Current Mention

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Feb 15, 1906

—News from St. Petersburg states that the elections to the national assembly, or “Douma,” will be held April 7 next, and the opening session of the Douma will be held April 28.

—The conference at Algeciras over the control of Morocco has developed a deadlock between France and Germany and their respective allies, and neither side shows signs of receding from its claims. France is determined to maintain a paramount interest in Morocco, and the feeling in France is described as pessimistic. Germany is preparing to be in readiness in the event of war.

—A conference of anthracite mine owners and representatives of the miners' union was to be held in New York City, February 15. An eight-hour day, some increase in wages, greater uniformity in the wage scale, and some other concessions will be demanded by the miners. Serious dissensions exist in the ranks of the bituminous coal miners, some of whose officials disregard the orders of President Mitchell, and it is not yet known whether a strike will be called on April 1. There is already talk of another appeal to President Roosevelt to intervene to effect peace.

—In a casual glance through the pages of the Washington Post of February 10, we note that there is an “uprising of natives” in British South Africa, making necessary a declaration of martial law; the “war cloud is again sighted” in Morocco, the Russian “Reds” have inaugurated a “campaign of revenge on Russian workmen” by the use of bombs, and a “revolt is feared in Peru.” The Post of February 11 states that “the gravest view is taken of the situation in China,” and that the United States is rushing military supplies to the Orient.

—Military circles in England have been greatly stirred by the report that it was recently stated in the Japanese Parliament that Japan would at some time in the near future ask Great Britain to reorganize the British army, Japan being interested in the matter because Great Britain is her ally. At the same time Commander-in-chief Roberts has aroused England by the statement that the nation's military defenses are entirely inadequate, especially for the European portion of the empire. He urges that the army be increased in size to 1,000,000 men, half of which number would be needed for the defense of India.

—Progress in irrigation in the United States is shown by the following summary stated by an official of the United States Geological Survey in a recent address before the National Geographic Society: “During the last quarter of a century a crop-producing area of 10,000,000 acres, or another State of Massachusetts, has been restored from the desert. Irrigation canals long enough to span the earth twice, and representing an outlay of $90,000,000, have been built. Every year this area returns a harvest valued at more than $150,000,000, and 2,000,000 people dwell in prosperity and content where only a short time ago the wilderness reigned.”