The Gate Valley Star (Gate, Okla.), Vol. 15, No. 42, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 6, 1921 Page: 4 of 6
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WORLD NOT YET
NORMAL IN 1920
European Nations, Especially,
Are Beset With Troubles Dur-
ing Period of Readjustment.
PRINCIPAL EVENTS REVIEWED
Failure of Senate to Ratify Peace
Treaty Leaves United States Tech-
nically at War—Presidential
Election Holds Interest.
By DONALD F. BIGGS.
The world throughout the year 1020
whs passing through the troublesome
period of readjustment find reaction
that began with the close of the World
war. Of nil the great powers that had
been Involved in the conflict, the Unit-
ed States alone remained technically
In n state of war with Germany
through the failure of the senate to
ratify the peace treaty. For all prac-
tical purposes, however, the United
States was at peace and conditions in
this country were more nearly normal
than In most of the nations of Europe
which hud accepted tlie settlements
agreed upon by the peace conference
at I'arls.
Alttiough the great war had ended,
the world was not at peace in 1920.
Territorial disputes and jealousies
growing out of the war resulted In a
large number of minor conflicts.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
The World war was formally ended
January 10 when Germany and four-
teen of the powers allied against her
In the war exchanged ratifications of
the Treaty of Versailles at Paris. The
United States, however, was not
among the nations participating In this
ceremony, as the treaty had not been
ratified by the senate.
The Lengue of Nations came into
•ctuul being at Paris January 10 when
the executive council held its first
meeting with representatives from Bel-
glum, Brazil, England, Italy, France,
Japan, Greece and Spain participat-
ing.
The Russian government made a
step toward securing peace with Its
warring neighbors by concluding
treaties with Ukraine and Esthonla.
The Turkish peace terms were com-
pleted on March 3, and a week later
the Allies decided to use force to im-
pose the terms upon Turkey, sending
troops to occupy Constantinople. The
allied forces occupied the Turkish
capital without opposition
The Poles and Ukrainians negotiat-
ed a treaty on April 27, recognizing
Ukrainian Independence from Russia.
A combined army of Poles nnd Ukrain-
ians then launched an offensive against
the Russian "Red" forces, capturing
Kiev on May 8 and the great port of
Odessa on May 11.
The supreme council continued Its
efforts to complete the pence settle-
ments. The treaty with Hungary was
signed .Tuue 4 at Versailles, Ambassa-
dor Wallace signing for the United
States.
On July 7 the Rolshevlk troops cap-
tured Rovono, throwing the Poles Into
retreat on the entire front. Poland
opened negotiations for an armistice
and these continued for a week when
It was reported that Ruacla had or-
dered the postponement of the nego-
tiations nnd the capture of Warsaw.
Bolshevist troops captured Lorazn and
Brest-Lltovsk, and began a drive on
Lemberg August 1. During the next
two weeks they continued to advance
and on August 17 were within twelve
mljes of Warsaw. The Polish capital
seemed doomed, but on the 17tli the
Poles launched a great counter-of-
fensive nnd drove the Bolshevik! back
In disorder. Heartened by the crush-
ing blow given the Russian forces,
the Poles rejected the Bolshevik peace
terms.
In the meantime, on August 11, the
French foreign office surprised the oth-
er powers by giving recognition to
General Wrangel's de facto govern-
ment in South Russia.
The Turkish peace treaty was signed
on August 10 by all nations concerned
except Serbia and the Hedjaz. Soviet
Russia continued Its effort to make
peace with its neighbors by signing a
trenty with Letvla and agreeing to
armistice terms with Finland.
On October 12 the Poles signed an
armistice and preliminary peace treaty
with Russia to become effective Oc-
tober 18.
The cessation of hostilities on the
Polish fronts enabled the Bolshevikl
to strengthen their other fronts. Di-
rected by Trotzky, the war minister,
the Bolshevikl launched a violent of-
fensive on October 31 against the
South Russian Hrmies commanded by
General Wrangel. They succeeded In
smashing General Wrangel's forces
and drove on through Crimea.
The Bolshevikl forces captured Se-
bustopol November 11 General
Wrangel nnd the remnants of his army
were on board American, French nnd
British warships which steamed out
of the harbor as the Bolshevikl en-
tered the city.
An agreement on the Adriatic ques-
tion was reached November 10 at a
conference between the Jugo-Slnvs
and the Italians and a treaty embody-
ing the agreement was signed at Ra-
pallo two days later.
