Evening star. [volume], February 12, 1922, Page 4, Image 4

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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PARLEY FARCE SEEN I
IF CALLED MARCH 8
Tardieu Declares No Common Purpose
Exists for Holding Genoa Conference
at This Time?Explains French View.
BY ASDRE TARDIKl,
Former French Hlsfc Commlufoirr to
America.
By Cable to The Star.
PARIS, February 11.?The news
that the United States will not par
ticipate In the Genoa conference has
thrown further confusion into an al
ready complicated matter, and no one
now believes that the conference will
meet March S as planned.
This affair is the best illustration
of the Inextricable misunderstanding
caused by recent interallied meet
ings.
Former Premier Briand declares
that when he left Cannes for Paris
to resign the Genoa program was un
determinde. and hence the invitations
to the powers to participate should
not have been sent without a further
conference. But Slgnor Bonoml, who
also has resigned, sent the invitations
immediately, together with a program
which Briand claims was purely ten
tative.
Declared Dangerous Purpose.
This program contains the danger
ously vague phraser
"The establishment of the European
peace on firm bases."
Hither this means nothing, or it
means that the treaties of 1919 are
null and void.
It is true another article on the
Genoa program insists that those
treaties must be respected, but this
leaves a contradiction which the
French government rightly wants
dissipated before proceeding further
to commit itself to the conference.
But another big obstacle arises.
The Genoa conference is being de
fended on the ground of the need for
solidarity in the world's economic
reconstruction. But on the one hand
South America is omitted, and that
means many important trading na
tions have been left out completely.
On the other hand, we learn that
North America, while approving the
principle of the Gt-noa conference,
will not participate.
Where is the solidarity now?
And David Lloyd George, chief
prophet of solidarity, declares he will
not grant a reduction of England's
credits against other European na
tions unless first assured that there
will be a reduction in England's debt
to America.
No Coatmon Purpose.
Meantime, America, by her recent
law for the refunding of the allied
debt?, has answered Lloyd George in
advance that there is to be no reduc
Sale Here of Liquor Declared
Imperative if War Debts
Are to Be Met.
B? HIRAM K. MODEIVWEIX.
By Obit to The 8ttr and Chicago Dally News.
Copyriiht. 1922.
PARIS, Feb. 11.?Franc? wants to
be permitted to pay part of her debt
to America in champagne.
It is becoming increasingly appar
ent that the French harbor a curious
resentment toward the Volstead tem
perance enforcement law and the
eighteenth amendment to the Ameri
can Constitution. Several Prominent
Frenchmen have hinted recently that
unless the United States a"0*!*1;?
admission of champagne, an arttele
of immense value ?n the aggregate
of French exports, France cannot see
how she will ever be able to pay her
debts to the United States.
France undoubtedly would like to
?ee prohibition modified by tne
American Congress so as to permit
the importation of champagne.
Government Conference.
A government conference will be
held in March to consider methods
for boosting French exports, and one
day will be given over to the wine
trade and the American market.
Nbne of the public men with whom
the correspondent has discussed the
situation has any definite plan, and
all concede that they are treading on
very dangerous ground
Prohibition and its effect on France
constitute one reason for the notice
able coolness toward the United
States. Another is the resentment
almost every Frenchman feels over
rtrtf'AmeiHcan attitude on the repara
tions question, which he feels is un
^"it" Is claimed that if the United
States wants its money from France
It must help France to collect what
is due her from Germany. French
men compare the two debts in a strik
ing way: The first as a credit given
by one ally to another for the prose
cution of a common war, which credit
was expended almost wholly within
the United States itself, while the
other is a reimbursement for willful
damage done to France by a nation
which had been proclaimed an enemy
of civilization.
They recognize both as valid debts,
hut if the whole world tells France
that she must scale down the Ger
man payments In the interest of Eu
ropean reconstruction, why not apply
similar arguments to the American
claim, they argue.
Not Declared Sentiment.
Such logic, the French insist, is not
pore sentiment, but is based on a
fundamental principle of justice that
exists above business and politics.
