OCR Text |
Show 'HEWS REVIEW OF CURRENT EMS Election of New Pope Affected by the Jealousies of the Nations of Europe. PRO-GERMAN MAY EE MED America's Attitude Toward the Genoa Conference Shantung Question Near Settlement In Washington Secretary Sec-retary Wallace's Agricultural Confab Develops Much Friction. By EDWARD W. PICKARD ALL Europe and in a lesser degree all America Is interested in the selection of a pope to succeed Benedict Bene-dict XV. The sacred college has been 'summoned to meet on February 2 for this purpose and the cardinals are all hurrying to Rome. Those from the United States and Canada cannot reach the Eternal city in time for the opening of the conclave unless It is postponed, and may be too late even to participate in the election. This, however, Is unlikely, since the campaign, cam-paign, if one may so term It, is becoming be-coming so complicated that the choice of a pope may be delayed. According to Italian correspondents, the main Ipsue is again what is called the Roman question the question of relations re-lations betwen the Vatican and the Qulrinal. The Italian cardinals, who are in the majority in the sacred college, col-lege, are. divided into two camps on this matter, some supporting the policies poli-cies of Plus X who favored a strong church independent of the Italian states, and some standing for Benedict's Bene-dict's measures of rapprochement with the Italian government, leading up to final reconciliation. In the former for-mer group the leading candidates are Cardinals Bogglani, Merry del Val and Laurenti ; In the latter, Cardinals Gas-parrl, Gas-parrl, Maffi, Ratti and Vanutelli. Cardinal La Fontaine of Venice had been classed with the Pius group, but It Is said Pope Benedict's dying wish was that he be elected. The Italian government Is supporting the candidacy candi-dacy of Maffi because of his strong nationalistic tendencies. Though It Is believed Cardinal Mer-cier, Mer-cier, the hero of Belgium, will receive a large vote on the first ballot. It Is generally conceded that no non-Italian can be elected. However, foreign nations na-tions are concerning themselves greatly great-ly in the affair and the International jealousies and suspicions generated by the World war are playing an Important Im-portant part. France does not desire de-sire that relations between the Vatican Vati-can and the Qulrinal shall be restored, re-stored, fearing she would lose the advantage ad-vantage she now holds as the strongest Catholic power. Belgium and Poland will vote as does France. Some of the Italian cardinals were quite sympathetic sym-pathetic toward the central powers during the war and there was a rumor that they might combine with those from certain other countries to elect a pro-Oerman. After lying in state four days, during dur-ing which time it was viewed by many thousands of mourners, the body of Pope Benedict was carried on Thursday into the choir chapel of St. Peter's church where the last rites were performed. Placed in a triple casket of pine, lead and walnut, the remains were then interred in a crypt of the lower church, a part of the old basilica which dates from the fifth century. The oflicial recognition of the pope's death ordered by the Italian government has been especially pleasing pleas-ing to the Catholic church. Flags on ail .government olliccs were half starred. AT THIS writing the fulled States government has not yet announced an-nounced its decision relative to participation par-ticipation iri I'.e conference at Oenoa. President Harding was in consultation with Secretary of Stale llogiies. Secretary Sec-retary of Commerce Hoover, Senator r,randcL-oe, EMhu K'.er nod otli-.-rs. and ir was reported he had fbout made up his mind lo send his r'-rrets. The ; administration is not satisfied with the present policies of some European governments which are asking its help in the reconstruction of Europe and believes they should mend their ways. Four cardinal principles fhich It holds they should adopt, according to information from Washington, are: First, reduction of their excessive military establishments ; second, balancing bal-ancing of national budgets, levying of adequate taxes, recognition of financial finan-cial engagements ; third, stopping the practice of issuing enormous amounts of paper money ; fourth, recognition that the economic recovery of Europe Is related to economic rehabilitation of Germany, which Involves a just and speedy settlement of the reparations problem. The premiers who agreed to Invite the soviet government of Russia to take part in the conference at Genoa may repent their action if Lenin and Ills crowd carry out the plan announced an-nounced in Moscow. It Is said they will present enormous claims against the allied governments and the United States for damages sustained by Russia Rus-sia through the repeated attempts to overthrow the soviet regime and against Finland because it is alleged to have supported the revolt in Karelia. These claims would far more than offset the old Russian debts owed to other nations, recognition of which has been one of the chief demands de-mands made on the soviet government. PREMIER POINCARE still Insists that German reparations shall not be discussed at all at Genoa, but he is trying to come to an amicable arrangement ar-rangement with Lloyd George concerning con-cerning an alliance. His plan Is that the duration of the alliance shall be unlimited Instead of ten years; that It be reciprocal ; that the term "German "Ger-man aggression" Include attack on the allies in the neutral or occupied zones of the Rhineland ; that there be immediate im-mediate discussion if there is menace on Germany's eastern frontier, and that there be permanent contact between be-tween the French and British general staffs. It was said Lloyd George probably prob-ably would accept all but the third and fourth of these suggestions. The fourth would amount to a guarantee for Poland. In asking that the duration dura-tion of the alliance be unlimited, France explains that Germany will not be recovered sufficiently to attack within