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Show : v T f t njU! -- t, M l- - - . - t v ; , .- i i j .X v r x i rf A' 1 Aeronnirine seaplane taking on a bag of late foreign mail lor delivery to the steamer Adriatic, whicii had left New York for Europe several hours before. 2 Sale of surplus army food Irv the New York custom house to employees. 3 Senator Thomas of Colorado who denounced as "nothing short of treason" the demands de-mands of the railway brotherhoods. HEWS REVIEW OF CURRENT EVENTS Relations With Mexico Strained When U. S. Troops Cross Border Bor-der in Chase of Bandits. j CARRANZA PROTEST FUTILE President Wilson Discusses Peace Treaty With Senate Foreign Relations Rela-tions Committee, Without Visible Vis-ible Result Progress of the War on Profiteers, and Hoarders. By EDWARD W. PICKARD. Relations with Mexico flared up again alarmingly last week and the amateur and unofficial prophets freely predicted that we would be at war with our southern neighbor within a short time. Once more American troops have crossed the border, without with-out asking permission of Carranza, for the purpose of capturing Mexicans who have committed outrages against American citizens and for whose actions ac-tions the whiskered one says he cannot can-not be held responsible. The capture and holding for ransom of the two army aviators who had lost their way was the act of a small band of bandits, but the administration at AVashington shows a growing inclination inclina-tion to step across the border and "clean things up" If the federal government govern-ment of Mexico cannot do the job. It appears that a stern warning was Issued Is-sued some time ago to Carranza, to which he replied at length, stating that his government would do and was doing do-ing all in its power to protect the lives and property of foreigners in Mexico. In this case of the captured aviators who were released on payment of part of the ransom-federal troops were sent after the offenders. The American Ameri-can punitive expedition consisted of part of the Eighth cavalry, aided by some army flyers. They caught two bandits and killed four others who opened fire on them when surrounded. Under instructions from his government, govern-ment, Ambassador Bonillas entered, protest against the "Invasion" and demanded de-manded the immediate withdrawal of the troops. The reply, drafted by President Pres-ident Wilson, was a flat refusal to comply with the demand.' The press of Mexico City was aroused to loud protest. One or two of the papers pa-pers there, however, realize the seriousness seri-ousness of the situation that has been created by the numerous outrages against foreigners nnd admit that unless un-less Carranza radically changes his policies he will invite disaster to himself him-self and to Mexico. In the United States Indignation Is by no means confined to the border states or to those who have suffered, financially or otherwise, at the hands of the Mexicans. The demand Is general gen-eral that our government give to American citizens everywhere the full protection to which they are entitled, and there is a feeling that unless It does so our membership in the League of Nations would be farcical. Which brings us tu the second great event of the week, the unprecedented meeting of the senate committee on foreign relations with President Wilson in the White House for the elucidation elucida-tion of many points in connection with the peace treaty and league covenant. In accordance with the desires of both parties, the entire proceedings were given full publicity, but a study of them and of the subsequent subse-quent comments of the participants does not show that much was accomplished accom-plished In the way o removing the obstacles ob-stacles to ratification of the treaty. Mr. Wilson made a long preliminary statement to the senators and then answered an-swered their many questions with all frankness. lis position regarding Interpretations jind reservations might be summarized thus: If ordinary common com-mon sense Is used In reading the treaty nnd covenant they are unnecessary; unnec-essary; If they merely accompany the act of ratification there is no objection objec-tion to them; but if they are made a part of the rcMjlullon of ratification, long delays would result because all the other nations would have to be asked to accept the language of the senate as the language of the treaty; it would be especially humiliating to have to ask the assent of the German national assembly. Senator Fall called the president's attention to the fact that Germany is not to be an original member of the league and consequently any amendments to the covenant proposed before her admission admis-sion would not be submitted to her. Mr. Wilson admitted this was true and that the point had not occurred to him, but he insisted that Germany already has a relationship to the league and that it was the plan to admit her immediately. As for article 10, the crux of the whole fight, President Wilson interpreted inter-preted it as follows : If the league calls on the United States to send troops abroad to preserve the territorial terri-torial integrity of another member state from external aggression, the United States will be under an absolutely abso-lutely compelling moral obligation, though not a legal obligation, to comply. com-ply. But the league cannot call on the United States for such aid unless the American member votes his approval ap-proval in accord with American public pub-lic sentiment. After it was all over, Senator Hitchcock Hitch-cock said the president had clarified many involved questions in a wonderful wonder-ful manner and that speedy ratification ratifica-tion would he the result. Senator Lodge said Mr. Wilson had not given them much real information and that the admissions he had made had vindicated vin-dicated the criticisms leveled at the league covenant. Between these extremes ex-tremes stand the "mild reservation-ists." reservation-ists." To capture their votes, Senator Pittmnn of Nevada took the reservations reserva-tions they advocate, called tliem "interpretations "in-terpretations or understandings," and put them into a resolution which he presented to the senate for its adoption adop-tion apart from the resolution of ratification. rati-fication. He asserted that he was acting act-ing with the president's approval, whereupon Senator Hitclicock, administration admin-istration leader, felt himself ignored and showed that Tittman's resolution was not much to his liking. The