Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-26

luctant to accept Senior Sotelo's resig-
nation, but was constrained to yield to
pressure from big business.
People to be affected by constitu-
ton in the making are apt to be i'm
patient for its completion. So in the
present case of Spain. But it should
be remembered that when, in october,
1927, the National Assembly was Gre
ated to frame a new constitution for
Spain, it was announced that compile
ton of its labors could scarcely be ex-
pected before July, 1880. Apparently
the estimate was correct. the indica-
ton being that the Assembly will COM
plete its task about July next.
X
THE HAGUE.-The conclusion of the
conference at The Hague was delayed
for several days by the dispute between
Hungary on the one part and the little
entente states on the other; dispute
which for the general reader may be
dismissed with the observation that it
was purposely prolonged. Apparently
Mr. Snowden, the chief British dele
gate, using methods reminding one a
little of the late Mr.. Roosevelt, deserves
much of the credit for the acceptance,
at last, by the disputants of a sensible
compromise. AS I pointed out last
week, the German delegates, after max
ing initial difficulties, swung into a
reasonable attitude on all the issues in
dispute between them and the dele
gates of the creditor countries. The
Hague conference protocol was signed
on January 20 by the delegates of all
the Is governments directly represented
in the conference. Provision is made
for floating, shortly after the required
notifications, of the first series of rep
arations bonds based on the uncondi-
tional payments under the Young plan.
4
CLIMATIC famine situation in
the Province of Shansi, cradle Of Chi
nese civilization, is reported more acute
than ever, partly owing to Winter weather
of almost unprecedented severity, the
thermometer reaching 80 degrees below
zero. An observer who should be COM
petent, formerly editor of an English
newspaper of Peiping. returned from a
siX-week inspection of the Wei River
district, so famous In song and story,
and reports conditions of almost indie
scribable misery. He estimates that
1000, 900 persons In that district have
persisted within eight months. For
most of the survivors the diet is that
of Nebuchednezzar, save that his mai
esty was not skimped of grass, whereas
apparently they are. Shensi is in the
bailiwick of Gen. Izyen Hsi-Shan and
Yen has, 1t is said, earnestly endeavored
to get millet to the starving wretches,
but perhaps in no other civilized dis
trict in the world are the means of
transport so inadequate, the roads so
bad. Yet, It's said conditions are even
worse In Kansu Province.
y
LATIN AMERICA.-Nineteen hun
dred and twenty-nine seems to have
been a rather remarkable year In Latin
America for construction of sundry
sorts making for economic development.
Highway construction progressed not
ably in Chile, Peru, Uruguay and Cuba;
less notably but appreciably in Colom-
bia, Venezuela, Mexico and Central
America. Some. though a good deal
less, advance was made in railway con-
struction against formidable difIlculties.
Brazil and Argentina achieved great
things in electric power generation, the
former utilizing the white coal' of
which she has such abundance. For
Latin America as a whole the number
OF automotive vehicles increased, by so
per cent within the year, trucks having
the call over pleasure vehicles. Build
ing was brisk, with concrete the ia