The payments to the United States
can be made only in goods to the ex
cess of exports over imports, follow
ing the French point of view. This
argument when applied by the Brit
ish financier, John M. Keynes, to the
German reparations in 1919 excited
violent opposition In France.
Then, in the second place, it Is evi
dent that France is working for a
delay in the Genoa conference, it be
ing felt that if this meeting is suc
cessful it will give Britain the lead
ership In European restoration. In
connection with this the Quai d'Orsay
has conceived a sudden admiration
for the league of nations that is hardly
consistent with its attitude on former
occasions.
There are also indications that
France is entertaining the idea of
making an independent arrangement
with soviet Russia. Karl Radek's
feelers In Berlin last week are com
mented upon favorably by 1a Temps
and most of the other French news
papers. If the bolRhevikl can help
France to escape European isolation
she evidently has no scruples about
coming to terms with them.
TRAMP STEALS FORTUNE.
Xieader of German Plunderers' Band
and Nine Others Caught.
BERLIN. February 11-?The poliee
have caught ten members of a plun
derers' band which had been terror
ising the suburbs for several months.
A little hunchback butcher who, a
year ago, was a tramp, but has grown
so rich as to buy trotting horses and
live luxuriously, was the leader. One
of the principal activities of the plun
derers was to steal live stock and sell
it at prices under those charged by
other butchers.
tion by America of the anied loan^ j
So there is no evidence of a j
purpose justifying: the I
Even supposing these difflculti.es,
were overcome, there in another one,
and a very considerable one at tnat,
nSmeV that long technical prepara
tion is necessary for a?y,,?^lll
work along world economic IInes.
The Brussels conference of
cial experts In 1920, the only one that
produced a positive result concerning
Germany's condition and reParat!?,"9;
was preceded by an intense johrt
study of several months. An aa
vance agreement had been reached
figures and statistics, bo when the
program was adopted a unanimous
agreement quickly r "he same
cause all started from the same
P'if"'^"conference is
Genoa, or anywhere else, without a
similar preparation, the Proposed
construction cf Fairope wMJreBemble
a reconstruction of Babel more than
H"The'"confusion is the . greater be
cause not only the allies ?re con
cerned, but neutrals and Germany
and the soviets. The latter, whose
good will Lloyd George somewhat
rashly Indorsed, do not merit eonfl
dence. The United fwtes holds so
by refusing to recognize them. France
feels the same way about It, ana
England's commercial expSVtUii
wUh Moscow the last year confirms
us in our view.
Accepted Before Invited. -
The soviets accepted the in^itat'?Jl
to Genoa before receiving it.
were thus enabled to avoid co"}.,T.e"V
ing on the accompanying co"a''l?"1(j
insufficient as they were It J
be decidedly rash, therefore, to Defein
such a far-reaching discussion as that
planned at Genoa with such a back
KriUhave attempted to show where
France stands with respect to Genoa
and why she desires a postponement
?fThe English""press vigorously pro
tests this viewpoint, saying thai
Ire attempting "to torpedo the con
feOn?the contrary, the best way to
torpedo the conference ^ouMbe^to
case the participants would be blown
"'in'conclusion, although the Franco
British negotiations have not^been
thaT the ^ienoa conference will not
le held on the date or under the con
ditions originally proposed.
Thp whole thing must be revised.
Otherwise it will be a catastrophe or
a farC<i" (Copyright. 1922.)
ROMANCE, BUD OF YOUTH,
FLOWERS IN OLD AGE
AND ENDS WITH DEATH
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, Ont.. February 11.?
A romance that budded in youth
but did not flower ""til old age
has been ended by the death of
R. W. Cole, eighty-five, at Long
Beach, Calif., where he was hon
eymooning with his seventy-flve
vear-old bride. Word of his death
reached friends here today.
More than a half century ago
Cole said au revoir to his young
sweetheart at Blyth, Ont.. and
went west to make his fortune.
The fortune was slow in accumu
lating and the young woman be
came Mrs. Mogridge. Cole, learn
lng she was married, took a bride
In the west. ... . .
