ever passed so great a volume of well-considered and prophetic legislation as has our present Congress in the past five months." (Secretary Lane, at Atlantic City, Sept. 18, 1917.) See the various acts by title. Consult No. 10 in War Information Series published by Committee on Public Information. Adjutant General. An officer who keeps the records, orders, and correspondence of the Army. He serves under the direction of the Secretary of War and of the Chief of Staff. Through him and over his name instructions and regulations of the War Department are sent forward to military officers and troops. He is at once a secretary and archivist to the Secretary of War. Agricultural Credit. Refers to loans made to farmers for use in the purchase of land and the cultivation of the soil. Conditions of isolation and economic disadvantage have forced the American farmer to pay exorbitant rates of interest or to go without credit. These high rates have burdened him and hindered the production of food and materials. To secure a lessening of these charges the Federal farm loan act was passed in 1916. Under this act there are 12 Federal Land Banks in the country, empowered to lend funds and sell bonds. Farmers in any locality can form a farm loan association, the members of which secure loans by mortgaging their farm property. The association gives the mortgages to the land bank in exchange for the funds. The bank secures funds by selling bonds to the public with the mortgages as security. Under this system, already in operation, capital is gradually flowing from the money centers to the basic industry of agriculture. Any reliable farmer can obtain needed funds on reasonable terms-repayment in 5 to 40 years and at low rates of interest-6 per cent or less. On October 1, 1917, loans had been approved amounting to some $64,000,000; and about $200,000,000 of loans were in sight. See Farm Loans; Federal Reserve Act. Aim of United States. "The purposes of the United States in this war are known to the whole world, to every people to whom the truth has been permitted to come. They do not need to be stated again. We seek no material advantage of any kind. We believe that the intolerable wrongs done in this war by the furious and brutal power of the Imperial German Government ought to be repaired, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of any people—rather a vindication of the sovereignty both of those that are weak and of those that are strong. Punitive damages, the dismembership of empires, the establishment of selfish and exclusive economic leagues, we deem inexpedient and in the end worse than futile, no proper basis for a peace of any kind, least of all for an enduring peace. That must be based upon justice and fairness and the common rights of mankind." (American reply to the peace overtures of the Pope.) See America, Creed of; War Aims of the United States. Aircraft. Aisne. to the Oise. See Aviation; Artillery. A French river flowing through Soissons, tributary the Aisne after their retreat from the Marne in September, 1914. September 12-28, 1914, the Allied forces succeeded in partially dislodging the Germans from these positions. Some of the most bitter fighting of 1917 has taken place in this vicinity. See Hindenburg Line"; Chemin des Dames. 66 Albania. Albania, a former province of Turkey, was made an independent State after the Balkan Wars and was given a German prince, William of Wied, who, however, failed to make good his right to rule. It is situated on the eastern coast of the Adriatic. Italian forces occupied the southern part of Albania in 1915. In January, 1916, the Austro-German-Bulgarian forces, proceeding from their conquest of Serbia and Montenegro, overran the country as far south as Avlona, which was held by the Italians. On June 3, 1917, the general in charge of the Italian forces proclaimed Albania an independent country under Italian protection. See Balkan Wars; Italia Irredenta. Albert I (1875- ). King of the Belgians, succeeding to the throne December 23, 1909, in succession to his uncle, Leopold II. Becoming heir apparent at the age of 17 by the death of his elder brother, he passed through the educational steps regularly marked out for Belgian royalty-the military school, extensive travels, participation as member of the Senate in national politics. At the time of his accession he was regarded with general favor as an earnest student, unquestionably devoted to the welfare of his country, although the Socialists at this time did not hesitate to attack monarchical institutions with vigor and bitterness. On the question of foreign affairs he was approached by the Kaiser in November, 1913, at which time William II seems to have exerted enormous but unavailing pressure upon him in the hope of persuading him to permit the eventual violation of Belgian neutrality by Germany. It was largely because of his determination that Belgium must abide by her promise to maintain-if necessary, by force-her absolute neutrality that the country played the heroic part known to the world in the summer of 1914. Since then the fortitude and patience with which he has directed the efforts of the small Belgian army to win back their territory has won for Albert the admiration of the world and made him the idol of his people. See Belgium. 