Evening star., 1926-03-28

vice ROYALTY from Lord Reading.
who, on April 3, will have com
pleted five years as viceroy. 1t
being the custom to appoint peers
to the viceroyalty, the interim title
of Lord Irwin was bestowed on MI
Wood who is heir to the Niscounty
of Halifax. 1t is commonly said that
the retiring viceroy saved India for
the British Empire. That is. per-
haps. rather exaggerative praise, but
ii is fact that the British hold on
India was imperiled when Lord
Reading relieved Lord Chelmsford
and that he handled the SITUATION
with extraordinary address.
X x 4
Relgium.-The Belgian government
has hoped to place a loan of the
equivalent of $150,000,0OO through
certain British and American bank
ers, to be used for stabilizlng the
Belgian currency. Understanding
from the finance minister that the
loan was assured. the Belgian Par
lament proceeded to pass law with
guaranteeing provisions Whlch IL
understood to be adequate. But Wnen
the law had been passed the bankers
drew back, agreeing to fund oniy
500 900, 900 and insisting on condl-
tons ana AdI AAOiN PN'AA
gent than those of the law.
The Parliament proceeded to say
very uncomplimentary things about
the finance minister: hence a cab
met crisis, whereof the outcome ap-
pears 20 be still in doubt. 1t seems
that foreign loan recently offered
in New York was not success. ana
the underwriters, in consequence, are
shy.
France,-The Chamber Finance
Commission is considering the fiscal
nroposals of NJ. Peret, the new
finance minister. The call is Tor a
voluntary subscription to care Tor the
short term obligations maturing in
Nav. for poll tax and for increase
of the commercial turnover tax from
Ia to 2 per cent. 1t is reported that
the commission has approved the
poll tax (Which is really an addltlon
to the income taxi, but has turned
down the more important proposal TO
increase the turnover tax.
The commission, true to form, rs
n,avine the devil with the situation
as of yore, and one awaits the out
come with trepidation. The franc
fell to 3.42 on the New York In
change on Friday, equaling the pre-
vious low point in March, 1924,
when the fall was checked by the
Morgan credit of 00,000.000. The
French balance of foreign trade con-
tin,,es unfavorable and increasing
ly so.
French and German representa-
tives continue, despite so many IN
terruptions and so many snags, 10
pursue negotiations looking to gen.
eraI Franco German, commerclal
agreement.
Every one will recall how Alaln
Cerhault, the yachtsman and tennis
nlaver. arrived in New York last
year. having made the voyage from
France in a little yawl. Though 1t
was evident that he had come
through by a hair only, he resolved
TO push on around the world. From
New York he proceeded south ana
through the Panama Canal into the
Pacific. Something over two months
ago he left the Galapagos Islands,
headed for Tahiti. His Paris friends
had about given him up for lost
when, on March %. they received a
cable message announcing his ARRIVAL
at Tahiti after a most tempestuous
voyage. There's sportsman Iof
you.
the Riff chieftain. has been making
overtures of peace to France ana
Spain, but of an indefinite sort. The
dispatches leave us guessing as to
the sort of reception these overtures
have had. The French Nationalist
are for the French governments turn
ing a deaf ear TO any communication
from Abdel-Irim other than one
conveying his acceptance of the def
mite terms offered him some. months
ago by France and Spain.
The Druse revolt against the
French authorities in Syria continues
on an important scale, but Henri de
Jouvenel, the French high commits
sioner for Syria, declares himself
confident that it will be completely
suppressed before the end of April.
There are said to be 10000 troops
under the French colors in Syria,
mostly Algerians, Moroccans, Tunisi-
ans and Senegalese.
X X X
Germany.--Luther and Stresemann.
returning from Geneva, justified
themselves before the Reichstag and