The Assembly of the Lengue of Na-
tions opened Its first session at Ge-
neva November 15, Paul Ilymans of
Belgium being elected president.
Several attempts te secure action on.
amendments to the covenant of the
League of Nations were voted down
by the lengue assembly. Because of
this action the Argentine delegates to
the assembly withdrew on December
3. On December 1 Austria was admit-
ted to the league, the first of the allies
of Germany to be granted member-
ship.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
With continual strife, amounting vir-
tually to civil war,. In Ireland, with
spasmodic revolutionary outbreaks In
Germany, with counter-revolutionary
movements developing at intervals In
Russia, with civil war In China and
with political upheavals in France,
Italy, Greece and other countries,
the unrest and changing conditions
growing out of the World war were
reflected in the disturbed Internal con-
ditions of many countries of the old
world in 1920.
One of the unexpected political de-
velopments of the early dnys of the
year was the failure of Premier Cle-
mencenu to obtain election as presi-
dent of Frnnce upon the expiration of
the term of President Poincare. Paul
Deschanel was elected on January 17
and the following day Clemenceau'S
cabinet resigned. Alexandre Miller-
and farmed a new cabinet at the re-
quest of President Poincare.
The All-Russian government In Si-
beria, headed by Admiral Alexander
B. Kolcbak, was finally destroyed with
the klTling of Admiral Kolehak by So-
cial Revolutionists at Irkutsk on Feb-
ruary 7.
In Great Britain the government
took Its first definite step toward a
settlement of tlie Irish question on
February 25 by presenting to the
house of commons Its Irish home
rule bill, providing for autonomous
rule under a dual parliament, repre-
senting both the north and the south.
On March 10 Ulster voted to accept
the bill.
A new counter-revolution, directed
by militarists, broke out in Berlin
March 13. The revolutionists gained
control of Berlin nnd Dr. Wolfgnng
Kapp proclaimed himself chancellor.
The revolution was short-lived, how-
ever, ending In failure on the 16th
when Dr. Knpp resigned.
The Irish situation continued to at-
tract the attention of the world. On
Mnrch 19 the mayor of Cork was kill-
ed by assassins.
In Mexico the presidential campaign
developed a revolution which resulted
eventually In the overthrow of the
Carranza government. On April 10 the
state of Sonora withdrew from the
republic and fighting between the
Sonora troops and federal forces be-
gan. By April 21 nine Mexican states
bad Joined the secession movement.
The revolutionary movement gained
rapidly and on Mny 7 President Car-
ranza fled from Mexico City toward
tire eastern const. On May 22 Car-
ranzn, the fugitive president, was shot
and killed by troeps In his escort
while asleep.
On August 13 Mayor Terence Mnc-
Swiney of Cork was arrested by Brit-
ish troops for sedition In holding a
Sinn Fein court at the City Hall. He
was convicted by a court martial on
the 17th and taken to an English pris-
on, where lie Immediately entered up-
on n hunger strike. Riots nnd in-
cendiarism continued to assume more
serious proportions at ninny points.
In the constitutional election held
In Mexico September 5 General Al-
vara Obregon wns elected president.
President Deschanel of France re-
signed September 21 because of 111
health and on the 23rd Premier Alex-
andre Miil'erand wns elected to succeed
hkn. Georges Leygues, minister of
marine under Clemenceau, became pre-
mier.
After a hunger strike of 74 days,
which had drawn the attention of the
world, Terence MacSwiney. lord mayor
of Cork, died in Brixton prison, Lon-
don, October 25. Great pressure had
been brought to bear to secure Mayor
MacSwiney's release, but the govern-
ment stood firm In Its stand against
the hunger strikers.
King Alexander of Greece died on
October 25-as a result of a bite by a
pet monkey, and It wns announced
that the throne would be offered to
Prince Taul, third son of former King
Constantlne.
Fierce rioting between Unionists
and Sinn Felners broke out In North
Belfast, Ireland, November 7. Seri-
ous disorders were reported also at
Londonderry, where five policemen
were shot and many ships burned or
wrecked. The Irish home rule bill
passed the honse of commons op Its
third reading November 11. At Dublin
on November 21, following the murder
of 14 British officers, a force of troops
raided n fpotball game and fired upon
the crowd, killing and wounding a
large number of persons.
A political upheaval came In Greece
with the defeat in the general election
on November 14 of the party headed
by Premier Venizelos. Premier Venl-
zel'os resigned on November 17 and
George Rhnllls, former premier nnd
leader among the followers* of ex-King
Constantlne, formed a new cabinet.
