ARMY MANEUVERS IN GERMANY-BY AN AMERICAN DIVISION (This is the Second Division, under command of Major-General Lejeune, just before review by General Pershing near Vallendar, Germany) RECORD OF CURRENT EVENTS (From March 15 to April 15, 1919) THE PEACE CONFERENCE AT PARIS March 18.-Committees decide that navigation of the Rhine shall be controlled by an international commission, and that Heligoland fortifications shall be dismantled. March 20.-Neutral nations are permitted to express their views and propose amendments to the plan of a League of Nations. March 21.-The Italian delegation-it is reported-threatens to withdraw from the conference unless the port of Fiume (claimed also by the Jugoslavs) is awarded to Italy. The League of Nations Commission meets for the first time since February 14, and begins consideration of amendments proposed to the original draft. March 24.-Consideration of the chief problems in controversy passes from a Council of Ten to a Council of Four-President Wilson and Premiers Lloyd George, Clemenceau, and Orlando. March 26.-It is decided, upon demand of the Italians, to prolong the conference and to fix terms with all four enemy powers, rather than to settle with Germany alone. April 2.-The head of the Japanese delegation, Baron Makino, declares in a newspaper statement that "no Asiatic nation could be happy in a League of Nations in which sharp racial discrimination is maintained." April 6.-A report that President Wilson has summoned his steamer, to be ready to take him home promptly, is interpreted as indicating a deadlock among the Council of Four. Premier Lloyd George declares that "there is no divergence among the negotiators," but merely "technical difficulties, which can only be settled after close study.". April 8.-Premier Lloyd George receives a telegram signed by more than a majority of the House of Commons, reminding him of his election pledges to exact the utmost indemnity from Germany. It is reported that the Commission on Responsibility for the War has decided to exclude the death penalty from punishment to be meted out to the former German Emperor. April 10.-The League of Nations Commission, after a plea by President Wilson, adopts a section stipulating that the covenant shall not affect existing understandings, like the Monroe Doctrine, for securing a maintenance of peace. The members of the French Senate sign a 1esolution expressing the hope that "full restitution will be exacted from the enemy, together with reparation for damage . . . and that the full cost of the war will be imposed upon those responsible." April 11.-The Peace Conference assembles in its fourth plenary session; the Commission on International Labor Legislation presents its re port. The League of Nations Commission completes consideration of the covenant of the League of Nations; it is reported that Geneva, Switzerland, has been chosen as the capital of the League. April 12. It is reported that France's claim to the German coal region in the Saar Valley, as reparation for French coal regions destroyed, has been settled by granting to France perpetual control of the mines. April 14.-On behalf of the Council of Four, President Wilson announces that complete solution is so near that German plenipotentiaries will be invited to meet with representatives of the associated belligerent nations at Versailles on April 25. It is reported that the amount of indemnity to be assessed against Germany for violations of international law has been fixed at one hundred billion gold marks ($23,800,000,000); 26,000,000,000 marks are to be paid within two years; 40,000,000,000 during the subsequent thirty years, and an additional 40,000,000,000 at a time to be fixed by a joint commission. AMERICAN POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT March 18.-The New Jersey Legislature adopts a resolution rejecting the prohibition amendment to the federal Constitution. March 19.-A debate upon the proposed League of Nations, in Boston, by President Lowell, of Harvard University (a leading advocate), and Senator Lodge (a leading opponent), results in the establishment of common ground; Mr. Lowell would agree to amendments of the present draft, and Mr. Lodge would agree after amendment. Suit is brought in the federal courts to prevent the Government from interfering with the manufacture of beer containing not more than 2.75 per cent. alcohol. Press Illustrating Service PREMIER EBERT OF GERMANY (ON THE RIGHT) WITH CHANCELLOR SCHEIDEMANN (A recent photograph, on occasion of funeral ceremonies for victims of rioting) March 22.-The Treasury Department states that more than $1,000,000,000, was received on March 15, when the first fourth of income and excess profits taxes became due. March 24.-Ex-President Taft suggests amendments to the draft of the League of Nations, designed to recognize the principle of the Monroe Doctrine. A bill extending the franchise to women in Presidential elections is signed by the Governor of Minnesota. March 26.-Charles E. Hughes, former Justice of the Supreme Court, proposes a series of amendments to the draft of the League of Nations. March 29.-The Postmaster General announces a 20 per cent. increase in domestic telegraph rates. March 30.-Elihu Root, former Secretary of State, proposes a series of amendments to the draft of the League of Nations. April 1.-In the Chicago election, Mayor William H. Thompson (Rep.) defeats Robert M. Sweitzer (Dem.). . . . In the Baltimore primary, Mayor James H. Preston (Dem.) is defeated for renomination by George W. Williams; William F. Broening is the Republican candidate. April 2.-The Director General of Railroads refuses to accept reductions in steel prices recently fixed by the Industrial Board created by the Secretary of Commerce. April 4.-A delegation of Filipinos presents to Secretary of War Baker a memorial from the Philippine Legislature asking for complete independence; a message from President Wilson is read to them, expressing hope that their mission will result in the ends desired. April 7.-The Secretary of War, Mr. Baker, sails for Europe to arrange payments between England, France, and the United States for war material April 10.-The Director-General of Railroads grants to train crews an increase in wages estimated at $65,000,000-making the third increase by Government direction within three years. It is reported from Archangel, Russia, that American troops recently inquired of their commander why they should proceed against the Bolshevists when fighting with Germany is over and the United States is not at war with Russia. April 12.-The Chief of Staff of the Army announces that 686,000 troops have sailed from overseas in the five months since the armistice, and that a total of 1,700,000 officers and men have been discharged from the army; 1,980,000 remain in the service. April 13.