FROM JUNE 18 TO JULY 18
UNITED STATES
EXPORT CONTROL TO CUT OFF GERMAN SUPPLIES.—On July 9 President Wilson issued a proclamation forbidding the export of certain articles to any foreign country, except under license issued by the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce. The articles in the list include coal, gasoline, and other fuels; food grains, meat, and fats; iron and steel; fertilizers, and munitions. It has been estimated that of the articles now prohibited 1,934,595,000 dollars' worth was exported during the last ten months, or 37.8% of a total export trade of $3,181,892.
After quoting the Act of Congress of June 15, 1917, authorizing the President to control exports, the proclamation reads as follows:
WHEREAS, The public safety requires that succor shall be prevented from reaching the enemy:
Now, therefore, I, Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim to all whom it may concern that, except at such time or times under such regulations and orders, and subject to such limitations and exceptions as the President shall prescribe, until otherwise ordered by the President or by Congress, the following articles, namely: Coal, coke, fuel oils, kerosene, and gasoline, including bunkers, food grains, flour and meal therefrom, fodder and feeds, meat and fats; pig iron, steel billets, ship plates and structural shapes, scrap iron and scrap steel; ferro-manganese, fertilizers, arms, ammunitions and explosives, shall not, on and after the fifteenth day of July, 1917, be carried out of or exported from the United States or its territorial possessions to Abyssinia, Afghanistan, . . . . Albania, etc. [Here follows a list of all enemy, neutral, and allied countries.]
The orders and regulations from time to time prescribed will be administered by and under the authority of the Secretary of Commerce, from whom licenses, in conformity with the said orders and regulations, will issue.
METHOD OF LICENSING.—Soon after President Wilson made his proclamation, Secretary Redfield gave out a summary of the rules under which license will be granted. It was as follows:
First—Applications for licenses may be made by the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Division of Export Licenses, 1435 K Street, Washington, D. C., or to any of the branches of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce—New York, Boston, Chicago, St. Louis, New Orleans, San Francisco, and Seattle.
Second—In applying for a license to export any of the commodities covered by the President's proclamation, applicants should give the following information in triplicate form:
(a) Quantity; (b) description of goods; (c) name and address of consignee; (d) name and address of consignor.
Third—The license will be good for only 60 days and at the expiration of that time must be renewed, and if not shipped within that time, a new application must be made.
Fourth—The various branch offices of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce have been given full instructions as to the disposition of all applications for licenses.
It is the desire of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce to minimize the exporter's difficulties as much as possible, and therefore, wherever practicable, the district offices will be authorized to issue the licenses. It is thought, however, that many of the applications may have to be forwarded to Washington for decision.
In case exporters desire, they may telegraph their applications direct to the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Division of Export Licenses, 1435 K Street, Washington, D. C.
HOW NEUTRALS SUPPLIED GERMANY.—According to an official government report made public July 9, Sweden alone in the last two years exported to Germany 9,000,000 tons of iron ore, 200,000 tons of wood pulp used instead of cotton in the manufacture of explosives, together with shipments of machinery and ball bearings valued at $75,000,000. Sweden, the report states, has also discriminated against the Allies by blocking transport to Russia and withholding from international trade 600,000 tons of her shipping out of a total of about 1,000,000 tons while at the same time she has encouraged trade from Norway to Germany through Swedish territory.
Another report issued July 1 reads in part as follows:
"In order to illustrate the operations of exportation of foodstuffs from Holland and Scandinavia into Germany, the following figures are presented. These figures, it must be distinctly stated, illustrate the minimum. These amounts of foodstuffs are known from reliable sources to have been imported by Germany from Holland and Scandinavia during 1916. Just what amounts were imported is a matter of conjecture. Certainly some more were imported, possibly much more. The following figures represent the chief articles:
Metric Tons
Butter 82,600
Meat 115,800
Pork products 68,800
Condensed milk 70,000
Fish 407,000
Cheese 80,500
Eggs 46,400
Potato meal 179,500
Coffee 58,500
Fruit 74,000
Sugar 12,000
Vegetables 215,000
"When these substances are calculated for their food values and applied to their entire population, we learn that they contain for each individual in the German Empire 120 calories per day, which is 6 per cent of the intake capita diet according to the regulation ration. In protein these importations furnish about 10 per cent of the intake.