A year ago his wife died and ne
returned to find Mrs. Mogridge a
widow. The old love was re
kindled, and they started a few
weeks ago on their honeymoon.
Exchange Improves 25 Points
in 24 Hours?U. S. Banks'
Big Purchase.
BY WILLIAM E. NASH.
By Cable to The Star and Chlctfo Dally
News. Copyright, 1922.
f PARIS, February 11.?In the face of
I the economic and financial situation of
France, which admittedly does not look
brilliant, Parisian business men express
astonishment at the rapid rise In the
value of tlie franc, the exchange im
proving twenty-five points in twenty
four hours. Within the last ten days
the American dollar has fallen from 13
to 11.50, and this gratifies the French
1 "^Dpinkufls divided as to whether the
! rise will be permanent or only tempo
1 rary It may continue some time longer,
I and," according to one estimate, It may
reach a level of 10 francs to the dollar.
Most authorities expect that the ex
change will bo stabilized at the rate of
11 or 12 to 1. Stock brokers declare
that the tourist business this spring
should keep the txchange from falling
off sharply. ,
Explanations Offered.
Various explanations are offered for
the present state of affairs. A leading
'American banker tells me that the num
ber of American buyers in France is un
usually large this year. On account of
the probable passage of the Fordney
tariff bill they want to buy as many
French luxury goods as possible before
the application of the new schedule In
New York, and their purchases keep up
the heavy demand for francs.
Intelligent French economists say
that on account of the business de
pression French purchases in the
United State? have been reduced to a
minimum. The textile mills at Lile,
' for Instance, are now using less tran
one-third of the maximum amount
1 of cotton formerly consumed. The
I reduction of imports, combined with the
' Increase in exports, has tended to bal
ance the French trade budget
American Bank* Boy.
j American banks admit that they
i have been buying large blocks of
[French money lately on the open
I market. One published item speaks
of the purchase of 60,000,000 francs
(normally $18,000,000) In one day by
the Guaranty Tnwt of New York, the
Equitable Trust and the Crase-Na
tional Bank.
Finally, politics have assuredly con
tributed something to the rise in the
value of the franc. It can hardly be
doubted that the defense of the An
glo-French pact by Prime Minister
Lloyd George In the house of com
mons has strengthened French pres
tige abroad. It has apparently given
the impression that the future of
France to tied up to ft certain extent
with) that of Britain. >
GERMANS GET THEATER.
Was Seized at Prague by Actors in
| ' 1921 Blots.
1 PRAGUE, February 11.?The German
Estates Theater of Prague, which was
seised by the actors of the Czech-Na
tional Theater during anti-German riots
in 1921, has been returned to the Ger
man lessee, it was announced today.
Caech performances will oontinue-in the
theater for the present, and the lessee
is to receive an indemnity for lta seis
in*. > : ?
Germans Expect Him to
Lighten Indemnity' Burden
DR. HAVENSTE1N,
Who la In charier of GeruanySi In
demnity affairs and who la conduct
ing: repnrntlona negotiation* with the
alllro. HIh effort* to relieve bin peo
1 pie of a purt of the flnaaclal load they
I are carrying: hnve met with little fa
; vor in the allied eountrlra.
Novel Experience of Pitts
burgher, Only American Of
ficer in Foreign Legion.
IN PARIS ON BRIEF LEAVE
left His Company Tied Up by
Cold in Mountains South
east of Fez.
BY WILLIAM E. NASH.
By Cable to The Star and Chli*a?o Daily News.
IVwriBht. 19?.
PARIS, February 11.?Snowed un
der in hottest Africa was the novel
experience recently of Edgar Gerard
Hamilton of Pittsburgh, a former
member of the Lafayette squadron
and the only American officer in tho
French Foreign Legion. He is visiting
Paris this week on a short military
leave. Hamilton left his company
tied up by the cold in the mountain
ous region southeast of Fez, Morocco.
He must be back with his men at the
first sign of spring and expects stiff
fighting with the natives before
long.