-The Secretary of the Treasury announces the amount and terms of the new Victory Liberty Loan to be offered to the public; $4,500,000,000 in notes will be offered, to run for three or four years, with interest at 434 per cent. partly tax free, convertible into 334 per cent. notes free from all taxation. FOREIGN POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT March 15.-The Argentine Government seeks to end a strike which has tied up the port of Buenos Aires, by nationalizing the service of loading and unloading vessels. March 16.-A new German-Austrian government is reported established at Vienna, with Dr. Renner as Chancellor. THE SPECIAL FILIPINO COMMISSION TO THE UNITED STATES, PRESENTING AN APPEAL FOR INDEPENDENCE (In the center of the group, between Secretary Baker and General March, is Manuel Quezon, for many years Resident Commissioner at Washington and now President of the Philippine Senate) March 18.-The new Socialist Premier of Bavaria, Herr Hoffmann, outlines his program; the Diet abolishes the nobility and prohibits rights of inheritance. Disorders in Egypt, in furtherance of the Nationalists' demand for autonomy, are admitted by Government leaders in the British House of Com mons. March 22.-Upon the resignation of the Karolyi cabinet-coincident with the occupation of Hungary by Allied armies-a "dictatorship of the proletariat" is proclaimed by Workers', Peasants' and Soldiers' Councils, with a program of socialization of estates and industries. March 24.-Martial law is proclaimed throughout Spain as a result of a general strike in Barcelona. March 25.-A new Socialist cabinet is formed in Prussia, with Paul Hirsch as Premier. The British Secretary for War, Mr. Churchill, -defending in the House of Commons the Government's proposal to keep an army of 850,000 men,-states that the whole of Egypt is virtually in a state of insurrection. March 31.-The British House of Commons passes the Government's Military bill, 282 to 64, providing for an army of 850,000 men, in the face of charges of extravagance and abandonment of election pledges to abolish conscription. French demobilization, it is estimated, has released 2,000,000 men to civilian life, with a somewhat larger number remaining under arms. April 3.-It is reported that Gen. Aurelio Blanquet has landed in Vera Cruz, Mexico, for the purpose of leading a movement for the overthrow of the Caranza government. The French Chamber rejects two woman-suffrage amendments to an Electoral Reform bill. The British House of Commons passes the second reading of the Women's Emancipation bill, a Labor Party measure designed to "give effect to the political and legal equality of men and women. April 7.-A Soviet Republic is proclaimed in Munich, Bavaria, the "workers" taking over entire public authority; Premier Hoffmann transfers his government to Nürnberg. April 10.-Rioting in Cairo and Alexandria, Egypt, directed principally against Armenians, results in the death of fifty-eight persons. April 11.-The Mexican War Department announces that Gen. Emiliano Zapata-the bandit who for years dominated the state of Morelos, south of the capital-has been found in hiding and killed by Government troops. April 12.-The War Minister in Savony is murdered by wounded soldiers who have been dissatisfied with peace-time pay. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS March 14.-A Bolshevist attack against Allied and American forces near the junction of the Dvina and Vaga rivers, in northern Russia, is not only repulsed but severely defeated. March 31.-The American State Department and the Japanese Embassy at Washington initiate separate inquiries into rumors of land concessions granted by the Mexican Government to Japanese corporations. April 4.-In an engagement between Bolshcviki and Allied troops, in the Archangel district of Russia, there are 800 Bolshevist casualties without loss to the Allies. April 5.- After long and heated discussion by Marshall Foch and German Government leaders, the right is maintained to transport Polish troops home from France via Danzig (the German Baltic port claimed also by the new state of Poland)-but it is decided to send them some other way. OTHER OCCURRENCES OF THE MONTH March 18.-The population of Rheims, France (for more than four years range of within German Underwood & Underwood, N. Y. FRANK W. WOOLWORTH (Whose first five-and-tencent store, in 1878, expanded into a chain of more than a thousand stores) guns), is officially announced to have fallen from 115,000 to 8453. March 20.-Marriage and divorce statistics are made public at Washington for the year 1916,showing 10.5 marriages per thousand of population, and 1.1 divorces. It becomes known that wireless telephone messages were sent from New Brunswick, N. J., to the President's ship George Washington throughout the entire voyage across the Atlantic (see page 500). March 21.-Casualties in the United States air service at the front are made public: 171 aviators lost their lives in combat (besides 73 missing), and 42 were killed in accidents; 135 were made prisoners, and 117 were wounded. March 23. It is stated at Washington that in the United States forces there have been 3034 major amputation cases. March 26.-A British miners' conference decides to advise the men to accept Government proposals relating to wages and hours, thus averting a serious strike. April 4-A conference of representatives of capital and labor, in Great Britain, held under a Government auspices, accepts unanimously committee report recommending: the creation of a National Industrial Council of employers and employees, with Government recognition; a 48-hour week; increase in state provision for unemployed. April 8.-The Department of Agriculture forecasts a winter-wheat crop of 837,000,000 bushels -50 per cent. larger than the five-year average. April 11.-A German official estimate of war losses places the total dead at 1,486,952, besides 134,000 died of disease. April 12.-A new airplane record from London to Paris is made by a British army aviator, who covers 215 miles in 75 minutes. April 6.-John Rogers Hegeman, for twentyseven years president of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, 75. . . . Donald Paige Frary, an authority on international affairs and on European government systems, 25. . . . William Rheen, president of the Standard Oil Company of California, 57. April 8.-Frank Winfield Woolworth, originator of the five-and-ten-cent store, 66. April 9.-Sidney Drew, the comedian, 54. April 10.-Robert H. Roy, a justice of the Supreme Court of New York, 51. April 13.-Mrs. Phoebe Apperson Hearst, prominent in charitable and educational work in the West, 76. |