THE NEWLANDS-ADAMSON JOINT CONGRESSIONAL COMMISSION INVESTIGATING FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS OF RAILROAD OWNERSHIP AND REGULATION (The Commission held hearings at Washington from November 20 to December 9, when it decided to ask Congress for further time. The investigation was authorized before the railroad wage question had come before Congress. The Commission was given wide powers, but instructed to report by January 9 of the present year. Senator Newlands, the chairman, is seated at the right of the picture, and Congressman Adamson at the left. Those standing are, from left to right: Senator Cummins of fowa, Congressman Hamilton of Michigan, Congressman Sims of Tennessee, Senator Underwood of Alabama, Senator Robinson of Arkansas, Senator Brandegee of Connecticut, and Congressman Esch of Wisconsin) November 27.-1 ne Federal Reserve Board warns American investors and Federal Reserve banks to proceed with caution in participating in foreign war loans and foreign treasury bills. November 30.-The Clerk of the House of Representatives (a Democrat) declares that the newly elected Congress-which will assemble in December, 1917-will have 215 Democrats, 214 Republicans, and 4 independents, 2 seats remaining doubtful. December 1.-A nation-wide inquiry into the high price of food is begun by the United States Department of Justice. December 2.-The Federal Trade Commission recommends to Congress changes in the anti-trust laws which would permit American exporters to enter combinations and thereby be on more nearly equal terms with foreign competitors. December 4.-Henry van Dyke, Minister to the Netherlands, and Thaddeus A. Thompson, Minister to Colombia, resign their offices; John W. Garrett will succeed Mr. van Dyke. December 6.-Secretary McAdoo, in his annual report on the Treasury Department, declares that the stock of gold in the United States on November 1 ($2,700,136,976) was the largest any country ever had; he estimates that Government finances will show a deficit of $185,000,000 in 1918, because of expenditures for preparedness. December 9.-The Newlands joint Congressional committee ends its hearings on railroad problems, and prepares to ask Congress to extend its time from January 8, 1917. December 18.-Major-General Scott, Chief of the General Staff, informs the Senate committee on military affairs that the War College and the General Staff believe that the United States army should be able to furnish 1,500,000 trained and organized troops at the outbreak of war, and 1,500,000 additional within ninety days (three times their previous estimates); MajorGeneral Wood characterizes the mobilization of the National Guard on the Mexican border as a "tragedy." AMERICAN RELATIONS WITH MEXICO November 21.-The three Mexican commis'sioners receive a new-and, it is reported, finalproposal from the American commissioners, which is known to have been approved by President Wilson. November 24.-A protocol is signed by the Mexican and American commissioners, at Atlantic City, N. J., and is submitted to Carranza; it provides for the withdrawal of the Pershing expedition from Mexico within forty days after ratification, and for border protection by the armies of the United States and Mexico, acting independently until coöperation is necessary. November 27.-After four days of attack, insurrectionist forces under direct command of FOUR NOTABLE MEN WHOSE NAMES APPEAR IN THE MONTH'S OBITUARY LIST (Jack London had achieved a well-deserved reputation as a writer of adventurous fiction, and was identified with the economic propaganda of the Socialists. Hugo Münsterberg had already gained youthful fame as a philosopher in the German universities when Harvard called him, years ago. His aim was to interpret Germany and America to each other. Prince Oyama was one of those great Japanese commanders whose fame became permanent through leadership in the war with Russia. Mr. John D. Archbold was president of the Standard Oil Company, a man of fine and modest personality, greatly esteemed by those who knew him) General Villa occupy Chihuahua City, compelling General Trevino and his Carranza troops to withdraw. December 2.-Carranza troops reoccupy the city of Chihuahua after receiving reinforcements and defeating Villa's force as it was advancing northward. . . Venustiano Carranza addresses the Mexican Constitutional Congress at its first session at Queretaro, outlining the reforms he hopes to see adopted. December 18.