It is a romantic story this soldier
of fortune has to tell. The foreign
legion is made up of adventurer*
from every corner of the earth, and
Hamilton says no questions are asked
as to their past. Forty per cent of
the enrollment consist of German
volunteers recruited in tho Rhlneland
since the armistice and amounting
'in round numbers to 5,000 men. Then
come Russians, who fled from Mocovy
after the bolshevist revolution. Third
in numbers are Sinn Feiners whose |
presence in Ireland proved disagree- ]
able to former British rulers.
Ten Americana in Ranks.
Ten Americans are serving' ini the
legion as privates or non-commis
sioned officers. Three of them hail
from Chicago. James Card well Ruth
erford, with the rank of corporal. Is j
stationed at Sidl-Bel-Abbes, Algeria,
the headquarters of the foreign le
gion. Daniel Cole, a negro private, a
graduate of the University of Michi- j
gan and the Massachusetts Institute j
of Technology, who despaired of gain
ing success as an engineer in the
United States, is serving at the front
in Morocco. He hopes to gain a com
mission In the French army, where
no color line is drawn, and carve out
a career for himself in aerial engi
neering.
A Mr. Winston is working out a live
year enlistment period in the jungles
of Indo-China. Two years ago he fell
in love with a French girl and wanted
to marry her, but she refused to live
in the United States. He tried to find
permanent employment in Paris, but
failed, because he was not a French
citizen. It is a long and tedious task'
to acquire naturalisation by the ordi
nary process, but it can be done ac
cording to French law by serving
three years in the foreign legion. Win
ston seized the opportunity, and if he
survives the malaria and yellow fever
in Indo-China, he will win citizenship
and a wife.
Lirtac Conditions Not Ideal.
"Living conditions In the foreign le
gion are not ideal," says Lieut. Hamil
ton, "but there are some compensatory
features. Our conditions are much
better than those in the Spanish for
eign legion. I know several men who
were so brutally mistreated by Span
ish officers In the recent campaign
about Melllla that they fled to Fez and
are now serving In the French foreign
legion.
"Despite Its heterogeneous composi
tion our unit claims to be the best
disciplined division in the French
army. We have plenty to do in Mo
rocco. Large afeas to the south of
the Atlas mountains remain unsub
dued by the French. The natives flght
fiercely and cut off the heads of the
men they take prisoners; It will take
some years to reduce them."
Notwithstanding the guerrilla fight
ing described by Lieut. Hamilton, It la
well known that the French have ac
complished wonders in the way of
road building in the pacified regions.
Practically the whole credit Is given
to Gen. Lyautey, the resident general,
at one time minister of war and one
of the leading adminstrators of the
French nation.
BOOTLEGGER DENOUNCED.
Maryland Judge Declares Him
Worse Than Any Other Criminal.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
FREDERICK, Md., February 1L?
"The bootlegger," said Judge Glenn H.
Worthlngton, In instructing the Febru
ary grand Jury, "causes more heart
aches, ruins more lives, does more
harm, and works greater injury -to the
community lha.n any other criminal.
"You are Instructed to Investigate
fully all reports of the violation of the
Volstead act, and the county prohibi
tion law. People who beUeve that the
prohibition law should not be enforced
are not themselves law-abiding citi
zens."
Judge Worthlngton's address to the
grand Jury, of which James H. Gam
brill, jr., Is foreman, followed on the
heels of recent crusades against "wide
open and thriving blind tigers" In this
city. A recent haul netted the county
over 11,000 In fines, the payers of
which have been before oonvlcted in
the lower courts of peddling bootleg
whisky and intoxicants.
0STBATJ STB1EE OVER.
PRAGUE, February 11.?The strike
of coal miners of the Ostrau region,
which has been in progress since Feb
ruary I, was ended today. An agree
ment was reached whereby the
miners' wares will he lowered by a
parity commission composed of four
delegates representing the owners
and the miners, on a basis of the mar
ket prlc? ot oommedltietv |
GERMANY DISCOURAGED
OVER U. S. GENOA STAND
Harden Declares American Participation
Would Be Stabilizing Influence to Con
ference, Threatened With Disruption.