On December 4 the Greek people, in
a plebiscite voted for the return of
King Constantlne. On December 19
Constantlne returned to Athens In
triumph.
The Irish situation neared a crisis
during the closing weeks of the year.
Wholesale arrests were made by the
British authorities during the last
weeks of November, among those
taken being Arthur Griffith, acting
president of the "Irish republic" and
many other Irish leaders. On No-
vember 28 Irish plotters set fire to
several large warehouses on the Liver-
pool wnter front and kllled'two men.
Martial law was proclaimed In south
Ireland on December 10 and two days
later a large part of the business dis-
trict of Cork was burned In reprisal,
it was claimed, for Sinn Fein raids.
DOMESTIC
The year 1920 being a presidential
election year, politics held the atten-
tion of the people of the United States
during the greater part of the year.
Senator Warren G. Harding of Ohio
was nominnted for President by the
Republlcnns at Chicago June 12. The
Democratic nationnl convention at
San Francisco nominated Governor
James M. Cox of Ohio on July 5 on
the forty-fourth ballot.
In the election on November 2, the
Republican national ticket was elected
by an overwhelming majority, receiv-
ing 414 electoral votes while the Demo-
crntlc candidates received 117. The
Republicans also won an overwhelm-
ing majority in congress.
By winning their long fight for
equal suffrage, the women of the coun-
try gained the right to vote for all
offices in the November election.
The United States Supreme court
on January 5 upheld the constitution-
ality of wartime prohibition and the
Volstead enforcement act. On Janu-
ary 10 nationwide prohibition, under
the eighteenth amendment to the Con-
stitution, went into effect.
The railroads of the country were
returned to private operation on
Mnrch 1, under the terms of the Cum-
mlns-Esch railroad reorganization act.
Several suits had been instituted
during the early months of the year
attacking the validity of the eight-
eenth (prohibition) amendment. All
these cases were taken to the United
States Supreme court and on June 7
that tribunal decided that the amend-
ment and the Volstead enforcement
act were constitutional.
Big increases In rates were granted
the railroads of the country by the
Interstate commerce commission July
31 to enable the roads to meet In-
creased wages.
The trial of the Communist Labor
party leaders In Chicago, In progress
for several months, ended August 2
with the conviction of 20, who were
given Jail sentences.
Sharp drops In the prices of cotton,
wheat and other farm products
brought appeals for assistance from
the farmers of the country during the
latter part of the year. Night riders
appeared In southern states In an ef-
fort to force the growers to hold their
cotton for a higher price and a move-
ment was started to secure the holding
of wheat from the market.
NATIONAL LEGISLATION
The continued fight over the ratifica-
tion of the trenty of Versailles, with
the League of Nations covenant, re-
sulting in rejection of the treaty for
the second time, occupied the atten-
tion of the United States senate during
the early months of 1920 nnd monop-
olized the attention of the public, so
far as congressional action was con-
cerned. The Cummins-Esch bill, un-
der which the railroads of the country
operated nfter their return to private
control, and the nrmy reorganization
bill were the principal pieces of legis-
lation enacted before the first regular
session of the Sixty-sixth congress
ended June 5.
The Water Power Development bill,
which had long been pending in con-
gress. was passed by the senate Janu-
ary 15. A similar bill had been adopt-
ed by the house In July, 1919.
The senate then turned Its attention
to the pence treaty. The original
Lodge reservations were again adopt-
ed, with some amendments. The
treaty, with the reservations, came to
a vote on March 19. and for the second
time failed to secure the requisite two-
ihirds majority, the vote being 49 to
35. The following day the rejected
trenty was sent back to the President
With no prospect of the early adop-
tion of the treaty, resolutions declare
Ing the war at an end were introduced
In both the house and the senate. Both
honses adopted the Knox senate res-
olution. President Wilson vetoed this
resolution, however, on May 27.
A few days earlier, on May 24, Pres-
ident Wilson asked the senate for au-
thority to accept the mandate for
Armenia that had been offered by the
supreme council. On June 1 the sen-
ate "respectfully declined" to give the
President the authority requested.
On June 3, the house voted, 343 to
3t the repeal of all war laws except the
Lever act and the enemy trading act,
the measure already having passed the
senate, but President Wilson withheld
his signature from the act and It died,
with several other Important meas-
ures, with the adjournment of con-
gress. On the day before adjourn-
ment, President Wilson vetoed the
budget bill which had been passed by
both houses.
