FROM JUNE 23 TO JULY 23
GERMAN REPARATIONS
British Reply to German Proposals.—Following extended conversations with French and Belgian representatives, Premier Baldwin on July 12 made a definite statement in Parliament of British policy in regard to German reparations and the Ruhr. The gist of the statement was that Great Britain would assume the task of formulating a reply to the German reparations proposals, and that this reply would be first submitted to the other allies in the hope of securing united action.
Primier Baldwin pointed out that Germany appeared “to be going fast toward economic chaos”; that every country in Europe was paying the price of this condition of affairs; that peace depended on the settlement of three questions—payment of reparations, settlement of inter-allied debts, and security of pacified Europe; and finally that the German proposal of an international commission to settle the amount of reparations, coupled with the promise to pay the amount determined upon with concrete guarantees, ought not to be ignored.
The British note was sent to the United States and the Allied nations before the close of the week ending July 22.
BRITISH REJECT TWELVE-MILE LIMIT
British Commission to Study Question.—In the House of Lords on June 28, Lord Curzon stated, “There is no chance of our agreeing in any circumstances whatever to the American proposal for a twelve-mile territorial limit.” This proposal had previously been made to foreign powers by the American Department of State as a means of reconciling the enforcement of American prohibition measures with the carrying of liquors in foreign ships. Lord Curzon said further that while a ship entering foreign territorial waters subjected itself to the jurisdiction of that country, it was the “common practice” of nations that such jurisdiction should not be exercised except to restrain acts calculated to disturb public order. In October the British Government had pointed out to the United States that application of prohibition to foreign vessels in American waters would be unprecedented.
As regarded the breaking of British customs seals on liquor by American officials, Lord Curzon stated that these seals had no sacrosanct character and were affixed by British customs officers with the obligation only that they should not be broken in British territorial waters.
A committee composed of representatives of the British Treasury, Board of Trade, Colonial, and Foreign Offices was appointed to study the question of American liquor laws as applied to British ships, with a view of furnishing the government with a basis for its reply to the note of Secretary Hughes.
LEAGUE AND WORLD COURT
Investigation of Sarre Commission.—On July 6 the Council of the League of Nations took up the investigation of the conduct of the commission established under the Treaty of Versailles for the administration of the Sarre Valley. The investigation, conducted by the British representative Lord Robert Cecil, was concerned especially with the presence of French troops in the Sarre, and the decrees issued in March and May when strikes and other disturbances developed in the Sarre coincident with German resistances in the Ruhr. It was regarded as a French victory that the investigation was carried on not by sending a commission into the Sarre but by summoning Sarre officials to Geneva.
Kiel Canal Case Before World Court.—On July 5 the World Court at the Hague met in public session for hearings in the dispute between France and Germany over the Steamer Wimbleton in the Kiel Canal. This British steamer chartered by a French company and laden with munitions for Poland, was barred access to the canal by Germany on the ground that the Russo-Polish peace treaty had not been ratified and that transit of war materials for Poland through German territory was therefore illegal. Appeal to the Court was taken by Germany under Article 386 of the Versailles Treaty.
In accordance with the rules of the Court, if in a suit the court docs not include in its bench a judge of the nationality of one of the parties, that party may select a judge. Hence Germany selected Professor Walter Schücking, a well-known student of international law. The case of Germany was presented by German representatives in the German language.
RUSSIA
Lenin Still in Control.—Moscow, July 6 (Associated Press).— Although ill, Nikolai Lenin will continue as titular head of the Council of Commissars under the constitution of the new union of Socialist republics, or the United States of Russia. This was decided by the Federal Executive Committee today.
Leo Kamaneff, A. Rykov and M. Buringa were elected Vice-presidents of the Cabinet, or actual executives carrying on the presidency during Lenin’s illness. The Cabinet members include the following: Minister of War, Leon Trotzky; Foreign Trade, Leonid Krassin; Foreign Affairs, George Tcitcherin.
The new Constitution for the United States of Russia was formally approved by the Federal Executive Committee, but it must be ratified by the next All Russian Congress of Soviets. The committee also approved the new flag with elaborate coat-of-arms for State occasions, but recommended a simpler red flag, bearing only crossed sickle and hammer, for ordinary use.
The body which elected the Cabinet was one of the Chamber, acting temporarily as a Federal Parliament, pending the election of the two new houses provided in the Constitution. It met in the throne room of the Kremlin Palace, where there were almost as many white collars as soft colored shirts among the delegates, in sharp contrast to previous more roughly clad sessions.