66 Alcohol in War Time. France and Italy have abolished absinthe. Russia has prohibited vodka, with the result, it is said, that savings-bank deposits increased to twenty times what they were in the year before the war, while pawnbrokers' loans have fallen off one-half. England has forbidden the further use, in brewing or distilling, of either barley or corn suitable for food purposes, and the Provinces of Canada have placed most of the Dominion under fairly effective prohibition, both as regards distilled and fermented liquors." In this country the story is much the same. Even before the United States declared war half the States had ranged themselves in the "dry" column, and Congress had stopped the transportation of liquor into such States. Since our entrance into the war Congress has prohibited, during its continuance, the manufacture of distilled liquors, has put existing stocks of these at the Government's command, has given the President the power to suspend the manufacture of beer and wine, and has forbidden the sale of alcoholic beverages to men in uniform. The Civil War apparently checked a widespread prohibition movement; this war is operating quite differently. Aside from the temperance movement, the explanation is to be found in the decreasing dependence of the Government on excise taxes, in the use to-day of alcohol in the manufacture of high explosives, and in the need of conserving food supplies. Algeciras Conference. See Morocco Question. Alien Draft. On September 12, 1917, Senator Chamberlain, of Oregon, reported a resolution to the Senate proposing that all friendly aliens in this country be made liable to draft for military service, and all nationals of Germany and her allies to draft for noncombatant work. The conscription in the case of friendly aliens would be subject to the approval of the diplomatic representatives of the several countries whose nationals Iwould be involved. Senator Chamberlain estimated that such a measure would call 1,275,000 men to the American colors, not counting 81,000 enemy aliens. Aliens claiming exemption through treaty or on general grounds of international law would be allowed 90 days in which to leave the country. The bill proceeds on the principle that those who receive the protection of a government should be liable for its defense. The State Department pointed out that international difficulties might result from the passing of such a bill, but undertook to negotiate for its acceptance by our associates in the war. These negotiations have now (December 1) been successful, and the measure will probably be enacted early in the approaching session. See Selective Service. Alien Enemies. Residents or sojourners in a country who are citizens or subjects of a hostile State. Their legal position is accurately indicated by the assurance addressed by the President to alien enemies in the United States in his proclamation of April 6, 1917, that so long as they refrained from acts of hostility toward the United States and obeyed the laws they should "be undisturbed in the peaceful pursuit of their lives and occupations and be accorded the consideration due to all peaceful and law-abiding persons, except so far as restrictions may be necessary for their own protection and for the safety of the United States." See Trading with the Enemy Act. Alien Enemies, Restrictions upon. These are prescribed by the President in his proclamations of April 6 and November 16, by virtue of authority conferred upon him by paragraphs 40674070 of the Revised Statutes. By the earlier proclamation alien enemies are forbidden to have in their possession any firearms, ammunition, explosives, wireless apparatus or parts thereof; or to approach within one-half mile of any fort, camp, arsenal, aircraft station, naval vessel, navy yard, or munitions factory; or to write, print, or publish any attack upon the Government of the United States, Congress, or any person in the service of the United States, or upon any measure of the Government; or to abet any hostile acts against the United States, or to give its enemies information or aid and comfort. Alien enemies trans gressing those restrictions are liable to summary arrest and to removal to any place designated by the President. Finally, no alien enemy may either leave or enter the United States except under restrictions to be prescribed by the President. The supplementary proclamation of November 16 forbids alien enemies to "enter or be found within " the District of Columbia or the Panama Canal Zone; or within 100 yards of any canal, wharf, pier, dry dock, warehouse, elevator, railroad terminal, etc.; or to be found on the waters within 3 miles of the shore line of the United States, or on any of the Great Lakes, except on public ferries; or to ascend in any airplane, balloon, etc. It also provides for the registration and issuance of registration cards to all alien enemies, with prohibition of change of abode or travel except on permission; and for monthly, weekly, or other periodical report to Federal, State, or local authorities as may be specified. Subsequent instructions to water-front operators provided for cooperation with United