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On March 28, it was reported that Hungary had declared war on Serbia, Rumania, and other surrounding states, with promises of support from the Soviet Government of Russia,,, At the same time, however, the Hungarian Foreign Minister, Bela Kun, assumed a less hostile tone toward the Entente and gave assurances for the safety of foreign missions at Budapest, Rumanian armies, in cooperation with French forces, proceeded early in April to occupy the new eastern line of demarcation fixed by the Paris Conference.

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GENERAL SMUTS FAILS TO MAKE TERMS.-General Smuts, as emissary of the Peace Conference, on April 5 submitted proposals to the new Hungarian Government to the effect that a neutral zone be established along the new line of demarcation, that the armistice terms of November 13 be continued, that the blockade be raised, and that Hungarian representatives be sent to Paris to confer before final determination of political frontiers. These terms the Hungarian Government refused to accept, but submitted the following counter-proposals to General Smuts on his departure:

"Relying on the good will displayed in such an unaccustomed manner by you, we beg you to interpret the following proposals to the Entente Powers: First, the Soviet Government also is disposed to create a neutral zone, but solely on the condition that the frontier thereof is shifted eastward to the Maros line, and that the Soviet Republic shall administer without interference in the territory occupied by the allied troops, thus allowing the Soviet Republic to be re-established in Szegedin and Arad. There shall be free intercourse from the neutral zone both in the direction of Hungary and Rumania and free transit in the Transylvanian territory occupied by Rumania.

"Second, At the same time we request the complete raising of the blockade and the supplying of the republic with coal and fats..

"Third, We request that the proposed conference should include representatives of the Hungarian Soviet Republic, Bohemia, Rumania, Serbia, Jugoslavia, and German-Austria and that it meet at the earliest moment possible at Prague or Vienna, so as to proceed simultaneously with the Peace Conference.

"Fourth, we request an exchange of economic representatives between Hungary and foreign states.

Fifth, we request the Entente Powers immediately to cease the barbarous persecutions to which every labor movement in the occupied regions is subjected."

The document is signed by Premier Garbai and Foreign Minister Bela Kun.

GERMANY

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SPARTICIDE OUTBREAK IN SAXONY.-Herr Neuring, War Minister in the government of Saxony, was killed at Dresden on April 12 by a mob of soldiers, who, it was charged, had been refused a hearing. The trouble arose through fear that the reduction of pay to peace rates, ordered by the National Government, would be at once enforced in Saxony. The minister was thrown into the Elbe and shot at and killed as he attempted to swim ashore. The official version of the affair attributed it to Russian agents in the employ of the "Red Soldiers' League.".

RIVAL GOVERNMENTS IN BAVARIA.-On April 7 the Revolutionary Central Council of Bavaria seized control of the government, proclaimed a Soviet Republic, and announced a provisional cabinet or list of "people's mandatories," including Dr. William Mühlon as Foreign Minister. Premier Hoffmann, who was in Berlin at the time when his government was overthrown, at once returned, established headquarters at Bamberg, and, with the recognition and support of the Ebert National Government, succeeded on April 12 in reestablishing temporary control in Munich.

During the week of April 20, however, the Bolshevists were again in control, virtual anarchy prevailing in Munich, and an army organized by the Hoffmann Government marching against the city. The peasants, who controlled the situation through possession of the food supply, were reported as still loyal to the Hoffmann Régime.

POLAND

RAIL ROUTE FOR TROOPS TO POLAND.-On March 26 General Nudant, representing Marshal Foch, presented a note to the German Government demanding a passage through the port of Danzig for the Polish divisions in France under General Haller which were to be sent to Poland. To this request the German Government objected on the grounds (1) that the armistice provided transit of Allied troops through Germany only for employment against Russia, and (2) that, as indicated during the journey of Premier Paderewski across German soil, the landing of Polish troops at Danzig would give rise to opposition beyond the German Government's control.

On April 4, Chairman Erzberger of the German Armistice Commission signed at Spa an agreement providing that the Polish troops should be transported to Warsaw by rail, on the condition, however, that should their passage provoke disturbances, the Allies would claim the right to land all troops at Danzig. This arrangement satisfied Germany and at the same time made possible a more rapid movement of troops. On April 15 the first contingent of the Polish Army started across Germany accompanied by Allied officers.

PADEREWSKI URGES CESSION OF DANZIG.-Premier Paderewski arrived in Paris on April 6, with the object of securing the cession of Danzig to Poland. According to unofficial reports, the Council of Four of the Peace Conference decided on April 18 to internationalize the port of Danzig, and give the Poles a "corridor" running from that city to their frontier.

FAR EAST

JAPAN'S TROUBLES IN KOREA.-The agitation for Korean independence, which began about March 1, has increased in seriousness. For the most part the revolutionary movement has been passive, the Koreans being without weapons or will for active resistance; but from all reports, the Japanese have resorted to severe measures in its suppression. Representatives of Korea in the United States issued in March a bill of grievances

reciting the oppressions of Japanese rule during the last ten years, such as enforced use of the Japanese language, compulsory sale of land, military espionage, and restrictions upon education.

A Peking despatch of April 12 stated that a Korean Provisional Government had been formed at Seoul.

CHINA URGES NULLIFICATION OF AGREEMENTS WITH JAPAN.-Nullification of the 21 demands made by Japan early in 1915 is urged by the Chinese Government in an official statement cabled from Peking and received here to-day.

