USVI Public Records

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ranged. It was conducted under circum- stances that left no doubt as" to its of- ficial eharacter, every preparation, even dt_)Wn to s.ch details as the providing of paper and pencils had been made. I'he spokeman for Great Britain, it was announced before the sesssion, must re- main anonymous, but it was evident tnat in his address he had the kn)w- lege, the sanction and the approval o rhe Govt. The newspaper men accus- tomed to dealing with the softer phras- es of diplomacy were amazed aL tne trankness-of .the speech from which it was to be inferred that Amearica’s relations with England are strained ®, a far greater degree than would ®ppear on the surface, and ihough (he speaker smoothed away some of the ®harshness of it by declaring that ‘‘There was no question under discussion which could not be settled dipiomatically’’. In . substance, the staterment was a direct appeal to both countries, through, the press, to exercise patience and to use every possible care to guard against state- ments or actions which may serve to . arouse feelings either in Canada or Ameri- - ca,but it was a forceful warning in which terms not usually found in diplomatic exchanges are used. The speaker in- sisted upon describing the situation as one of broad ‘‘aspects’’, in which the Anglo- American peopie are “drifting apari through lack of comprehension of each other. He declared that conditions had been brought, ‘'piecemeal’”’, partly through news and press stories ex- changed between Great Britainn and America, and blamed muc.: of the pres- ent sentiment in both countries upon English and American local politicians. Washii®ton, Feb. Bth.—Members of Congress_and administrative officers of the Govt® received with amasement the news tha an important figure in Anglo- American politics had warned American correspondents that the Iwo nations are “treading the- path leading to war’’. Secretary of State Colby read with in- terest the despatch from London. but declined to comment on the information it contained. ‘‘The thing seems pre- posterous’’, said Mr. Colby. The signifi- cance of the statement was recognized, in view of the circumstances surrounding its delivery, but everywhere there was ' surprise that the British Foreign Office should have interpreted the relations existing between the coumtries as reqnir- ing what was taker to bea diplomatic move of such a serious nature. Com- ment in the main was guarded. The possibility of war growing out of the questions now in dispute between the two countries was regarded as ridiculous and surprise was universal that the British spokesman should so openly have referred to it. His remarks were con- sidered illeadvised, untimely and undiplo- matic. There was an apparent under- current of resentment, as well, that the British should regard expressions and ST CEHUOUIIIX A ¥ 8 PR i 2 . 8 [ activities of prossmen, American citi- zens, in S 0 ¢r.ve a manner as to war- rant an oificial spokesman of the Govt. issuing an odivial if anonymous varning to this eountry. London, Feb. Bth. —Mr. Lloy1 George thday issue a warniaz that che peviod of dapzer i 3 not. yec passed. ' foe world is still reeling uadac :h2 most tar- rible blow, it 1s restless and demoral- izad’?. he dsstirsd in addvissine lne Welsh Libzarals ‘in Cen.ral Hali. [ne Premier deciared ne had no time to de- fand himsel! trom attazks by opposiuon newspapers. | am eagaged in a ierrible task, he declared, it is far mor= important than ldefeuding myself. Who savs the danger is past’’? [ wisn to God every- body could. b:cause it worries me and fills me witn dread. If somebody with authority, with vision, whose word I could accept. could teil me *'Yes, the danger is over’”’, [ would b= so glad that [ would sign my resignation tomor- row. Alliding to Ireland, he said the Coaiitionists had given Ireland a greater measure of Home Rule than either Gladstone or Asquith had proposad. But he added, ‘‘l'hey say they won’t take it’’. T'hey must nave an Irish Re- public’”’, an Irish Army, an Irish Navy, Taep won’t get it, and if they don’t get it we are told they will kill our poiicemen and our soldiers, not in open fignting, out hiding in holes walkiog as respectable citizens, tramps, farmers, or swaggering along the road until they come toa hiding place where they find rifles, passing perhaps the very police- man they are about to murder, as though they were innocent men. Are we to allow that sort of thing to be done wichout protecting the people we are sending there”” (Cries of no). There is 0o issue bet veen us and cur political opinions on; Home Rule. We harbe done one hetter than the Gladstone Home Rule. These is an issue about setting up an indeperdent country by our very gates, by the places where submarines usad to sink our ships and endanger our commerce and life. There iz an issue as to whether the policemen or soldiers who are there upholding the honour of our flag are to be shot down by men who lurk in holes I know no other is- sue. London, Feby. 9th—-Australia’s man- mandate for the former German Island in the Pacific, south of the Egquator, is published this morning. The League of Nations publishes Japan’s declaration relative to the category of mandates and article 22 of the peace treaty. Japan foregoes the insertion of the ciause re- specting equal trading opportunities, but this, says the declaration, should not be considered acquiescence by Japan, which submits that the- Japanese are subject to diseriminatory and disadvantageous treatment in the mandate territories, and that Japanese subjects rights and interests there should be fully respected. - New York, Feb :9th.—Raw quiet early today. with Cub>’s 3§ cents cost aud freight, equal . for ecentrifugal. No sales were repo) The demand for refined was modo at 6.85 for fine granulated. Sugar - tures were featureless up to midday with the volume of business dull. Paris. Feby. 9th.—~The Chamber of Deputies tonight ratified the Paris aoyoe. ment by a vote of 296 to 83. Many <€ep uties abstained from voting, The Cham- ber voted confidence n the Government - by 387 tc 125. "Before the vote was taken M. Briand, the Pre nier, said th ¢ unless he obtained a vote of confidence o vould resign. He wourd up the long debate by declaring ‘‘the fate of Ger. many lies in her own hands. Should she, after the first of May 1921, refuse to fulfill her pledzes, the Freneh Govern- ment can be relied upon to take all meas. ures to make her do so.”’ London, Feb. 9th.—The Duke of Con- naught formally inaugurated the Coun- cil of State and the Indian ‘legislature assembly at Delhi, India, today. Washington, Feb. 9th.—By directoin of his Goverment Mr. Leslie Craigie, British Charge D’a.lairs here, called on Secretary - Colby at the State Department to formal- ly deny the published revorts that; officials of the British Foreign Office had fol o United States newspapers corresnondents - in London that Great Britain and the United States were treading the path of war. London, Feb. 10th.—Reports from Ja- pan on the Japanese attitude on the new Anglo-Japanese treaty and Ameri- can situation are receiving careful consideration her~, particulariy because of the development of an anti-Japanese feeling in British dominions, similar to that existing in the United States. Japanese editorial comments on the si-- uation are being cabled here and are attracting considerable attention, as Great Britain has found in Japan a fair ally and sees in Japanese newspaper’s ex- pressions no,_change. ‘lt is a matter of surprise that an improbable Ameii- can-Japanese war or peaceful Anglo-Jap alliance should be made pretexts amo g certain sections of American people for building up armaments,’’ says the **Jiji’’ of Tokio, the most influe-tial journal published. “‘There is greater folly in the race for armaments between Ameri- - -ca, Great Britain and Japan than thera was between Great Britain and Germany in peace days. This is because there is no possibility of America, Great Britain and Japan clashing, while there was always a possibility of an Anglo-German war. If America should decide for a scheme of armament restriction, the en- tire plan would be facilitated. The pe ce of the world depends on this restriction and can be carried out ifAmerica, Great Britain ¢nd Japan agree. The best hope for this is for the President-elect to de- elare himse.f for it. :