States troops in guarding docks, piers, warehouses, etc. See Alien Property Custodian; Passports. ... Alien Groups in America. "The men who speak alien sympathies are . . . the spokesmen of small groups whom it is high time that the Nation should call to a reckoning, . . . For us there is but one choice. We have made it. Woe be to that man or group of men that seeks to stand in our way in this day of high resolution, when every principle we hold dearest is to be vindicated and made secure for the salvation of the nations. We are ready to plead at the bar of history, and our flag shall wear a new luster. Once more we shall make good with our lives and fortunes the great faith to which we were born, and a new glory shall shine in the face of our people. . . . You can not dedicate yourself to America unless you become in every respect ... Americans. You can not become Americans if you think of yourselves in groups. America does not think in groups." (President Wilson, May 10, 1915.) 66 66 Alien Property Custodian. An official created by the trading with the enemy act, with power to require, at his discretion, any property held within the United States for or on behalf of an enemy or ally of enemy," to be transferred to him, and to hold the same as trustee till the end of the war. The primary purpose of the measure is to prevent the property of the enemy from being used in the service of the enemy and to safeguard well-disposed enemy aliens from having their property thus abused. It also puts it in the power of the Government to requisition easily such property when it may require the same for the prosecution of the war, or even to confiscate it should Germany confiscate the property of Americans held in Germany. The provisions of the act apply to patents, debts, and ready money, and the latter is expected to be invested in Liberty Bonds. It should be added that German subjects and the subjects of her allies, resident in the United States, do not from the mere fact of their nationality fall within the operation of the act. Mr. A. Mitchell Palmer is custodian. See Domicile; Trading with the Enemy Act. Allies. France, Russia, and Great Britain, bound together not by formal alliance but by informal understanding, or entente, received the name Allies or Entente Allies early in the war, and the term Allies has continued in use since then. In its popular use, however, the word embraces all the enemies of the Central Powers. More narrowly it includes only the signers of the pact of London, September 5, 1917, in which the Allies pledged themselves against making a separate peace. Italy and Japan later joined this alliance. The United States has made no alliance with any of its associates and is not bound by any agreements, nor has it any aim but to "make the world safe for democracy." See War, Dates of Declaration of. Alsace-Lorraine. Alsace-Lorraine is roughly the territory bounded by the Rhine on the east, the Vosges Mountains on the west, Luxemburg on the north, and Switzerland on the south. The soil is fertile and Lorraine is rich in excellent iron ore. The total area is 5,604 square miles and the population in 1910 was 1,874,014. Both Alsace and Lorraine originally lay within the Holy Roman Empire, but the former was acquired by France in Louis XIV's time, and the latter during the reign of Louis XV. After the Franco-Prussian War Germany took the provinces as a part of the price of peace, despite the protest of the inhabitants. They were at once erected into an imperial territory (Reichsland), directly subject to the German Emperor and the Federal Council. The so-called constitution of 1911 did not improve the strained relations between the provinces and the Government, which throughout has been unable to reconcile a large portion of the inhabitants or to prevent them from showing their attachment to France on every occasion. Germanizing of the population has been only partially successful despite the bringing in of German settlers and the adoption of such restrictive measures as that of limiting instruction in the French language in the public schools to one hour a week. At least one German scholar, Prof. Otfried Nippold, formerly of the University of Berlin and now of Berne, confesses Germany's failure in the following words: "When one looks back into the history of Europe during the last 40 years, it seems inconceivable that anyone can be unwilling to admit that the annexation of AlsaceLorraine was a political mistake," and "that the Germans have shown themselves incompetent in their government of the people of Alsace-Lorraine." See Zabern Affair. Ambassadors and Ministers of the United States to Powers at War with Germany. Belgium, Brand Whitlock; Brazil, Edwin V. Morgan; China, Paul S. Reinsch; Cuba, William E. Gonzales; France, William G. Sharp; Great Britain, Walter H. Page; Greece, Garrett Droppers; Guatemala, William H. Leavell; Italy, Thomas Nelson Page; Japan, Roland S. Morris; Panama, William J. Price; Portugal, Thomas H. Birch; Roumania, Charles J. Vopicka; Russia, David R. Francis; Serbia, H. Percival Dodge (special agent); Siam, George P. Ingersoll. Ambassadors and Ministers in Washington of Powers at War with Germany. Belgium, M. E. de Cartier de Marchienne; |