BY MAXIMILIAN HARDEN,
Germany'* Foremost Publicist.
By Cable to The Star.
BERLIN, February 11.?If the
United States is not to be' repre
sented at the Genoa conference,
much of. Germany's hope In the
gathering dies.
America would have an amelio
rating influence at the conference.
The discussions would be on
broader planes and the conclusions
reached might accomplish some
thing toward the restoration of
peace and the reconstruction of
Europe.
With England and France In
their present temper, it is difficult
to see how much can be accom
plished without the influential in
tervention of a power like the
United States.
France Threatens Conference.
France even now is threatening
to wreck the conference and may
succeed irt doing so if the United
States holds aloof. It was hoped
by the better elements in Germany
that the United States might see
in the Genoa conference a chance
for wide-world service, for as I
have said before, a European con
ference of the scope planned for
Genoa, with Germany and the Rus
sian sovlets attending, has a
meaning for America as well as
for the distracted countries and
pooples of Europe.
Europe needs the common sense
of America in her councils! The
Washington conference was able
to accomplish much for the tran
quillity of aiTairs in the far east
only because of the American in
fluence.
On the other hand, America
needs Europe. She must have an
outlet for her excess goods.
It was thought here that new
order in the far east would be the
price of American co-operation In
healing Europe's sufferings.
Russia Pivotal Point.
It has been thought here that
the gigantic problem of Russia
might bring the United States to
Genoa?Russia, which has so long
been treated like a mere epidemic,
with quarantine and disinfection.
For Russia is one of the chief
problems of the world economio
situation. It would make a vast dif
ference In the land of the dollar
If the markets of Asia were opened
to the products of American labor
and your unemployed were back at
work.
It is impossible to say at this
time just what the position of
Germany and Russia, will b? at
the conference with America ab
sent. Who will lead the way at
Genoa as America led the way
with proud Bolf-sacrlflee at Wash
ington? Not France, for Franoe
can see only her own troubles and
her own problems. France thinks
that all of Europe's future depends
upon the satisfaction of France's
demands against Germany. But,
as I have already pointed out in
these dispatches, France's recov
ery is not a preliminary condi
tion to Europe's restoration, but
will be the consequence of that
restoration, for France is not
economimliy the most important
country or a oontinent whose fate
may be decided at Genoa.
Great Britain, with the moral
Support of the United States be
hind her, might go far at Genofc,
for England knows the impossi
bility of Germany executing the
French reparations claims. But
how far ran England go wMle at
loggerheads with France?
AstngonUtlr Attitude.
France is taking the position
that she will withhold participa
tion in the Genoa parley if it is to
dii>:'uss any of the real problems
which confront Europe today.
France says she will not discuss
reparations, when all the world?
except France?knows that the
reparations demands must be a
factor in any attempt to readjust
and reconstruct this continent.
France says the treaty of Ver
sailles with its mass of contradic
tions, shall not be discussed. But
If Europe is to go on under this
treaty as it has in the last two
and a half years, why talk of re
? construction?
France says that the Genoa con
ference must not do anything- that
the league of nations ought to do,
and thus she all but closes the
door in the face of the United
States.
France wants the conference so
narrowed that it would be futile
to hold it.
I may add myself that without
tho United States present this nar
rowness ar.d futility- are lnev
I table.
(Copyright, 1922.)
SARRAUT LAUDS ARMS CUT ACTION
AS FRENCH ENVOYS SAIL FOR HOME
By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK. February 11.?The
French delegation to the armament
conference at Washington, headed by
Albert Sarraut, French minister of
colonies, sailed for home today on the
steamship La Savoie.
The party included, besides M. Sar
raut, Maurice Casenave, former
French high commissioner here; Ad
miral de Bon of the French navy,
Allbert Kammerer, general secretary
of the delegation, and a score of mili
tary attaches, undersecretaries and
clerks.''