"It is in fats particularly that the figures become impressive. It must be recalled that fat is the scarcest food in Germany. Fat is the most highly prized, indeed fat is the only food the lack of which was seriously apparent in the diet of the German people. The importations above stated contain a little over 5½ pounds of fat per person per year, corresponding to about a quarter of an ounce per day, which is almost a quarter of the daily fat intake of each German at the present time.
"This amount of food is equal in fat to the fat in the soldier's ration of 7,700,000 soldiers, practically the entire army of effectives in Germany. From the standpoint of calories these foodstuffs are equal to the total rations of 2,500,000 soldiers, practically the Germany Army in actual service on the west front.
"Obviously strict enforcement of the blockade through control of the exports of the United States to Holland and Scandinavia would necessarily result in elimination of these foodstuffs from German diets."—N. Y. Times, 7/2.
LICENSES FOR BUNKER COAL.—By control of exports the Government plans not only to cut off supplies to Germany through neutrals, but also to bring the world's shipping into service useful to the Allies.
Every steamship leaving America after midnight on July 14 must have a license for the coal contained in her bunkers. This will apply to steamships bound for both foreign and coastwise ports. The Exports Council has decided first to take up the subject of coal, and no secret is made of the fact that it intends to use its power over the shipments of this commodity to make all neutral countries play fair with the Allies in connection with supplies they need.
The United States and England largely supply with coal the steamships that carry the commerce of the world. There are two kinds of coal that leave the United States—bunker coal, which is used by the steamships themselves, and export coal, which is carried as cargo. Every load of cargo coal, after midnight, July 14, will have to be licensed; that is, the United States must know to whom it is consigned and the name of the ultimate consignee.—N. Y. Times, 7/12.
GERMANY
FALL OF BETHMANN HOLLWEG.—The political crisis which culminated during the second week in July resulted on July 13 in the forced resignation of Chancellor von Bethmann Hollweg and his subordinate ministers, and the appointment as Chancellor of Georg Michaelis, former Prussian Food Controller, aged sixty, and long a servant of the Prussian state.
Amid conflicting reports, it appears clear that the downfall of the Chancellor was in the end brought about by the influence of the Crown Prince, who had long opposed the Chancellor's temporizing policies. The Crown Prince was supported in his attitude by the military leaders, the Bavarian Premier, and the Prussian Cabinet. Opposition concentrated in the Chancellor's plan to make the ministry responsible to parliament, which would have weakened royal control and deprived Prussia and Bavaria of their famed position in imperial affairs.
Thus while the fall of the Chancellor developed from the agitation of moderate elements, the result leaves the imperialistic forces more strongly intrenched than before.
The New York Times of July 17 offers from British sources the following explanation of the crisis:
In order to meet the demand for the democratization of the Constitution, a proposal was advanced for setting up a new body as intermediary between the Chancellor and Reichstag, this new body to be called the Reichsrat. Bavaria supported the idea.
Had the internal political organization of Germany stood by itself von Bethmann Hollweg might have won the day and obtained for his country the promise of a further step in the direction of constitutional reform. The domestic problem, however, is indissolubly, bound up with the question of peace terms. Bethmann Hollweg contended for a program of peace without indemnities or annexations, but the Crown Prince, Hindenburg, and Ludendorff insisted on the peace with annexations and indemnities view.
Bavaria in this case backed the Pan-German argument. Austria, who was consulted, signified a somewhat reluctant assent to what is known as the Hindenburg Peace on receiving definite assurances from Berlin that the U-boat warfare was certain to force England to her knees before America could make her weight felt, and that consequently the Central Powers would be in position to make peace on their own terms.
The Kaiser would not support his Chancellor against his heir and military advisers, backed as they were by the Austrian assent, and so Bethmann Hollweg's régime ended.
THE KAISER'S FAREWELL TO HOLLWEG.—The Hague, July 16.—The Berlin Reichsanzeiger publishes an autographic letter from Emperor William to Dr. von Bethmann Hollweg on the occasion of the acceptance of the resignation of the Imperial Chancellor. The Emperor in his letter says:
"I decide with a heavy heart by to-day's decree to grant your request to be relieved from your office. For eight years you have occupied the highest and most responsible offices in the imperial and state services with eminent loyalty, and have successfully placed your brilliant powers and personality at the services of the Kaiser and the empire and the King and the Fatherland.
"In the most grievous times that have ever fallen to the lot of the German countries and peoples—times in which decisions of paramount importance for the existence and future of the Fatherland have had to be taken—you have stood by my side with counsel and aid. It is my heart's desire to express my most cordial thanks for your faithful service.”
