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Show NEWS REVIEW OF CURRENTEVENTS Lloyd George Defeats Attack of Asquith Coalition in Debate De-bate on Ireland. BRITISH COAL STRIKE ON Miners' Proposals for Settlement Laid Before Parliament Recent Events in Central Europe Secretary Houston Tells Bankers Taxes Cannot Be Reduced. By EDWARD W. PICKARD. Herbert Asquith's grand anti-government combination in England scored a complete failure in its first attempt to overthrow Premier Lloyd George last week. Parliament had assembled, and despite what must be considered the more pressing business of the coal miners' mi-ners' strike, the opposition started in on the Irish question, calling for a public inquiry into the alleged atrocities atroci-ties of the police and military in the island. The motion was made in the names of Henderson and Adamson, labor la-bor party leaders, and Asquith and Sir Donald Maclean, leaders of the liberals, liber-als, and the correspondents said it was supported by every party in the house of commons except the followers of Lloyd George. Notwithstanding such a powerful coalition, after a long and heated debate the government forced the withdrawal of the motion by a vote of 34G to 79. Lord Robert Cecil, speaking for the motion, denounced the administration in Ireland as one of the most disastrous disas-trous and tactless things in the country's coun-try's history, and declared that for the sake of the country's good name the government must clear itself of the charge of connivance in the reprisals. Mr. Asquith followed the same line of argument and described In detail the occurrences In Balbriggun and other towns. Sir Hamar Greenwood, chief secretary secre-tary for Ireland, set up the government's govern-ment's defense in a fiery speech. He declared the acts of the police were "deplorable but understandable" in view of the doings of the Irish murderers. murder-ers. Asserting that he, and no one else, was the head of the Irish government, govern-ment, Sir Hamar said : "We are breaking break-ing Irish terror. It is being broken by the forces of the crown which are being be-ing condemned here today. I foresee at no distant date the end of the regime of assassination in Ireland now being carried on by the Irish 'republican 'repub-lican army' which has members in every village. "We are breaking the boycott on the police and we are breaking the refusal to carry troops or police on the railroad. rail-road. I would rather see every Irish railroad shut down for a hundred years than yield one jot or tittle of our right to carry any one we please." It is the expressed opinion of certain American correspondents that the Asquith As-quith following in this matter, though heavily outvoted in the house of commons, com-mons, represents the majority of the English people and the most thoughtful thought-ful section of the country, and that the members of the house cannot much longer ignore the feelings of their constituents. con-stituents. This opinion, however, cannot can-not be accepted unreservedly in view of the bias displayed by these correspondents corre-spondents when dealing with Irish affairs. af-fairs. Kfforts to avert the strike of British coal miners faiied, and the men all quit work. Industrial and economic confusion confu-sion set In at once, but as the week drew to a close the situation was not without its hopeful aspects. The government, gov-ernment, the people generally and at least the liNiders of the miners' federation federa-tion fully realized the gravity of the crisis and the threat of greater disaster disas-ter to the country if the rail anil transport trans-port workers should strike in sympathy sym-pathy with the miners. Prime Minister Minis-ter Lloyd George presented the matter to the house of commons Tuesday night in a speech that won hearty applause ap-plause and that showed the govera- ment was leaving the door open for an early settlement of the trouble. He was preceded by William Brace, president presi-dent elect of the miners, who pleaded for permanent peace and made these proposals for settlement : First, grant of 2 shillings daily raise in pay, subject to review of the whole financial position of the mines at the end of the year. Second, establish district committees In all districts to deal with the question ques-tion of increased output, comprising both miners and owners. Third, before December 31 establish a national wage board of the mining industry on principles to be agreed upon to settle all wage disputes. Fourth, establish a joint committee of miners and owners in the mines department de-partment to settle the question of shares of the product of the mines for the miners and owners and the stass The premier in response said : "Jf the miners accepted the government's offer of an impartial tribunal to settle set-tle the two shillings a shift question, all arguments in support of their claim would be considered, but undoubtedly the settlement that would best meet the permanent well being of the nation would be a settlement which would promote increased output. "This would offer to the miners the inducement of a reward for their own labor and would certainly work to the enrichment of the nation by increasing the output of a product which is most essential to the proper conduct of foreign for-eign trade." Extremists in the federation urged that the men left in the mines to operate op-erate the pumps be withdrawn and the diggings allowed to fill with water, but the officers of the organization strongly strong-ly opposed this. The delegates of the railway men and transport workers decided that they would call a strike if promising negotiations were not under way by Saturday . Thus far there has not been a great deal of rioting in connection with the strike, though there were disorderly demonstrations in London and in Wales, usually fostered by radicals who are believed to be in the pay of the Russian Bolshevists. The most serious outbreak was in Whitehall, London, where & parade of the unemployed unem-ployed tried to break into Downing street1 and fought the police. Baron Wrangel, who is sustaining the full force of the Russian soviet attacks at-tacks in southern Russia, met with a severe reverse in the region of Kak-hovka Kak-hovka