M. Sarraut Issued the foil owing
statement, through an interpreter:
"I am taking away with me the
fondest recollection of my stay in the
United States. I came here -with the
very deepest feeling* of appreciation
for America, which have ibeen made
more pronounced during my stay.
"I shall cherish the memory of the
confidence which has been welded be
tween America and France. I am very
proud to have been able to 'bring my
co-operation to the great arms con
ference In Washington, which I con
sider to have had the best results In
reaching fhe ends sought for. I am
confident that the conference has suc
ceeded in fulfilling the wishes of the
American government and the other
nations of the world. All the pro
visions in the limitations of arma
ment have been very good measures.
I feel sure that the example set will
be followed by the other nations of
the world."
REBELS CURBED BY WIRELESS
UNDER PRESENT MEXICAN RULE
MEXICO CITY, January IB.?Wire
less telegraphy has contributed great
ly to keeping down revolution in
Mexico, and the government, recog
nising Its value, is establishing sta
! tlons In every large city In the re
1 public.
Officials assert that by using the
wireless they are able to communi
cate directly and immediately with
military headquarters and thus are
able to head off many incipient up
risings which might grow Into seri
ous revolutions if not promptly
checked.
In the old days the first thing a
band of rebels did was to cut all tele
graph .and telephone wires, thus Iso
lating the region of revolt.
In its station at Chapultepec Park
here the Mexican government has one
of the largest and best equipped
JUGOSLAVS SHE
POLITICAL SNAGS
Various Racial Elements Re
tard Consolidation of
New Kingdom.
BEIjQRADE, January 23.?The po
litical consolidation of the new
kingdom of Jugoslavia is pot pro
ceeding as rapidly or satisfactorily
as friends of the oountry might wish,
despite the fact thait it has a unified
constitution to which most of the
parties of the state have subscribed.
There are not lacking among the
various racial elements in the popu
lation evidences of antagonism and
lack of co-operation.
Racial Group* Differ.
One racial group feels Itself supe
rior to the other and thinks in conse
quence It ought to have a greater
voice in the affairs of the country.
The" Serbians, for example, feel that
by reason of their numbers and their
experience in government and state
craft they are the most important ele
ment in Jugoslavia and should have
the dominant part in gilding the
country's destinies.
The Croat* and Slovenes, on the
other hand, feel that the education,
culture and modern training they re
ceived under the Austrlans gives them
an Intellectual and cultural superiori
ty over their brother Slavs to the
south, and that therefore they are
the best qualified to lead the nation
through the difficult days of organiza
tion, reconstruction and consolida
tion.
The old Austrian empire systemat
ically encouraged discord between the
Serbs and Croats and held out to the
Croats as a reward the hope of a
great Croatian state within the Haps
burg monarchy. In some parts of
Croatia that hope still persists.
Acrbnoay tm Cablaet.
In the Jugoslav cabinet there are
no less than eighteen members, rep
resenting all political and racial
groups, and Important geographical
areas, have equal representation. Even
the Mohammedan population of Bos
nia and Macedonia have a voice in
the ministry, there being four Mos
lem members. The sittings of the
cabinet often are characterised by
bitter aerlmony and partisan strife.
Cabinet "crises" occur frequently.
But while all this party discord and
racial discord exist, few doubt that
the nation ultimately will reach its
goal of -political and social unifica
tion. The process will necessarily be
slow, probably fraught with, many
difficulties.
plants oil the continent. During the
Carranza administration the station
was practically idle, but during the
past few months It has been used
daily by the government in sending
official news letters to Central and
South American countries and in
keeping Its ministers and consul* In
formed of affairs at home.
It has been announced that the gov
ernment expects to open the station
shortly for commercial work.
It has also been found that the
station here can be used as a supple
ment for the land wires throughout
the republic and congestion on the
latter is often relieved by the Cha
pultcpec plant.
Ignacio Oallndo, who for many
vears has been identified with wire
less activity in Mexico, will represent
the republic at the radio-telegraph
convention to be held in Rome next
Chamber of Commerce De
plores Socializing Tendency
of Government.
