AMERICAN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 January 1921, Page 1

AMERICAN ITEMS.

(BY TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION] AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.

THE ARMAMENT FEVER

NEW YORK, Jan 15

The New York World, which is conducting a disarmament campaign, secured an exclusive statement from the Australian Senator Milieu, who "is in London. Mr Milieu said it was a sorry commentary on the neroic efforts of the nations which had fought in the war. “If wo emerge,” he said, from the horrors of ft prolonged struggle, only again to shackle ourselves to the intolerable burden of huge and costly armaments, a naval “holiday” or a diminution of armaments is an eminently desirable tiling.” The continued high expenditures of the new race for naval supremacy would be deplorable not only because of the crushing financial burden, but also because it bred distrust and irritation.

How an understanding was to be reached*,however, was by no means so easy o isolation. Probably the most useful course now would be to create a healthy public sentiment favourable to such an understanding. This, sooner or latei', would lead those in executive authority to find a means for producing the liecessary proposals.

A SIGNIFICANT MOVE

NEW YORK, Jan 15

The New York Times’ correspondent at Washington learns that General ()i, commanding the Japanese troops in Siberia, lias informed ill political groups, including the Chita and Yladivostock (Government ,that in view of the unsettled conditions obtaining lie cannot permit any Communist rule in regions which the Japanese now occupy. The Government of Panama has sent a vcigirous note to the United States, protesting against the American officers’ soiziire of Hie striall tract of ground east of Colon fo’r the defence of the Panama Canal. The incident recalls the late ex-Rresideiit Kosevelt’s encouragement whereby the Panama Republic was created. Roscveidt quickly recognised the Panama, which immediately ceded to the .United States the canal tract which Colombia refused to grant.

GEDDES SAILS

NEW YORK, Jail. 15

Sir Auckland Gcddcs has sailed for England to rb’nfor with Mr Lloyd GhoVge and the Foreign' Office. The British Embassy in Washington withhold the announcement of his intending departure until the vessel sailed. There Ls much speculation regarding the object of his visit. It is suggested in some circles that lie is going to discuss the disarmament question. He returns in February.

* A HUGE SWINDLE. WASHINGTON, Jan 15. Another fraudulent scheme promising to assume the proportions of the Ponzie swindle has been revealed in Boston. The authorities have begun invcstiga® ting a banking syndicate dealing in options on German marks. The concert!' sold all options at two cents each. The syndicate did not .deal with the mark itself, while the options proved to be not redeemable, but fraudulent. It is estimated that at least five thousand persons' have been .swindled and the sum involved is more than live million dollars. THE CHINESE FAMINE. NEW YORK, Jan. 15. The American Farm Bureau Federation at Chicago announces that the farmers will furnish any amount of corn that the relief committees can use to alleviate the Chinese famine. . NEW AMERICAN PRESIDENT. A MILD MILITARIST. NEW YORK, Jan. 15. Immediately following upon the Senate’s action in limiting..tho United States standing army to 150,000, Senator Harding (President-elect) announced that he was opposed to compulsory military training, but stated that at an early date the new administration will establish a comprehensive system "of voluntary training of 100,000 men yearly.