bridgehead and his troops were thrown back into the Taurida behind the Dnieper river, which they still control. con-trol. It was reported that Leon Trotz-ky Trotz-ky himself was directing the movements move-ments of the Red army there. On oilier fronts Wrangel was successful and he was informed by many prisoners prison-ers that the Red armies would not be able to go through another winter campaign, cam-paign, being without shoes, clothing and stores of food. Dispatches from Constantinople say the American Red Cross has given to General Wrangel about $2,000,000 worth of relief material ma-terial and is sending him 500,000 tons of supplies a week. The reports that Makno, the guerrilla leader, had deserted de-serted Wrangel turn out to be false. On the other hand, Moscow admits that General Budenny, former cavalry leader of the Bolshevik!, has deserted tne soviet cause and is operating against the government in the neighborhood neigh-borhood of Kiev. Feeling that the League of Nations is not yet strong enough to insure their safety, and determined that the house of liapsburg shall not he restored to the throne of Hungary, the Czecho-Slo-vaks. Bohemians and .Tugo-Slavs have entered inio an agreement for mutual offense and defense, which is already j j known as the "little entente." They ; assert their league Is primarily pi-ace- ; fill and defensive, but admit they have made provisions for a military force if that is necessary. ! For some days it appeared as if the Jugo-Slav government bail blocked the proposed peaceful discussion with Italy It-aly for the settlement of the Adriatic-dispute. Adriatic-dispute. The Klagenfurt district of Carinthia had voted to remain a part of Austria and the .Tugo-Slavs, refusing refus-ing to recognize the plebiscite, ordered the Serbians to occupy the district. On Thursday they apparently recognized their mistake and promised to evacuate the territory. It was then announced that the representatives of the two countries would begin the negotiations at once. According to a Rome paper, if the Jugo-Slavs refuse to accept the Italian proposals Italy will resume her complete liberty of action. It is declared de-clared Italy will ask that the frontier be fixed along the crest of the Julian Alps and that independence be granted Fiume, which will have territorial contiguity con-tiguity with Italy, besides liberty of Zara and the possession of several islands along the coast. In reply to the identical British and French note regarding the occupation of Vilna, the Polish government neither refuses nor agrees to completely complete-ly disavow General Zellgouski's action in entering the city, but urges a further fur-ther inquiry and points out that Lithuania Lithu-ania has hardly become a nation yet. The French government, it is said, rather sympathizes with Poland in the matter, because of her difficult situation. situa-tion. The king of Greece was still alive at this writing, but his condition was so serious that preparations for the succession suc-cession were being made. In Athens it was understood that, if Alexander should die, the throne would be offered to his brother Paul, but with such conditions con-ditions that he would not accept it. Then, presumably, it will be offered to a foreign prince, and If he refuse the republic will be proclaimed. Secretary of the Treasury Houston, in an address before the American Bankers' association in Washington, gave the country warning that there is little chance that taxes will be reduced, re-duced, because receipts from income and profits taxes are decreasing. In order to meet current bills, including interest on sinking fund charges, said the secretary, and also to retire the floating indebtedness and a considerable consider-able part of the Victory notes before the close of the fiscal year 1923, tax receipts re-ceipts must be kept up to the level of not less than $4,000,000,000 a year. Mr. Houston said that on the basis of present pres-ent diminishing receipts the total for the fiscal year 1921 may not materially exceed that figure. There is little immediate prospect of the payment of the war debt of foreign nations, according to Mr. Houston, but he said he did not believe the people would receive with favor the proposition proposi-tion to cancel that debt, since they would have to pay taxes to meet the Interest and redeem the principal of $10,000,000,000. Discussing the general credit situation, situa-tion, Mr. Houston said the farmers are "naturally disturbed and distressed," but are seeking relief "through measures, meas-ures, some of which are not practicable, practica-ble, and others of which are suicidal." The association's thrift committee has planned a three year thrift campaign cam-paign to reach every family In the country that has no bank account. "The recent orgy of extravagance," declared de-clared the committee's report, "has Indicated In-dicated very clearly the need for more popular realization of the need for saving sav-ing when and as the opportunity presents pre-sents itself. The time Is at hand when thrift and saving will be regarded as not only possibilities, but actual necessities." neces-sities." Small savers are to be the chief source in financing the normal growth of commerce and Industry, the report said, adding that present tax policies offer a serious check to increased Investment In-vestment by holders of large wealth. The conduct of American affairs In Haiti has been the subject of much heated discussion, and charges of "indiscriminate "in-discriminate killing" of natives by the marines, made in a report by Major General Barneit. former commandant of the corps, led Secretary Daniels to summon a court of inquiry. General Barnett now says the matter involves only a smiill portion of the marine corps on duty in Haiti, and that In general the marines have done their duty splendidly. Admiral Knapp. v. ho has studied conditions In Haiti for Secretary Sec-retary Daniels, say 8 American intervention inter-vention in the island republic should continue for at least another generation. genera-tion. He admits that perhaps rt.oon natives na-tives have been killed in nece.ary operations op-erations since American occupation, but denies that any wt-re kiU.'d deliberately delib-erately or wantonly. |