opponents op-ponents of the covenant were brutally brutal-ly outspoken in condemning the resolution. reso-lution. In the course of the lively debate de-bate Mr. Pittman admitted that the League of Nations was "hardly more than a meeting place where the consensus con-sensus of the civilized world may be obtained and its moral force brought to bear." "If you'll write that into the league covenant there will be no difficulty about its ratification," Interrupted Senator Reed of Missouri (Iem.). Paris correspondents predict that the peace conference will adjourn within two or three weeks and that when It reassembles In November or December the United States will not be represented unless In the meantime the senate shall have ratified the treaty and decided that we shall accept ac-cept mandates. The work for the conference con-ference after It reconvenes will be the partition of Turkey and the settlement settle-ment of the Thraclan and Adriatic questions. If the United States does uot take part in these, both Italy and Greece expect to win their demands, for the Americans are now their only opponents. As to Thrace, the American Amer-ican delegation insists on the creation of a buffer state that will give Pul-garia Pul-garia access to the sea. The Greeks and Turks, who make up the bulk of the population of Dedcagateh district, dis-trict, involved in this plan, are, bitterly bitter-ly opposed to the continuation of anything any-thing like Bulgarian rule there and are reported to be preparing to resist it by arms. It is not the intention of the peace conference to leave any part of Thrace in the possession of Bulgaria. Bul-garia. The council of five hopes that the Austrian treaty will be signed within a week. It also Is feeling optimistic about Hungary, where a new coalition cabinet has been formed, nnd thinks it may soon be able to recognize the government at Budapest and present the Hungarian treaty for signature. The week's news from Russia was somewhat more encouraging, for Admiral Ad-miral Kolehak appeared to have stopped his retreat and to have checked the pursuing bolshevists. The red forces were ousted from Odessa, and lost ground in some other regions. In the Gulf of Finland a British fleet encountered a number of bolshevist vessels and snnk four of them, thereafter concentrating against Kronstadt. The fortress was bombarded bom-barded and the city set on fire. The situation in Upper Silesia Is confused and confusing. The Germans and t lie Poles are fighting ench other in a desultory fashion there, and both are contending with the striking workers of the country who have become be-come so violent that the German authorities au-thorities proclaimed martial law. The new German constitution has just gone into effect, and a summary of it has been made public in America. Amer-ica. It seems to be in most respects an admirable document, designed to establish and maintain n moderate and commendable form of republican government, more strongly centralized than our own. The powers of the president are very great. The equality equal-ity of all men and women before the law is asserted, and titles, of nobility are abolished except "as a part of a person's name." It is noticeable, however, how-ever, that Germany Is still called an empire. It may be added, as a matter of interest, that the former kaiser has just bought a place of residence in Holland, and that current reports of his fast failing health are flatly contradicted con-tradicted by a correspondent who sees William nearly every day. Uncle Sara's war against the profiteers prof-iteers and hoarders went on steadily if not so swiftly as the victims of the H. C. of L. might have hoped. The ultimate consumer hailed with enthusiasm en-thusiasm the assertion by Attorney General Palmer that the small retailers retail-ers as well as the big retailers and the wholesalers are going to feel the heavy hand of the department of justice. jus-tice. He appeared before the house committee on agriculture to discuss proposed amendments to the food control con-trol act, and argued against a provision pro-vision that would exempt from prosecution prose-cution as profiteers those retailers who do an annual business below $100,1X10. Many of the complaints of extortionate prices, he said, are against the small dealers and he added add-ed he would feel hopeless If he were restricted to the larger dealers. Mr. Palmer also asked the committee to withdraw the proposed provision giving giv-ing the president authority to fix prices. This, he said, he considered unnecessary and calculated to provoke too much discussion. The only amendments amend-ments he favored were one extending the scope of the act to include wearing wear-ing apparel and containers of foci-is. feeds and fertilizers, and one imposing impos-ing a penalty of $5,000 or Imprisonment Imprison-ment for two years for profiteering. The great quantities of foodstuffs which have been seized in various cities by the agents of the department of justice will not be placed on the market until proper court proceedings have been completed. Meanwhile the government Is disposing of Its vast surplus army stores practically at cost, and the way in which hundreds of thousands of people struggle for a chance to buy these commodities is sufficient evidence of their need. The actors' strike, after spreading to Chicago, became so stubborn a struggle there that the unions of inn-sieans inn-sieans and stage bunds were called on for help, with the result that nearly near-ly every theater was obliged to close. Efforts to end the strike amicably in New York were fruitless, and it was said there it might be extended to cover cov-er the entire country and all hall shows, including the movies. Within a week there probably will be a conference between the officials of the steel workers' unions and rep-resentatives rep-resentatives of the United States Steel corporation. If it Is refused bv the latter, a committee beaded by Samuel Gompers is empowered to call a strike forthwith. The corporation maintain the open shop, and the unions wish to present to it a rather portentous list of 1'J basic demands. Oudahy, Wis., and Hammond, Ind., wpr the scenes of .strike riots and state troops were hurried to both plac".!' to restore order, which they, did. The farmers have won their flpht against daylight saving, for although the rest of the popr'aiion Is unanimous unani-mous In Its favor, ll, hill for repeal of the law was passed by both house and senate over the vHo I'i-".sM-)ut Wilson. |