ten years. Presumably she also takes into consideration the fact that the plebiscite in the Sarre valley will not take place until 1934. UNLESS Peking is unexpectedly stubborn, the Shantung question should be settled very shortly, enabling ena-bling the arms conference to adjourn sine die. Through the efforts of Secretary Sec-retary Hughes and Mr. Balfour a compromise plan was arranged last week and cabled to Tokyo and Peking for acceptance. Under this proposal Japan gives up her demand that the railway be paid for through a loan by Japanese bankers, and in return China agrees to the retention of a Japanese traffic manager and accountant during the period of payment. The road Is to be purchased by China with treasury treas-ury notes payable at option five to fifteen years hence. Japan's acceptance accept-ance of this plan was believed certain, cer-tain, and President Harding himself appealed to Minister Sze to Induce Peking to approve of the agreement. The committee on far eastern affairs af-fairs concluded Its consideration of the Siberian question, and Japan Is left upon her honor to remove her troops from that country as soon &s the re-establishment of political stability sta-bility makes it safe to do so. Through Baron Shidehara she gave a virtual pledge to do this, and it was recorded in the minutes of the meeting. After fully explaining the present retention of Japanese troops in Siberia, the baron concluded : "Nothing Is further from the thought of the Japanese government than to take advantage of the present helpless condition of Russia to prosecute prose-cute selfish designs. "The military occupation of the Russian Rus-sian province of Sakhalin is only a temporary measure. "Irr conclusion, the Japanese delegation delega-tion is authorized to declare that It is Ihe fixed and settled policy of Japan to respect the territorial integrity of l:t:ssia. and to observe the principle of nonintervention in the internal affairs af-fairs of that country." The gentlemen from the Chita government gov-ernment must perforce be content with this, and it may be said that there is no apparent reason to doubt the good faith of Japan in the matter. The four powers signatory to the Pacific treaty have agreed to tin exchange ex-change of notes defining the treaty as not applicable to the mainland of Japan. Whether this Includes the Bonln and Loochoo Islands, as Japan wishes, is not-yet known. All three of the chief parties In the Japanese diet, wddch opened last week, are on record as approving the results of the Washington conference THREE hundred delegates to the agricultural conference called by Secretary Wallace were In session In Washington, and considerable frictionj developed during their deliberations.' The farmers bluntly set forth their woes, and President Harding and Mr.' Wallace let them know that the conclusions con-clusions reached by the conference would form the basis for a drive by1 the administration to obtain for them relief measures from congress. Noti only temporary relief will be asked, but measures that shall so stabilize agriculture that there will be greater, remuneration for the farmer and' lower prices for the consumer. Before' the conference had been In session two days insurgency made its appearance.' Some delegates declared the purpose of those responsible for the meeting was the destruction of the agricul-l tural bloc in congress. Making the, same charge, the Farmers' National council started a conference of its' own on Friday. PRESIDENT HARDING has given hearty approval to the St. Lawrence Law-rence waterway project, and under, his direction Secretary of State Hughes already Is negotiating with, the government of Great Britain for a treaty under which the United States and Canada can undertake the project jointly. The report of the. International joint commission, which was made to the house, caused a sharp parliamentary fight. Several commlt-i tees claimed jurisdiction over it, but Speaker Gillett ordered it referred to the interstate and foreign commerce committee, and later the ways and means committee was given joint consideration con-sideration of it. Opponents of the project, mostly from Atlantic coast states, made a futile effort to have the report turned over to the rivers and harbors committee, which is counted as hostile to the project. Probably: there will be no legislation until the necessary treaties are negotiated. SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY MELLON told the house ways and means committee that additional taxation taxa-tion to yield. $S50,000,000 in the next two years would be necessary to make: the Initial payments of the proposed. ?3,200,000,000 cash bonus to former service men. He also condemned as futile, unwise and improvident the plan of Chairman Fordney to finance the bonus from the sale of the refunded re-funded foreign war debts. All payments pay-ments of principal and interest on those debts, he said, should go toward retirement retire-ment of Liberty bonds and payment: of interest on them. Notwithstanding Mr. Mellon's warning, the majority leaders In congress decided that a bonus bill should originate in the house and be pressed to passage at once. Fordney still clings to his foreign for-eign debt plan, but Mellon's talk led to a revival of the proposed sales tax. CHILE Is not very enthusiastic over the meeting in Washington with Peru to settle their differences. She accepted the invitation but now says she will not take part if Bolivia Is allowed to be represented. The leading lead-ing Chilean newspaper says it must be stipulated that negotiations shall not alter the terms of the Ancon treaty. The appointment of the Chilean representative has been deferred de-ferred by the cabinet, AI EXTION should be made of the death of Viscount Bryce, former British ambassador to Washington. He was an eminent man of letters and publicist and wns so warm an admirer of the United States that he was sometimes called an "English Vankee." Ills work entitled "The American Commonwealth" has been a textbook In the schools of this country for many years. |