Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-29

TIME following is brief summary
of the most important news OF
the world for the seven days
l. ended December %:
THE BRITISH COMMONWEALTH
OF NATIONS-The Indian National
ist Congress opened at Lahore on De-
cember IS. On the result Of its deliber-
ations much hangs The temper OF the
delegates is said to be one of historical
excitement.
The economic outlook Of Canada is
generally interpreted by Canadians as
highly promising. Note the following:
Canada leads the countries of the world
in production of news print, nickel, as
beStos and cobalt; she is second in
wheat production; third in production
Of lead and gold. She leads the world
in export of wheat, nickel, asbestos and
news print; she is second in export of
wheat flour, and third in export OF
wood pulp. The most perplexing ques-
ton engaging the attention of Cana
dams is that of the tariff, especially
with relations to the United States.
n y
GERMANY.-On December 81, in
face of general criticism and specially
savage onslaughts by DR.. Schacht, pres
ident of the ReichSbank, DR.. Hilferding,
Socialist, resigned the office Of finance
minister of the reich. DR.. Moldenhauer.
Populist German Peoples party, sue
seeds him, being transferred from the
ministry of economics, and the econom-
les portfolio has been given to Robert
Schmidt, veteran Socialist leader OF
moderate type, who has had consider
able cabinet experience. Thus the old
balance of parties in the cabinet Is per-
petuated.
The indication Is that DR.. Hilferding
was not up to his extremely difficult
job; but one should not be too sure. He
inherited a fiscal system OF many vices
and absurdities, and belize he is made
a scapegoat. However that may be,
Germany seems at last happily to be
awakening to recognition Of the neces-
Sity of those fundamental fiscal re-
forms so long urged by Parker Gilbert,
agent general for separations. The
other day the Federation of German
Industries met and Illuminated on the
subject in language that Mr.. GILBERT
himself might have used, and at the
same time DR.. Hilferding submitted
program of reforms to the Reichstag,
which was adopted. This program (as
set forth by the cables) Is good so
far as 1t goes, but 1t does not go nearly
far enough. A really effective reform
of the German fiscal system must nave
for its prime feature correction OF the
existing perfectly grotesque fiscal re-
lations between the government OF the
reich and the governments OF the
component states, relations which make
monstrously for extravaganza and mis-
management.
DR.. Moldenhauer is understood to be
in close sympathy with DR.. Schacht OF
the Reichsbank and with the views OF
the Federation of German Industries
(employers). He was member OF the
executive board of the German dye
trust before he recently joined the
Mueller cabinet as minister OF eco
Monies
On December 2 the liberty bill"
presented by the German Nationalist
, and proposing reputation of the Young
plan, was empnatically rejected on
referendum to the German people. A
German referendum measure falls II
less than half the electorate vote upon
| 1t, no matter what the showing OF the
votes cast. On this occasion the men,
bers of the coalition parties were in
Structed to remain away from the polls,
and so the proposal fell in the most
ignonamous way, only about six million
! votes being cast (all by the Nationalist
followers of DR.. Alfred Hugenberg, or
| the super Nationalist, or Fascist" fol-
lowers of Adolf Hitler, the electorate
totaling about 4l,500,000 persons.
| Germany has been celebrating this
year the 200th anniversary of the birth,
| of Gotthold Leasing and of Moses Men.
! delsSohn, respectively. A happy con.
junction, seeing how closely Joined vert
the two In their lives. Leasing was tbs