Congress reconvened on December 6
for the short session. President Wil-
son in his message, which was reatl
the following day, recommended that
the Philippines be g-iven their inde-
pendence.
LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL
Industrial unrest which manifested
itself during the period of reaction im-
mediately following the war, became
even more marked during the year
1920. Radical activities were involved
in some of the labor disputes in this
country, but this was true to a much
larger extent irt the labor troubles that
beset most of the countries of Europe
during the greater part of the year.
The first month of the year was
marked, in the United States, by the
abandonment of the steel workers'
strike which had been begun on -Sep-
tember 22.
Peace was declared between the
bituminous coal operators and miners
March 31, when they signed a two-
year agreement based on an award
made by the coal commission named
by President Wilson.
An "outlaw" strike of railroad
switchmen began in Chicago April 15,
and spread rapidly to other parts of
the country. Federal officers arrested
30 leaders of the strike in Chica0o,
April 15,, on charges of interfering with
the mails and violation of the Lever
act. On April 19 the joint railroad
wage board created by the Cummins-
Esch bill, announced that it would not
hear cases of men who were on strike.
A new coal strike was inaugurated
In Illinois and Kansas Anril 5,
five thousand men going out beca-use
of dissatisfaction with the wage
awards made-by the coal commission.
The Railway Labor board announced
its decision on wage increases on July
20, awarding increases of from -20 to
27 per cent to nearly 2,000,000 employ-
ees, the total Increase amounting to
about .$600,000,000 a year, about half
the ralise that employees had asked.
The award was accepted by the rail-
road unions.
Serious riots occurred at Denver Au-
gust 5 in connection with a street car
strike, many being killed and injured.
Federal troops were ordered to Denver
to stop the disorders.
The Railway Labor board made an-
other award August 10. granting an
increase amounting to $30,000,000 a
year to 75,000 railway express workers.
On August 30 President Wilson ap-
proved the majority report of the an-
thracite wage commission, awarding
wage Increases of from 17 to 20 per
cent. On September 1 anthracite op-
erators and miners signed a two-year
contract based on the award, but thou-
sands of men remained on what they
termed "vacation" In protest against
the award.
Industrial conditions grew more se-
rious in Italy during the late summer
and fall. An obstructionist campaign
was started by 500,000 workmen on
August 22. On August 31, In Lom-
bardy, 300 metal-working plants were
seized by employees and workmen's
councils took charge of the plants. On
September 14 the workmen's council
voted for co-operative management
and profit-sharing by the work-
men. At the same time the workmen
took over 200 chemical works and sev-
eral textile mills. Premier Giolittl In-
tervened, and on September 19 the em-
ployers agreed to his terms of settle-
ment, granting increases of pay ret-
roactive to July 15. The workmen ac-
cepted the settlement and ordered the
factories returned to the owners.
An Industrial crisis was precipitated
In England on October 16 by n strike
of 1,000,000 coal miners. On the 28th
an agreement was reached for an in-
crease. In wages in consideration of a
pledge on the part of the miners to
help increase production. The strike
was called off November 3.
A severe business depression was
felt throughout the United States dur-
ing the closing weeks of the year. The
trend toward lower wages was marked
by the announcement of the textile
mills of New England In December of
a reduction in wages amounting to
22% per cent
age being particularly heavy In tfc©
western part of Vera Cruz.
More than 100 persons were killed,
many were injured and heavy property
damage was caused by tornadoes which
swept Georgia, Alabama, Indiana, Ohio
and Illinois, March 28.
Three hundred persons were killed
by an explosion of a munitions dump
at Rothenstein. East Prussia, April 11.
Another tornado caused heavy dam-
age In Alabama, Tennessee and Mis-
sissippi, April 20. More than 150 per-
sons were killed and property valued
at $2,000,000 was destroyed.
Fifty-nine persons were killed by a
tornado In Cherokee county, Okla.,
May 2.
Great floods were reported In Japan
August 19, with heavy loss of life.
A severe earthquake in the district
north of Florence, In Italy, on Septem-
ber 7, destroyed 100 towns and killed
about 400 persons.
Disastrous earthquakes occurred In
Chile and Central America Decem-
ber 9, and later in the month.
DfSASTERS
The world was comparatively free
from disasters causing great loss of
life during 1920. Tornadoes in the
United States and earthquakes In Italy
and Mexico, caused the greatest de-
struction.
