BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 January 1921, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

CABLE NEWS.

BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT.

AUSTRIAN CRISIS.

(Received this day at 8 a.m.) PARIS, Jan 20. Private advices from Austria state the Austrian Government is actually resigning to-day. A general strike is breaking out, meet ings being held throughout the country, demanding union with Germany, and threatening to lynch profiteers and speculators.

Enquiries at London Embassy do not ' coniirm the definite resignation of the Government. The Minister states he does not exactly know what has happened at the moment, but he knew the position was very grave. PERSIAN CRISIS. (Received Tins Day at 8 a.m.) x DELHI, Jan 20. The Persian Cabinet has resigned for the third time and the resignation has been accepted. AN INVESTIGATION. (Received This Day at 9.45 a.m.) WASHINGON, Jan 21.

Admiral Benson head of the Shipping Board has ordered an investigation of Senator Jones sensational charges made before the National Merchant . Marine Association, that the international mercantile marine which is an American corpoarticn leasing forty vessels from the Shipping Board, made an agreement in 1903 with the British Admiralty to pursue no policy that would be injurious to the interests of the British mercantile marine or British trade. The agreement, it is stated, terminates two years hence. Franklin, president of the International Mercantile Marine denies Jones’ charges.

, A SENATE ENQUIRY. ' (Received This Day at 9.45 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Jan 20. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee decided to undertake the special study of the political and strategic position in the Pacific, embracing the status of Yap and other ex-German Islands, north of the Equator, and question of ex-German cables to Yap. Mr Lodge conferred with Mr Davis who will appear before the committee and communicate various unpublished documents drawn up at the Peace Confereice concerning the subject. It is understood the committee will probably again investigate the Shantung question and the Japanese occupation of Vladivotock, Saghalien, and - Korean border country. Mr Wilson is usderstood to have consented to lay the official records before the Committee which is specially anxious to obtain United States Navy general board’s warning to the President against permitting Japanese to obtain possesion of Pacific Islands. It is said Mr Lodge and his colleagues are also curious to know whether the - secret Anglo-Japanese Treaty of 1917 mnjv interfelre with America having cable and radio stations at Yap. They say Mr Wilson thus far has only informed then! that he had made a reservation in Paris regarding Yap and had obtained an oral assurance that international communications to congress, which met recently in Washington, would determine the disposition of the island. The Congress however, have not yet reached an agreement.