Evening star., 1926-10-24

first imposed by the Storthing as a
wartime measure In 1917. In 1919 a
referendum perpetuated it, raising the
alcoholic percentage to IA. In 1921, in
/ consequence of threats from Portugal,
Spain and France (the which countries
had been wont to exchange their wines
for Norwegian fish to exclude Nor.
wegian fish from their markets, the
Storthing raised the allowed alcoholic
percentage to 10. Even so moderate
a limitation has not found favor after
a trial thereof. Reasons assigned were
increase of drunkenness, flouting of the
law by way of smuggling and private
manufacture, general increase Of dis
regard for law, damage to the public
health by consumption Of an illegiti-
mate stuff called spirit" and cost of
| enforcement.
X X X X
| Belgium.-There seems little doubt
that a second effort definitely to sta
bilize the Belgian franc Is to be made
in the near future; this time after ade-
quate preparation. According to our
information, arrangements are being
made for extension of important cred
it's to the Belgian National Bank by
the central banking institutions of
the United States, England and the
European continent, to be followed by
f1otation of an international loan in
the neighborhood of 100000 900, at
least half thereof to be offered in the
United States, under the auspices of
a syndicate headed by j. P. Morgan
T & Co.
X X X X
China.-As usual, our information
concerning the doings in China is dis
appointingly meager. Apparently the
Cantonese under Gen. Chang Kai-
against Gen. Sun Chuan Feng, super
tuchun of the five "lower Yangtsze"
provinces, but it does not certainly
appear that the latter is done for. One
is glad to hear that Wu Pei Flu. hav-
ing reorganized and recruited his
strength north Of the Yellow River, is
about to make a diversion in aid of
Sun Chuang Feng. The Cantonese
leaders are exploiting to the full the
Mythus of Sun Vat Sen, worth 1000
battalions to their cause. That name
is a rallying cry as potent as ST.
George to Englishmen or Santiago to
SpaniardS of old.
Lovers of China are grieved to learn
that the Cantonese are leveling the
ancient walls Of Wu Chang.
United States of America.-Our for
eign trade balance for September was
favorable by $105 .000, 900, exports con-
siderably exceeding those for any
previous month of the year. Our bal
ance for the first nine months Of this
year was favorable by only $87,000,-
600, as against $423.600,O00 for, the
corresponding period of last year.
Perhaps we are not lending to for
eign countries as fast as could be
wished considering our superfluity of
gold, but we are lending good deal
According to the Department Of Com.
merce, during the first nine months
of this year we lent to foreign coun-
tries new capital refunding opera.
tions not considereO, $728, 900 900, this
being 20 per cent of the total loaned
in 1925. Germany was the heaviest
borrower, taking nearly a third of the
total and over so per cent more than
the rest Of Europe together.
1t is asserted that Queen Marie is
responsible for the new vogue of wine
shades in women's garments: all
shades of red wine. but burgundy in
particular This is a supersubtle mode
of circumventing prohibition for
which no language Of EepEohation