THE CRISIS IN THE REICHSTAG.—Agitation against the Government was voiced in a stirring speech before the Reichstag Main Committee on July 7 by Matthias Erzberger, leader of the Clerical Center. Erzberger, who had attended the Stockholm Conference and afterward visited Austria and Switzerland, called for a positive declaration of peace terms, and condemned the Pan-German faction and the Admiralty as the chief obstacles to peace. The significance of Erzberger's attitude lay in the fact that the Socialist and Catholic center parties, if combined, would command 201 votes, or a slight majority of the 397 votes of the Reichstag.
On July 9 the Chancellor replied to Erzberger, condemning the latter's attitude, refusing to state definite peace terms, and announcing his intention to stick to his post "for the protection of the Fatherland."
KAISER HOLDS OUT REFORMS.—The Cabinet upheaval followed long and dramatic sessions of the Crown Council, over which the Kaiser presided and at which were present the Crown Prince, Hindenburg, Ludendorff, and the Imperial and Prussian Ministers. In the course of these councils it was decided to hold out the promise of reforms in the Prussian suffrage, and the papers of July 14 published the text of the Kaiser's rescript, as follows:
"Upon the report of my State Ministry, made to me in obedience to my decree of April 7 of the current year, I herewith decide to order a supplement to the same, that the draft of the bill dealing with the alteration of the electoral law for the House of Deputies, which is to be submitted to the Diet of the monarchy for decision, is to be drawn up on the basis of equal franchise. The bill is to be submitted in any case early enough that the next elections may take place according to the new franchise. I charge you to make all necessary arrangements for this purpose.
(Signed) WILLIAM.
(Countersigned) BETHMANN HOLLWEG."—N. Y. Times, 7/14.
The phrase "equal franchise" did not occur in the Kaiser's address of April 7. If conceded it would strike a blow at Junker predominance in Prussia. The rescript, however, does not insure immediate adoption of the reform, since the elections may be postponed till after the war, and it makes no mention of ministerial responsibility to parliament.
AUSTRIAN CABINET CHANGES.—On June 24 a Stop-gap Cabinet under Dr. von Seydler was formed to succeed the Clam-Martinic Ministry, which had been in power for six months. Reports in the middle of July indicated that the von Seydler Ministry was tottering to a fall, and that the resignation of Count Czernin, Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister, was also imminent.
The Emperor's amnesty decree, releasing 18,000 persons, including Czech political leaders condemned for treason under the military code, is arousing protests from German circles in Austria. It is asserted that the Emperor is currying favor at the expense of state control of unruly racial elements.
RUSSIA
PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT STRENGTHENED.—On July 10 Petrograd announced the formation of a Central Executive Committee of 300 members, with N. C. Tcheidse, President of the Petrograd Council, at its head, representing the Pan-Russian Congress of Workmen's and Soldiers' Delegates. This committee was authorized to support the Lvoff Cabinet and to assist in a vigorous prosecution of the war. The Pan-Russian Congress on June 27 adopted, by a large majority, a resolution rejecting separate peace with Germany, while at the same time insisting on every effort to secure a general peace.
RUSSIAN ELECTIONS SEPTEMBER 30.—As announced from Petrograd June 28, the Provisional Government has fixed September 30 as the date for elections to the Constituent Assembly, and October 13 as the date for the first meeting of the Assembly.
The Pan-Russian Congress of Workmen's and Soldiers' Delegates on June 23 adopted a resolution abolishing the Crown Council (already defunct) and the Duma (which is not in session). A private meeting of members of the Duma, as announced June 29, passed a resolution refusing to consent to the abolishment of that body prior to the establishment of a constitutional regime.
WORK OF ROOT MISSION COMPLETED.—On July 10 the survey of the American Commission to Russia was virtually completed, and Washington dispatches stated that the commission would return directly to America without visiting Japan.
Mr. Root issued to the Associated Press (published July 11) the following optimistic view of Russian affairs:
"The mission has accomplished what it came here to do, and we are greatly encouraged. We found no organic or incurable malady in the Russian democracy. Democracies are always in trouble, and we have seen days just as dark in the progress of our own.
“We must remember that a people in whom all constructive effort has been suppressed for so long cannot immediately develop a genius for quick action. The first stage is necessarily one of debate. The solid, admirable traits in the Russian character will pull the nation through the present crisis. Natural love of law and order and capacity for local self-government have been demonstrated every day since the revolution. The country's most serious lack is money and adequate transportation. We shall do what we can to help Russia in both."