By the Associated Press.
BREMEN, February 11.?The Ger
man government's tendency to so
cialise and oommunlze industrial en
terprises is seriously hampering the
country's economic reconstruction, in
the opinion of the Bremen chamber
ot commerce, expressed in its annual
report.
The report declares the stabilisa
tion of Industry and finance can come
only after the administration estab
lishes recognizably sound policies at
home and abroad, which will prevent
fluctuations in the value of the mark
and make traders confident that
worthwhile contracts will be exe
cuted. The chamber expects this to
come when the government "quits
meddling In private business" and
gives over government control of in
dustries to private ownership.
Political Situation Quieting.
"The internal political situation,"
says the report, "has noticeably
quieted down. There are signs ot an
increased desire to work and cer
tainly the cry for socialisation or the
communication of industries is gradu
ally obeying this desire. The people
are beginning to recognllse that state
ownership cannot be substituted for
private enterprise.
"Now and then, of course, a ten
dency on the part of .the authorities
to interfere with economio situations
which are not developing according
to their wishes crops out; but this
usually has had the opposite result to
what was expected. It is sUperflous
to state that compulsion will destroy
the natural development at the power
of our industrious people."
Warn* Against Carelessness,
While the report declares the cham
ber of commero* la in favor of politi
cal reforms, a warning is issued that
this should not be undertaken In a
slipshod manner or before it is fully
understood what the effect may be.
"We are convinced, however," the
report .continue*, "that in the course
of tlmo economio good sense will
prevail."
The report says Import* and exports
have remained without Important
change as compared, with the pre
vious year, hut that business men are
pleased with the tendency of foreign
price* to rlaa MK M?M1* tfcaft do
Chosen to Preside Over
Highest of World Courts
DR. B. T. C. LODER,
A former mombrr of the Dutch su
preme court, who ha* been elected
president of the International jonrt
?f Justice. Dr. Loder la an authority
on maritime law and no la eminently
qualified to Mlt on the court before
which all International maritime dis
putes will go for decisions.
ROLE OF EX-KAISER
AS SAVER REVEALED
BY CUTTING PENSIONS
By Caliln to The Stur.
PARIS, February 11.?New facts
are coming to light which demon
strate that the deposed Teutonic
monarchs were not such bad fel
lows, after all.
The kaiser, for Instance, who has
been so much abhorred by right
thinking people until now, has
his merits. People may say he was
wont to murder and torpedo hos
pital ships, but against these
weaknesses a recent biographer
sets the virtue of thrift. Thrift
atones for many faults.
It appears that Wilhelm was so
thrifty, when he used to live in
Potsdam, that sometimes he would
save as much as $250,000 a year.
Lest the reader suppose that he
accomplished this by denying him
self wholesome food or cutting
down on his wife's wardrobe, it is
explained that even during the
war the kaiser always insisted on
having the best of victuals on his
table, and his wife enjoyed every
luxury her heart desired. There
was nothing mean about William.
He accomplished a large part of
his savings, it is said, by reducing
the pensions of retired palace
servants to three or four marks a
month. The enormous pension roll
previously paid to the aged, de
crepit and totally useless ex
servitors was a quite needless ex
pense.
Future generations of school
children may learn many a useful
lesson about how to take care of
their pennies by studying the life
of Wilhelm II of Prussia.
*
EUROPE STILL HOPES,
FOR WORLD LEAGU*
Barnes Says-Britain Finds Much to Conjj
mend in Conference?Has Little
Faith in Rules of Warfare.
BY GEORGE X. BARNES,
British Parliament Leader.
By Ri'ilio to Tbe Star.
LONDON, February 11.?Mr. Balfour
and his colleagues of the Briltsh dele
gation to America, are nearing their
home shores today, and the Wash
ington conference has passed Into his
tory. Its decisions will. In due course
of time, be dealt with by the United
States Senate and by the various
ratifying: authorities of the partici
pating1 states.