-The Mexican members of the Joint Commission inform the Americans that General Carranza has refused to ratify the protocol-objecting to a supplemental statement of American intentions regarding border patrol, and wishing to submit a counter statement. . . . The War Department, in ordering the return of some regiments of the National Guard, indicates that the border force will be reduced to 75,000 men, in addition to the 12,000 regulars in Mexico. FOREIGN POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT November 29.-The commander of the American forces in Santo Domingo (numbering 1800) establishes a state of martial law throughout the Republic, in order to continue payment of interest on the foreign debt. December 14.-The people of Denmark vote by a large majority to sell the Kingdom's three West Indian Islands to the United States for $25,000,000. . . . Edmund Schulthess (head of the department of Public Economy) is elected President of the Swiss Confederation. OTHER OCCURRENCES OF THE MONTH November 28.-President George E. Vincent, of the University of Minnesota, is chosen to succeed Mr. John D. Rockefeller, Jr., as president of the Rockefeller Foundation. December 4.-Pope Benedict creates ten new cardinals-seven Italian and three French. December 11.-The United States transport Sumner runs aground on Barnegat Reefs, N. J., and is abandoned. December 13.-More than 50,000 workers on men's and children's clothing in New York City go on strike for shorter hours and wage increase. December 15.-The Department of Agriculture's final crop estimates place the value at the record figure of $7,641,609,000, through higher prices, although the yield was small. OBITUARY November 21.-Alpheus W. Wilson, Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 82. Dr. Eugene Louis Doyen, a noted French surgeon, 57. . . Louisa Parsons, of Baltimore, a widely known nurse. . . . Chester A. Congdon, a prominent Minnesota lawyer and politician, 64. November 22.-Jack London, the author, 40. .. Sir George White, who introduced electric street traction in English cities, 62. November 23.-Rt. Hon. Charles Booth, prominent British ship-owner and student of the condition of workingmen, 75. ... November 24.-Sir Hiram Maxim, inventor of an automatic rapid-fire gun in wide use, 76. William Henry Jacques, an American authority on armor plate and ordnance, 67. November 25.-Mrs. Inez Milholland Boissevain, the noted welfare worker and suffragist, 30. November 27.-Emile Verhaeren, the Belgian poet, 61. November 28.-Patrick Henry Morrissey, former head of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, 54. November 29.-Martinus T. Steyn, President of the Orange Free State from 1896 to 1900, 59. December 2.-Charles Pomerey Parker, professor of Greek and Latin at Harvard, 64. Sir Francesco Paolo Tosti, a French composer and song-writer, 70. December 3.-W. W. Scranton, of Pennsylvania, pioneer Bessemer steel maker, 72. December 4.-Preston Lea, former Governor of Delaware, 75. Paul Leroy-Beaulieu, the eminent French economist (see page 82). December 12.-Col. Ole Herman Johannes Krag, the Norwegian rifle inventor, 79. Charles Clarence Linthicum, a widely known patent lawyer of Chicago, 59. December 14.-Rev. Dr. Charles W. Gallagher, president of the Maryland College for Women, 70.... Jean Marius Antonin Mercie, the French painter and sculptor, 71. December 15.-William C. Nixon, president of the St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad, 58. December 16.-Hugo Münsterberg, the distinguished German psychologist, for twenty-four years a member of Harvard University faculty, 53. . . . George H. Pownall, president of the British Institute of Bankers, 67. December 19.-Dr. James Monroe Taylor, president emeritus of Vassar College, 68. Total vote 18,303,093; Wilson's plurality 500,843. Wilson's vote was 82,653 less than a majority. This table has been compiled in the editorial offices of the REVIEW OF REVIEWS, by direct communication with the officials of each of the forty-eight States. It is as nearly accurate as it could be made near the end of December. The figures for New York are final, except as to the minor parties. For other States marked with a star, the figures are unofficial but approximately correct. |