GREAT BRITAIN
LLOYD GEORGE CALLS FOR WAR TILL VICTORY.—In a significant speech in Glasgow on June 29 Premier Lloyd George insisted on peace by Allied victory. The speech contained the following passages:
"In my judgment the war will come to an end when the Allied armies have reached the aims which they set out to attain when they accepted the challenge thrown down by Germany. As soon as these objectives have been reached and guaranteed, this war will come to an end, but if the war comes to an end a single minute before it will be the greatest disaster that has ever befallen mankind.
"No doubt we can have peace now at a price. Germany wants peace—even Prussia ardently desires it. They said give us some indemnity for the wrongs we have done, just a little territory here and a little there and just a few privileges in other directions and we will clear out. We are told that if we are prepared to make peace now Germany will restore the independence of Belgium. But who has said so?
"No German statesman has ever said he would restore the independence of Belgium. The German Chancellor came very near to it, but all the junkers fell on him and he received a sound box on the ears from the mailed fist.
"The only terms on which Germany has suggested restoring Belgium are not those of independence, but of vassalage. Then came the doctrine of the status quo and no annexation and no indemnities. No German statesman has accepted even that.
"But what did indemnity mean? Indemnity is an essential part of the mechanism of civilization in every land and clime. Otherwise what guarantee have we against a repetition? Then, it is said, that is not what you are after. You are after our colonies, and probably Palestine and Mesopotamia. If we had entered into this war purely for the German colonies we would not have raised an army of three or four millions. We could have got them without adding a single battalion to the army."
Referring to the Russian revolution, the Premier declared that while it had postponed victory, it had made victory "more sure than ever," and made "surer than ever the quality of victory."
SCANDINAVIA
GERMAN PLOT TO SINK NORWEGIAN SHIPS.—London, June 29.—An account of the German plot to blow up Norwegian steamships was given in the Storthing yesterday by Foreign Minister Ihlen, says an Exchange Telegraph dispatch from Copenhagen. M. Ihlen said the bombs were sent sent to Norway by the German Foreign Office by means of a messenger dispatched to the German Legation in Christiania.
After the examination of the messenger had been concluded, he was handed over to Germany on condition that action be taken against him there, and that he should not be used again as a messenger to Norway.
The Norwegian Legation in Berlin had been ordered to inform the German Government of what had happened, M. Ihlen said, and to make a sharp protest against this violation of Norwegian territory. Norway, the Foreign Minister said, was now awaiting Germany's reply.—N. Y. Times, 6/30.
In the investigation of the plot, the Norwegian authorities discovered a secret wireless station on an island outside of Arendal. Germany has since disavowed the activities of her emissary.
NORWAY MUST REMAIN NEUTRAL.—Discussing the arming of merchant vessels, Professor Bredo Morgenstierne, a Norwegian authority on international law, stated in a recent article that such a step on the part of Norway would not necessarily violate her neutrality, but would be of doubtful expediency.
"A small country," the professor reflects, "must be prepared to be subjected to humiliation where might makes right. Norway must, above all, avoid being dragged into this war, not only for her own sake, but for the sake of her Scandinavian neighbors. Consideration for Sweden and Denmark should make us pause before we decide on any ways and means that might lead to war. For if Norway should become involved it is only too probable that the other two countries, no matter how much they might seek to avoid it, would be dragged in too. And the lack of harmony in point of view and sentiment relating to the war which exists in the three countries would merely render the situation more dangerous."—N. Y. Times, 6/23.
SPAIN
GOVERNMENT SUSPENDS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.—On June 25 Premier Dato of Spain secured the King's signature to a decree suspending the rights guaranteed to citizens under the Spanish constitution. This suspension was followed by strict censorship of news from Spain.
On July 6 it was announced that 60 Catalonian Senators and Deputies threatened that, if the Government failed to assemble Parliament immediately, they would summon a "rump" parliament at Barcelona.
Political reports attribute difficulties in Spain to the economic hardships brought on by the war and the resentment, especially in military circles, against favoritism and maladministration on the part of government officials. The military committees of defence—infantry, artillery, cavalry, and staff—to which effective power has passed from the civil authorities, are demanding radical changes in civil and military administration.
The King is said to retain popularity and to favor the military demands.
GREECE
VENIZELOS IN CONTROL—Following the abdication of Constantine, former Premier Venizelos arrived in Athens on June 25 and on June 28 announced a new Cabinet. The Venizelos Government will summon the Parliament elected in May, 1915, and illegally dissolved by Constantine the following November.
