USVI Public Records

Document text

key should bave aunthority to fortify the straits as'a means of safeguarding her independence, and particularly for the protection of her capital, Constantinople. M. Tchitcherirn’s speech caused such a enmmotion in the ranks of the Allies that Lord Curzon rose and remarked ironical- ly that the conference was interested to observe that the Russians who came to Lausanne representing .three countiies, were now acting as the mouth-piece for a fourth, namely Turkey. Ibn this he re- ferred to Russia’s representing Georgia and the Ukraine as well as' Russia her- self. Foreign Minister Duca of Rouma- nia argued for complete demilitarization of the straits with freedom of passage for merchantmem and warships. Pre- mier Stamboulisky of Bulgaria, dealt particularly upon th2s urgency of freedom for commerce. Ex Premier Venizelos of Greece confined his remarks to empha- sizing the interest of Greece in a proper solution of the problem of the straits. Constantinople, Dec. 4th.-Orders have been issued by the Kemalist, forbidding all employees of the Government to'in- dulge in alcoholie drinks on pain of dis- missal and the infliction of the thirty lashes. Policemen and soldiers found drinking will be discliarged. : London, Dec. 4th.—lt is officially an- nounced that Commander Thomas, a life- long Conservative, will oppose the Con- servative Whip Lieut-Col. Leslie Wilson in the bye-election in South Portsmouth. Lieut-Col. Wilson was defeated in the general election in the St. George’s divi- sion of Westminster by Mr. Erskine, the Independent Conservative and an open- ing was made for South Portsmouth by the resignation of Major Cayzer, Conser- vative, who received 19,960 voies against 9,080 for his Liberal opponent Sir H. Lawsen. There is said to be some local resentment against the ridicg being used as a party convenience. Garden City, Dec. 4th. —Madame Schu- manm-Heink, noted singer, sis reported to be seriously ill with pneumonia at her home here. Feking, Dec. 4th.—General Fu, the military power of North China, has been told that he is equally responsible with the Chinese Government for the safety and release of a number of foreign missionaries. who were kidnapped by a bandit army of 30,000 in Honan province on November 16th. The warning came fron Peking diplomatic representatives of- Great Brita%n. the United States, France, Italy, and Sweden. Dublin, Dee. 4th.—Suit for SIO,OOO has been brought against De Valera in Chancery Court by Bishop Fogarty, Dr. Richard Hayes, and John Collins, broth- er of -the late Michael Collins, as trus- tees: ofthe National Fund, together with President Cosgrave in his capacity as Minister of Finance, As it is impossible to serve the writ personally on De Valera, whose whereabouts are unknown the eouit granted “permission to serve him by advertisement The exact grounds ST OCROI X A VIS rn which the writ is based were not hrought out in today’s proceedings. ~ Montreal, Dee. 4th.- The offer of Lord Atholstan of a SIOO,OOO for the discovery of a cure for eancer has brought 2,71 claims for the award frcm 41 countries. On advice of the Royal College of Physi- cians and Surgeons of London, claim- ants, to entitle them to corsideration of their alleged cures, as in competition forthe prize, must satisfy a recognized medical faculty or leading medical socie- ty, in his or her own country, first, that there is some scientific basis to justify experimental investigation of the pro- fessed cure and that any cases said to be successfully treated were in fact cases of cancer. Lausanne, Dec. 4th.—lsmet Pasha is still being carried along behind Tchitch- erin chariot tonight, so far as the members of the Mear Eastern conference have been able to learn. Whether Ismet is willingly :llowing Russia to speak for Mustapha Kemali’s Govt. or dares not assert variance = with Soviet Russia’s views on control of the Sosphorus and the Dardanelles is not clesr. Ismet is silent, perhaps he is awaiting instruc- tions from Angora. Ismet says he wants to hear the views of England, France and Italy on control of the Straits, be- fore he sets forth the definite Turkish plan, and his admission that Russia’s pro- Ject for absolute control of the straits and adjacent territory by Turkey alone and the exclusion of all warships except Turkish from the Straits approaches nearer to the Turkish idea than any other suggested has created the general im- pression that Russia is dictating the Turkish policy. Tehitcherin’s plan was placed directly and concisely. before the delegates at the morning session. Insist- ing that Turkey should have control of the Straiis, that foreign warships should be prohibited entry and that Turkey should be permitted to erect fortifications he declaied that tvoops and ships would not influence the settlement of the proble of the Straits and that their retenticn there was not rtossible. Lord Curzon retorted significantly that foreign troops and ships were there now and werea very definite factor in the Near Eastern situation, though he hoped they would not be a permanent. factor in the Straits. Ismet Pasha had a long con- ference with Tchiteherin late this after- noon and so far has not indicated to conference officials that he has a defi- nite Turkish proposal to submit. Con- sideration of the Straits’ control con- sequently is ata deadlock. Lord Cur- zon had long conferences with the Mar- quis Di Garvoni and M Barrere and many Italian and French experts, in- cluding General Weygand. Tne Turk- ish delegation toniznt issued a state- ment attacking Lord Curzon’s attitule at today’s session. The Angora repre- sentatives employed the same words for the head of the British delegation, that entente representatives used earlier in the day, in speaking of M. Tchitcherin. Lord Curzon, they declared, was cer- tainly provocative and aggressive. He was using an old English manoeuvre and trying to being the real issue. His statement that Ismet Pasha was rot showing respect for the conference, be- cause he was not ready to cutline Turkey’s position in detail, ‘‘certaiily was disrespectful to the heads of cur delegaticn’’. The Turkish pusition is that Turkey is master of the Straits and is at home there. It was only natural therefore that she would first wish to hear what the European powers want done in the Straits. ‘Turkey hus not come into court to ask something. She is going to grant things’’ was the epi- grammatic way in which one Turk put it. l.ondon, Decemler 4th.—The eceniu- ries old struggle tetween England and Irelend ended tonight, when the Legis- lation giving the sanection of law to the new se.tlement with llreland passed its final stages in the House of Lords, which for gene ations has bitterly opposed any accommodation with Ireland. The con- stitution bill has gone through both Houses of Parliamert wit’ out any amend- ment and even without a division being challenged. Lord Curzon, alone, whose influence was mainly responsible for the failure to settle the Irish question in 1914 and who bas throughout his political career been the bitterest opponent of Home Rule, persisted to the every end in his role of ‘‘last diteh’’, even when such as the Marquis of Landsdowne and the Duke of Devonshire had yielded to the Government’s view. The Duke of Dev- onshire frankly confessed that the short month in which he bhas been dealing with Ivish affairs in the new Government hacl converted him to the view that Irelard would succeed ard he reproached Lord Carson for his denunciatory speech, which could only inflame passion and do harm. There now on!v remairs the Rov- al assent and everything will be reacy for the new Irish Govt. to come into ex- istence with excellent omens in the ex- presed desire of statesmen in England 10 give it every opportunity to succeed in its work, not only unhampered, but aided by England. Even the appointment of Mr. Healy, as Governor General of the Irish Free State, which is momentarily expecied to be announced cfficially, is. on reflection, recognized as an auspicious events. When Healy’s name was first mentioned, it was received with as.on- ishment and some incredulity. When a Goverror Generalship is in question the British mind turns only in the direction of some titled personzge. Now it is ad- miited the appointment of Healy would be singu'arly appropriate. In the ?rst place, Mr. Healy throughoat his political carcer has been one of the strongest op- ponents of the British connection and tlerefore cannot be suspected of.th‘e slightest sympathy with British views antagonistic to Ireland.