The Peking statement declares that the Japanese treaties and notes forced upon China in 1915 should be abrogated "because their terms are incompatible with the principles upon which the League of Nations is founded." The statement is largely a reply to a recent statement made by Baron Makino of the Japanese delegation on the position of Japan.

"Since the Japanese delegate in Paris," the Chinese statement says, "has pointedly referred to the 21 demands, it is incumbent upon the Chinese Government to draw attention to the fact that China's acquiescence to terms subversive of her own interests were secured by means of an ultimatum to which she was forced to surrender because of the preoccupation of the rest of the world in the European war. It is a fact that the terms were imposed upon China at the point of the bayonet, the example followed being that of Prussia; the extension to 99 years of the lease of Port Arthur and South Manchurian railway concessions being precisely the German Shantung terms.

"In the subsequent agreement secured by Japan under the former Cabinet the principles followed have been equally dangerous, not only to China's liberty of action, but to her very independence."

The statement says that the claim of Japan to special privileges because the Japanese expelled the Germans from Shantung contrasts oddly with the failure of the Americans to claim the railways and mines of France, although the Germans were expelled from Alsace and Lorraine by the co-operation of the American Army. It says that the American Army of 2,000,000 lost more than 60 times the number of lives that Japan asserts she lost at Tsing-Tao. The statement also comments on the fact that England is not asking Belgium for a single concession, although Flanders "is one vast cemetery where English soldiers are buried."—N. Y. Times, 7/4.

RUSSIA

FOOD RELIEF FOR RUSSIA.-On April 16 an agreement was reached by the Associated Powers to send food to Russia under neutral supervision, though the French representatives raised some objections on the ground that this action might involve recognition of the Soviet Government.

The agreement stipulated that the Bolsheviki must cease hostilities. The relief work was put under a commission of Swiss and Scandinavians headed by Dr. Fridtjof Nansen, the Norwegian explorer. The distribution, it was suggested, should be handled by the Russians themselves.

ITALY

ADRIATIC BLOCKADE LIFTED.-The Italian delegation to-day notified the Peace Conference of the lifting of the military and commercial blockade in the Adriatic by which trading returns to conditions before the war, except that, until peace is declared, allied warships will have the right to search merchantmen.

The lifting of the blockade, in the light of complaints which have been made against it, is likely to relieve the food situation in Croatia and possibly further north, in Hungary, German Austria, and. Bohemia.-N. Y.. Times, 27/3.

TRADE REOPENED. By decision of the military authorities of the Allied Governments, the Rhine has been opened for traffic with Switzerland, and shipments from the United States may now be forwarded to Switzerland by that route. The following countries and places with which, by reason of the blockade, trade was prohibited during the war, have since the signing of the armistice been opened for the resumption of trade by order of the War Trade Board: Siberia, Alsace-Lorraine, Palestine and Syria, Mesopotamia, Serbia and Rumania, the territory included in the line established by Article 3 of the military clause of the armistice protocol of November 3; Czecho-slovakia, Bulgaria, Turkey and Black Sea ports, the German colonies, the occupied territory of Germany, Adriatic ports, Albania and Montenegro, Luxemburg, the territory adjacent to and dependent upon the Adriatic ports, including Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, Slavonia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Dalmatia; Poland, Esthonia, and German Austria.

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REVIEW OF BOOKS

ON

SUBJECTS OF PROFESSIONAL INTEREST

Naval Power in the War." By Commander C. C. Gill, U. S. 'Navy. Price $1.50. (Published by George H. Doran Company, New York.)

Chapter I. The importance of naval power is shown. While admitting. the great importance of naval power in the war, it is nevertheless believed that the author's statement, “Naval strategy was the grand strategy of the war," is an exaggeration, Except for strategy in its purely passive form, there was little real strategy in the war on the sea; Von Spee was really the only one who had an interesting strategical problem to solve. It is true that the naval blockade was possibly the one factor which-all the other factors being equal-gave the Allies the decision, but a decisive factor is not necessarily the most important factor. As an example, had there been unity of command in the Allied armies earlier, the war would in all probability have been decided before the blockade exerted its decisive, influence.

Chapter II, Sea power, sea control and the plans of the opposing nations are discussed. Again the author claims that "naval power dominated the military situation."

Chapter III. The strengths of the opposing navies are accurately given. In the North Sea, the British had 33 vessels of the dreadnought type against 20 for the Germans. In the Mediterranean, France had four dreadnoughts and 18 pre-dreadnoughts against four dreadnoughts and six pre-dreadnoughts for Austria. The opening moves in the North Sea, the escape of the Goeben and Breslau, and the action between the Emden and Sidney are described.

Chapter IV. The action in Heligoland Bight is given in concise form and Vice Admiral Beatty's report quoted in full.

Chapter V. The salient features of the actions off Coronel and Falkland Islands are given. The author's criticism of Sturdee for sending the Bristol, which had three knots more speed than the German light cruisers, in chase of three merchantmen is very proper, but, as he notes, there may have been some good reason for this, and also, when a quick decision is necessary, it is easy for mistakes to be made, and, once made, it is often a greater disadvantage to make changes than to continue the original orders, even though they may not be the best possible.

Chapter VI. The description of the Dardanelles operation is clear and concise. It is one of the best in the book,

Chapters VII-VIII. A short description of the battle of the Dogger Bank is given. The battle of Jutland is described in more detail. It is, however, very difficult to describe such a complicated action without

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