanish
protectorate.
We are left in doubt as to whether
or no Spain consents that the French
pursue the enemy into the Spanish
zone.
X !: 4
-T9ltey.-Ihe Chester group. e.,
Admiral Chester and his American