In its recommendations, as well as
in the motives which inspired it, the
Washington conference has revived
hopes of a real peace and a world set
tlement. It is true that many in Eu
rope would rather have had the con
ference convoked oy an all-embracing
league of nations, and most of us still
hope for such a conference In the fu
ture. But we are all glad that so
much has been done in the meantime
at Washington for world appease
ment.
Will Lessen Expenses.
The indorsement of the Washington
agreements by ail the powers con
cerned will lessen warlike expendi
tures and remove cause of friction
between the nations most likely to
clash over far eastern problems.
Incidentally, Washington has re
moved a cause of much speculation j
and possible ill will between ' this
country and the United States by the
mergence of the Anglo - Japanese
treaty into the larger four-power pact
regarding the settlement of Pacific
disputes.
The Washington conference may be
said to have registered three main
positive decisions. These are:
The stabilization of surfac? warship
building.
The barring of the Paciflo Islands
for war purposes.
The restoration of Chinesa territory
to China.
Welcomes IT. 8. Co-Operation.
Regarding the first of these it is true
that it relegates England to a position
inferior to that which many of our
people had come to regard as hers by
prescriptive right. It has been tradi
tional with us that Britannia should
"rule the waves." And in truth Britain
has policed the seas. But all of that
was a condition of things inconsistent
with the growth of American wealth
and population.
We shall welcome the co-operation of
the United Slates in carrying out a task
which had become heavy to bear, and
we are confident that the navies of
England and the United States will
work hand in hand, not only for the
interests of the of the respective
countries, but for the right of all
nations to a legitimate freedom of the
seas. And the new allocation of sea
power brings an immediate relief from
competition in naval shipbuilding as
well as greater security to the world
in Anglo-American co-operation.
Distances Prevent War.
The second achievement of the Wash,
ington conference also brings re
trenchment and security. It in fact
makes Pacific warfare impossible, for
it maintains the immunities of th* vast
distances provided by nature. With
out bridging those distances by the
use of islands as base of operations
warships cannot be offensively i^ed.
And the. third"decision is no less sat
isfactory. The restoration of Shantung:
to China heals an open sore and brings
Japan into alignment with the moral
sense of mankind. The handing back
of Wei-Hai-Wei by Great Britain
closes the chapter in past diplomacy
which was not creditable to the
western world.
The "scramble" for China is ended.
Seen Little in Root Plan.
It is regrettable that except by
paper proscription an agreement was
not reached on the question of sub
marines. We attach little impor*
tance to Mr. Root's resolution forl>id?
ding the use of submarines againsj
merchantmen, for we have had an un
happy experience with the futility of
so-called rules of warfare. We be
lieve that once war clouds burst war
lords will do their worst unless there
is provision made for instant penal
ties for the breach.
The Poles have proved this by the
occupation of Vilna, in spite of the
league of nations rules and protesta
tions.
And the same applies to the use of
poison gas. All that can be said for
the Washington resolution against
submarines and gas is that they reg
ister the abhorrence of mankind re
garding these barbarities. And with
that we must, for ^?e moment, be con
tent.
But the various Washington trea
ties. apart from these resolutions, are
a solid gain. They will prevent war.
That is infinitely better than making
rules for war. And they will prevent
the waste of labor in preparing for
war.
President Harding and all of those
who have been associated with him
may be heartily congratulated. They
have been privileged to render the
world a great service.
There need be no doubt that the
ratification of the Washington trea
ties by the competent British, authori
ties.
(Copyright, 1922.)
LANDRU RETRIAL ASKED.
Demented Person Now Connected
With Bluebeard Case.
By the Associated Press.
PARIS, February 11.?Counsel for
Henri Landru, the "Bluebeard of
Gambai," now under sentence of death
for the murder of ten women and a
boy. today filed a demand with the
court of cassation for a revision of his
case.
The demand for retrial was asked
on the ground that new evidence had
been discovered. An inhabitant of
Uambai is said to have declared he
saw a demented person of that neigh
borhood take some bones from a
nearby ossuary and carry them to
Landru's villa.
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