FROM 3 NOVEMBER TO 3 DECEMBER
LOCARNO TREATIES RATIFIED
Treaties Signed in London.—On December 1 at the British Foreign Office in London, the foreign ministers of Great Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Czecho-Slovakia, and Poland signed the main Locarno Treaty and the six subsidiary agreements. Following the ratification of these agreements, which involve the entrance of Germany into the League of Nations, it was reported that overtures would also be made to Russia to enter the League. It was reported also that, in subsequent negotiations, Germany would seek to secure from the allied powers: (a) shortening of the five and ten year periods remaining for occupation of the Coblenz and Nayence bridgehead; (b) immediate substitution of League in place of allied supervision of German armaments; (c) equality of treatment for all European nations in matters of aviation.
German and British Ratification.—In November the British House of Commons approved the Government’s participation in the Locarno Treaties by the almost unanimous vote of 375 to 13. In Germany the Locarno program was accepted in the Reichstag by a vote of 271 to 159, only the Nationalists and Communists opposing. The bill authorizing the treaties was also approved by the Reichsrat, or Federal Council, and was signed by President von Hindenburg on November 28. Up to December 1 the other nations, party to the treaties, had not completed ratification.
Evacuation of Cologne.—In keeping with the spirit of the Locarno Agreements and a means of strengthening the German Government in the gut for the treaties, the allied powers on November 14 announced their decision to begin the evacuation of the Cologne Zone by December 1. It was expected that the evacuation would require about two months.
FRANCE
New Ministry Under Briand.—On November 22 the Painleve Ministry m France was defeated by a narrow margin in a vote in the Chamber on one of the clauses of the Government Finance Bill, the Communists temporarily joining forces with the Right. After vain efforts on the part of Herriot and others, a new cabinet was organized on November 27 by former Premier Briand, who retained the office of foreign minister which he had held under Painleve. The new government was still a government of the Left, but the ministers were drawn only from the more moderate left parties, and were dependent for a majority, therefore, on votes from outside their own ranks. The well-known financier and millionaire, Louis Loucheur, became minister of finance, with the innovation of an advisory committee of leading bankers and financial experts to assist him in solving fiscal problems. The tenure of the new ministry was at best uncertain, and on December 3 it was reported as tottering toward a fall.
The ministerial declaration, made on December 2, proposed a capital levy of 10 per cent to be paid in thirty installments. Other increases in taxation were advocated, and a temporary increase or inflation of 7,500,000,000 francs in bank note circulation, to be secured by taxes to be collected not later than February 1. It was declared that the government policy would be to continue- the Syrian mandate, and in Morocco to seek for peace in accord with Spain and in harmony with previous international agreements, extending to the Riffs administrative autonomy.
ITALY
Fascists Strengthen Control.—During November the Fascists secured the legislative enactment of several of the anti-democratic measures by which they aim to strengthen their grip on the government of Italy. One bill gave the government power to revoke the citizenship and confiscate the property of Italians abroad whose activities were deemed injurious to Italy. Another enlarged the powers of the prime minister and made him responsible only to the Crown, instead of the Crown and parliament also. A third measure provided for the appointment of city officials by the central government.
A plot to assassinate Mussolini at the celebration of the anniversary of the Austrian Armistice was discovered and foiled. Many were arrested, and evidence indicated a wide spread plot to overthrow the Fascisti and establish a republic.
SPAIN
New Civilian Cabinet.—On December 2, Premier Primo de Rivera of Spain unexpectedly announced the return of the Spanish Government to normal conditions by the substitution of a civilian ministry for the military directorate. General de Rivera will remain at the head of the cabinet.
GREAT BRITAIN
Egyptian Parliament Defies British.—In spite of an order of the Ziwar Pasha Cabinet in Egypt, backed by the British, prohibiting a session of parliament at the regular date in November, the parliament succeeded in meeting secretly in a Cairo hotel. The anti-British leader Zagloul Pasha was elected president of the chamber, which “pledged its life blood for the liberty of Egypt.”
Since the cabinet and King Fuad, with British support, control the troops, it is difficult to see what the parliament can accomplish, though it represents the great majority of Egyptian political opinion.