Several thousand people were report-
ed killed by a violent earth shock in
cwtral Mexico January 3, the dam-
NECROLOGY
Death took many persons prominent
in national and world affairs in 1920.
Among those who were best known or
most active in their particular fields
of labor, were the following:
January 3, Nicholas Slcard, famous
French painter; January 8, Maud Pow-
ell, world's foremost woman violinist;
January 16, Reginald DeKoven, Amer-
ican composer and music critic; Jan-
uary 23, Richard L. Garner, author and
explorer; January 24, Rev. Cyrus
Townsend Brady, widely-known author.
February 4, Edward Payson Ripley,
for 24 years president of Santa Fe
railroad; Ohio C. Barber, organizer
of the match industry; February 11,
Gaby Deslys, noted French dancer;
February 12, Julius Chambers, New
York author and explorer; February
18, Gen. William E. Mi-ckle, for many
years adjutant general of .the United
Confederate veterans; February 20,
Rear Admiral Robert E. Peary, U. S.
N., retired, discoverer of the North
pole.
March 1, John H. BanLhead, senior
United States senator from Alabama;
March 3, John J. O'Shea, Catholic au-
thor and editor; March 24, Mrs.
Humphry Ward, famous English nov-
elist; Mar.ch 28, Elmer Apperson, pi-
oneer automobile manufacturer.
April* 1, Dr. William Martin, U. S.
N., retired, yellow fever expert; April
6, Laurent Honore Marqueste, French
sculptor; April 7, Edward Harold Mott,
humorist; April 11, Ferdinand Roybet,
French artist; April 15, Theodore N.
Vail, pioneer In telegraph and tele-
phone industries; April 20, Briton
Riviere, famous English panter; April
21, Henry Mosler, noted American
painter.
May 1, William Barrett Ridgely", for-
mer controller of the treasury; May 9,
Bishop John H. Vincent ef the Meth-
odist Episcopal church, founder of the
Chautauqua assembly; May 11, Wil-
liam Dean Howells, famous American
novelist; May 16, Levi P. Morton, for-
mer vice president.
June 3, Rev. Charles Augustus Stod-
dard of New York, author and theo-
logian ; June 13, Mine. Gabrlelle Char-
lotte Rejane, famous French actress;
June 18, George W. Perkins, New York
financier; June 26, Rev. Dr. William
Henry Roberts, for more than thirty
years stated clerk of the Presbyterian
general assembly.
July 4, Major General William G.
Gorgas, former surgeon general of the
United States army; July 10, John
Arbuthnot Fisher, former first lord of
the British admiralty; July 11, former
Empress Eugenie, widow of Napoleon
III; July 22, William K. Vanderbilt,
financier and former railroad presi-
dent.
August 1, J. Frank Hanly, ex-gov-
ernor of Indiana and Prohibition can-
didate for president In 1916; August
3, Isham Randolph of Chicago, noted
engineer; August 10, James O'Neil. fa-
mous Irish actor; August 16, Sir Nor-
man Lockyer, eminent English scien-
tist; August 26, James Wilson, former
secretary of agriculture; September 15,
Raimundo de Madrazo, famous Span-
ish portrait pninter; September 25.
Jacob H. Schlff, American financier
and philanthropist.
October 2, Winthrop Murray Crane,
former United States senator from
Massachusetts; October 5, Charley
Norris Williamson, noted English au-
thor ; October 12, Mrs. Ogden Mills, so-
cial leader in New York and Paris;
October 13, Charles M. Alexander, fa-
mous singing evangelist.
November 2, Louise Imogen Guiney,.
American poet and essayist; Novem-
ber 9, Ludwig ni, former king of Ba-
varia; November 10, Henry Thode,
noted German historian; November 18,
Franklin Fort, former governor of
New Jersey; November 22, Ole Theo-
baldl, Norwegian violinist; November
23. Margaret Brewster, American
writer. November 30, Eugene W.
Chafin, prohibition candidate for pres-
ident in 1908 and 1912.
December 3, Francis Lynde Stetson,
eminent attorney of New York; De-
cember 10, Horace E. Dodge, automo-
bile manufacturer; Marquis Delia Chie-
sa, brother of the pope; December 12,.
Olive Schreiner, novelist
1#2«. Western NewaptDer Union.)
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Stevens, Arthur J. The Gate Valley Star (Gate, Okla.), Vol. 15, No. 42, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 6, 1921, newspaper, January 6, 1921; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc168304/m1/4/: accessed April 25, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.