In his speech on taking the oath of office, Premier Venizelos insisted on the necessity of driving the Bulgarians from eastern Macedonia, and announced his purpose to strengthen the army, reconcile the pro-Constantine and pro-Venizelos factions, and call out at once the untrained classes of 1916 and 1917.
In a telegram, issued July 4, acknowledging congratulations from the Serb Premier M. Pachtich, M. Venizelos pledged Greece to "the faithful execution of the alliance with Serbia."
GREECE ENTERS THE WAR.—On June 29 the Greek Government broke diplomatic relations with Germany, Austro-Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey, and recognized the existence of a state of war from its accession to power on June 28.
Greece is the fourteenth nation to enter the war on the side of the Entente, and the twenty-first which has broken off diplomatic relations with Berlin.
RUSSIA DISAPPROVED INTERFERENCE IN GREECE.—According to a dispatch of July 6 from the Petrograd official news agency, Russia, while condemning Constantine's policies, disapproved the interference of the Entente in the internal affairs of Greece, and refused. participation of Russian troops in the Entente entry into Athens and Thessaly.
LATIN AMERICA
BRAZIL CO-OPERATES WITH THE ENTENTE.—Without formal declaration of war, Brazil on June 28 announced the revocation of her decree of neutrality in the war between the Entente and Germany. This action was authorized by Act of Congress late in May.
On June 30 it was announced from Washington that the Brazilian Navy had begun co-operation with the American fleet and had taken over the patrol of Brazilian waters. It was stated that a special diplomatic mission, to depart early in August, would be sent to Brazil by the United States to arrange for the close co-operation of the two governments.
MONROE DOCTRINE STRENGTHENED.—Upon the President of Brazil's approval of the act revoking Brazil's neutrality the Brazilian Ambassador at Washington on June 4 handed to Secretary Lansing a note announcing the change of policy. The note, made public June 22, states that: "The republic thus recognized the fact that one of the belligerents is a constituent portion of the American continent, and that we are bound to that belligerent by traditional friendship and the same sentiment in the defence of the vital interests of America and the accepted principles of law."
Referring to the favorable effect on the Monroe Doctrine, the note continues:
"While the comparative lack of reciprocity on the part of the American republics divested until now the Monroe Doctrine of its true character, by permitting an interpretation based on the prerogatives of their sovereignty, the present events which have brought Brazil to the side of the United States at a critical moment in the history of the world, are imparting to our foreign policy a practical shape of continental solidarity, a policy, however, that was also that of the former regime whenever any of the other sister friendly nations of the American continent were concerned."
URUGUAY OPENS HER PORTS.—Following Uruguay's opening of her ports to American warships, Admiral Caperton's squadron entered Montevideo on July 11 and was given an enthusiastic official and popular reception.
Chili in a note to Uruguay approved the latter's course and appreciated highly "the reasons of Americanism" which inspired her action.
ARGENTINA DEMANDS INDEMNITY.—Buenos Aires, July 1.—Onorio Pueyrredon, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, declared to-day that the Argentine Government was determined to enter a claim against Germany for the torpedoing of the Argentine vessels Oriana and Toro, insisting that the Argentine flag was again attacked in the case of these ships.
A note embodying the claim was sent to Germany last night.—N. Y. Times, 7/2.
CHINA
MANCHU MONARCHY SHORT-LIVED.—Dispatches of July 3 announced that the northern Chinese military leader Chang Hsun had driven the Republican Government out of Peking and re-established the Manchu monarchy with the thirteen-year-old Emperor Huan Tung on the throne.
On the night of July 3 the deposed President Li Yuan-Hung escaped from the palace and sought refuge in the Japanese legation. The deposed Premier, Tuan Chi-jui, and the Vice-President, Feng Kuo-Chang, at once took command, respectively, of the northern and southern republican forces and marched on the capitol. They defeated Chang Hsun in a skirmish at Lang Fang, outside Peking, and forced him to take refuge in the Forbidden City. The young Emperor abdicated July 8 after less than a week on the throne.
According to evidence published in the North China Daily News, the military adventurer Chang Hsun was in the German pay, and if successful would have altered China's policy in favor of Germany.
Rumors connecting Japan with the effort to restore monarchy in China were emphatically denied on July 9 by Viscount Motono, Foreign Minister. Viscount Motono stated that an appeal from General Chang for mediation had been refused.