Irish Boundary Dispute.—In November additional difficulties presented themselves in the Ulster free state boundary negotiations in consequence of the withdrawal from the Boundary Commission of the free state representative, Professor McNeil. This withdrawal appears to have been due to a premature newspaper report of the commission’s decision, indicating that small portions of territory now controlled by the free state would be transferred to Ulster. The neutral member of the commission is Mr. Justice Cheetham of Australia.
A Finance Commission is also at work to determine the share of the public debt of the United Kingdom which should be assumed by the free state, in conformity with the Irish Treaty. It was reported that the sum to be transferred would be from $75,000,000 to $100,000,000.
Early in December conferences on the boundary question were held in London between the premiers of Great Britain and Ulster and Mr. Cos- grave, president of the Free State Executive Council.
League Council to Settle Irak Boundary.—By a decision on November 21 of the Permanent Court of International Justice the Council of the League of Nations was declared to have full power to settle the dispute between Turkey and Great Britain over the Mosul oil fields. The decision held that according to the arbitral agreement the Council was not merely a mediator between Great Britain and Turkey but had power actually to fix the boundary line in the territory. The vote of the council must be unanimous, but Great Britain’s vote should not be counted since she was an interested party. Before fixing the boundary, however, the Council should use every effort to have Turkey and Britain settle the question themselves.
In the event of an adverse decision, it was feared that Turkey might decide to occupy the disputed region, thus precipitating war.
UNITED STATES AND LATIN AMERICA
Italian Debt Settlement.—On November 14 the Italian Debt Mission and the United States Debt Funding Commission signed an agreement providing for the funding of the Italian debt to the United States. Under the terms of the agreement, Italy will pay $2,042,000,000 principal and $365,000,000 interest in 62 years, the payments to increase from $5,000,000 in the first five years to $80,000,000 at the close. The average rate of interest is only about nine tenths of 1 per cent. Although these terms were more lenient than any accorded previously, they were based on a fair estimate of Italy’s resources and power of payment.
Rumanian Debt Agreement.—Settlement of the Rumanian debt of about $45,000,000 was reached on December 1, the agreement providing for 62 annual payments with interest at 3 per cent for the first decade and 31/2 per cent thereafter.
Tacna-Arica Plebiscite.—Up to December 1 no date had been set for the Tacna-Arica Plebiscite, and Chili had raised objection to further attendance at the meetings of the Plebiscite Commission.
On December 1, the Chilean minister to Switzerland presented a memorandum to the League of Nations in which the history of the dispute was given and the following statement made regarding the Plebiscite Commission:
The commission has been sitting at Arica for four months and Chile has fulfilled all the conditions laid down by General Pershing, including a guarantee for impartiality of voting and the withdrawal of troops. Nevertheless, General Pershing has convoked new meetings of the commission without putting on the agenda the questions of fixing a plebiscite date or voting conditions.
Chile, believing that the adjournment of the plebiscite would increase the animosity between Chile and Peru, the memorandum goes on, instructed its representatives not to participate in the sittings until General Pershing was willing to discuss the date of the plebiscite, and remarks that “Chile’s apprehension of political difficulties found bloody confirmation by recent attacks by Peruvians on Chilean frontier posts.”
In Geneva circles this memorandum was regarded as preliminary to a possible Chilean protest to the League.
CHINA
Revolt Against Manchurian Leader.—During November an extensive revolt developed among the followers of Chang Tso-lin in Manchuria, leaving, as it was stated, only about 50,000 loyal troops in his former army of 150,000. The defection was due at least in part to spread of the “Young China” nationalist movement.
In the meantime General Feng-Yu-hsiang was reported to have sent a challenge to Chang declaring that he must either retire from Chinese national politics or face immediate attack.
Feng is the Chinese leader supposedly in sympathy with and backed by Russia. The attitude toward Feng of General Wu Pei-fu, whose forces were advancing upon Pekin, was still uncertain.
In spite of the internal confusion in China the Customs Conference at Pekin continued its study of the statistics and schedules preparatory to an increase in Chinese tariff rates. Increased rates and ultimate Chinese control of customs have already been conceded, and the only difficulty that is likely to develop is over the control of the collection of payments on China’s foreign debts, for which purpose the customs were taken under foreign administration.