NEAR EAST
Allies and Turks Reach Agreement.—Final agreement on all the outstanding difficulties of the Near East Conference was reported from Lausanne on the night of July 16. As a compromise the Allies agreed not to insist on keeping two warships in the straits pending the establishment of a permanent regime, and Turkey agreed to invite each of the great powers to station one ship there, and also to maintain free passage to the Black Sea. As the United States is not obliged to sign the Straits Convention, it was assumed that American Warships would be free to traverse the straits to any extent deemed necessary by the American Government.
One of the last difficulties of the conference was over the question of concessions. The United States objected to confirmation in the treaty to certain contracts with British oil companies and French railroad concerns entered into before the war. These contracts carried provisions for future preferential treatment which the United States regarded as in conflict with the principle of the open door. In the final agreement the Allies consented to keep confirmation of the Turkish Petroleum Company's Concession (British) out of the treaty and to drop the request for preferential rights in future Turkish concessions.
The treaty as finally agreed upon was regarded as a victory for Turkey, made possible by the inability of Great Britain and the other Allies to count on popular support for military action in the Near East. Turkey loses Palestine, Syria, and Mesopotamia but regains full power in Constantinople, comes back into Eastern Thrace, and secures the practical abandonment of the capitulations formerly protecting foreigners on Turkish soil.
Turkey will join the League of Nations if peace is signed and the delegates believe generally that this will offer opportunities for an amicable settlement of further Near Eastern problems.
The Near East Conference has been in session since April 23, when the delegates resumed the work left undone at the first conference, which began November 20, 1922, and collapsed on February 4 of the following year.
The primary object of the conference was a settlement as between Greece and Turkey, and on May 26 an agreement to this end was reached. Greece admitted that she owed an indemnity to Turkey, while Turkey renounced enforcement of payments; ratification of the boundary between Eastern and Western Thrace was agreed to, and Greece consented to the cession to Turkey of Karaghatch and of the railroad from Karaghatch to the Bulgarian frontier.
The British, French and Italian Governments early in June approved a formula for judicial guarantees relating to foreign residents in Turkey, and the conference accepted it formally. This provides for the appointment of four foreign advisers without interference with the functions of the magistrates.
The three other outstanding questions, the Ottoman debt, concessions and the evacuation of Turkish territory, have been the central points around which the discussions have revolved for several weeks.
FAR EAST
France Ratifies Pacific Treaties.—Early in July the French Senate and Chamber ratified both the Four-Power Pacific Treaty and the Washington Treaty for Limitation of Naval Armament. As the other powers concerned have previously ratified these treaties, they will become effective as soon as the French ratifications are filed in Washington.
In the French chamber objection was raised against the Pacific Treaty on the ground that no protection was thus extended to French Indo-China. It was pointed out, however, that the other powers did not wish to set a precedent for including Korea or Manchuria, and that such protection as the treaty afforded would extend to French islands in the Pacific. During the debate attention was called to the fact that French colonial possessions exceed the area of the United States, and that the population under French rule in the Pacific area exceeds that under British rule.
The treaties were ratified without modification, but it was expected that the act of law approving the Naval Treaty would carry the explicit statement that France regarded it as binding for only ten years. The Submarine and Gas Warfare Agreement was not ratified, and probably will not be without reservations. The Treaties relating to China were also not ratified.
Chinese Indemnity.—During the conference of diplomats at Peking to settle upon the indemnity to be demanded of China for the Lin Ching bandit outrage, the British representatives proposed joint action of the powers in the nature of a naval demonstration along the Chinese coast and rivers, as a means of restoring normal conditions. Japan, it was reported, considered that such a measure would have little effect.
On July 11 the remnants of the Chinese Cabinet still functioning at Peking were reduced to four. About 220 members of the Chinese Parliament had also left the city for Shanghai.
Peking, July 19.—The Diplomatic Corps met today to consider the recommendations of committees reporting on reparations for kidnapping by Chinese bandits last May of a number of foreigners who were held for ransom. Unless unexpected objections are raised by the home Governments a note will be presented to the Chinese immediately, demanding:
- The punishment of the Tuchun of Shantung and all officials responsible for permitting the outrage to occur.
- An indemnity of $8,000, Mexican [$4,000 in American currency].
- The organization of a guard on the principal railways under foreign supervision.
The recommendations are such as will meet Chinese acceptance, but they will arouse indignation among the captives, many of whom had expected substantial damages. General Munthe, a Norwegian officer, will probably head the railway police, with Chinese assistants.
Feng Yuh-Siang, “the Christian general,” has been rewarded for his expulsion of President Li Yuan-Hung by being made a super-Tuchun, commanding Mongolia and Sinkiang, with an increased army.