A BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 72, 18 December 1937, Page 17

A BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS

New Chinese Capital Chung-kiang, announced as the new Chinese capital, is in the province of Szechwan, and stands at the junction of the Kia-ling-ho with the Yangtsekiang, 190 miles south-east of Chengtu, and is the principal trading centre of the province. Since 1909 it has been in regular communication by small steamers, with Ichang. It was opened to foreign trade in 1891. The exports include skins, timber, leather, fur and raw silk. Natural gas is available in large quantities for local use. The population is about 500,000. Cheng-tu lies in the fertile valley of the Min, a tributary of the Yangtsekiang. The surrounding plain, 2000 square miles in area, is well irrigated, and Is one of the most densely populated and most productive areas in the world. It is a centre of the silkindustry, and has a large trade with Tibet. Ichang, on the Yangtse-kiang, Is 2.0 miles above Hankau, and 965 miles from the mouth, and is accessible to small river steamers. The great rapids of the Yangtse-kiang above Ichang. hinder navigation. Mr. William E. Dodd It is said that Mr. William Edward Dodd, American Ambassador in Germany, will resign on January 1 next, and will be succeeded by Mr. Wilson, the Ambassador to Switzerland. It has been known for some time that Mr. Dodd is out of sympathy with Nazi methods in Germany. Before his appointment ns ambassador he was a university professor. He was born at Clayton, North Carolina, in 1869, and had a distinguished scholastic career, notably on the historical side, receiving his education both in the United States and in Germany. He has been professor of history at the RandolphMacon College and the University of Chicago. He is the author of several historical books, including the life and career of Woodrow Wilson. He uas also joint editor of the Public Papers of Woodrow Wilson. Hugh Robert Wilson was born in 1885 at Evanston. Illinois, and lias bad a distinguished diplomatic career. He studied at Yale University and also in Paris. He served in the diplomatic service in Portugal, Guatemala, Argentina, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, an'd Japan. American Crops

Senator Borah, attacking the United States’ contemplated crop control measure, said: “President Roosevelt admits that 40,000,000 people are underfed, yet Nature’s bounty will be deliberately destroyed. We cannot permit this condition to continue. ...” The value of this year’s crops in the United States Is said by experts to be the largest since 1930. “Because of the tremendous crops,” says Mr. Roger Babson, an economist, “nothing can stop business improvement this fall (autumn).” The estimate for the corn crop is 2,549,000,000 bushels, a billion more than last year. Good prices were anticipated for the reason that the carryover last year was the smallest of the century. The estimated wheat crop is 885,950,000 bushels, the largest since 1931. There is a 90,000.000 bushel carry-over from last season. It is anticipated that the United States will become an important wheat exporter for the first time since 1932. In the world’s wheat markets the United States this year have little competition from Canada or the Danubian countries, both having small crops. Argentine and Australia expect fair crops, and Russia a huge one.

The United States cotton crop of 16„008,000 bales is the fifth largest in history, and the biggest since 1931. The world production is 35,600,000 bales, a record. s

The New Deal proposals for the 1938 season include a reduction iu the cotton acreage from 34,000,000 to 29-31 millions. Other base acreages suggested are: Potatoes, 3.100.000 to 3,300,000; rice. 825,000 to 875,000 acres: tobacco, 1,400,000 acres; corn, 92,000.000. to 96.000.000 acres. Wheat was not mentioned, for wheat-farmers having yet to produce a normal carry-over may plant unrestricted. Alfred Sloan, Junr.

Alfred Sloan, junior, of the United States, has announced that he is endowing a foundation for economic research with securities valued at 10,000,000 dollars. Alfred Pritchard Sloan, junior, is president of General Motors Corporation. He was born at New Haven, Connecticut >in May, 1875. Besides his interests in General Motors, he is a director of the Chase National Bank, New York; a director of the Chicago and St. Louis Railroad Company; a director of E. L. du Pont de Nemours Company, and the Pullman Company. The Azores

Mr. Anthony Eden has described reports that Britain intends to gain possession of the Azores as without foundation.

The Azores are a: group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean belonging to Portugal, from which they are distant about 830 miles to the west. Extending over some 400 miles, and having a total of 922 square miles, they form three clusters, the islands being St. Michaels 297 square miles and St. Mary, with Formigas, 40 square miles, in the south-east; Flores 57 miles, and Corvo seven square miles in the northwest: Terecira 223 square miles, Pico 176 square miles. Fayal 64 square miles, St. George 40 square miles and Graciosa 18 square miles in the centre. They form a chain of volcanoes, and are subject to earthquakes and eruptions. They have reeky coasts and mountainous interiors, and contain many hot mineral springs. The clima to is mild. The soil is fertile and tropical and sub-tropical fruits grow abundantly. The people are of Portuguese descent with a distinct strain of Moorish and Flemish blood. Valenciennes

Police at Valenciennes arrested a Hungarian and seized cypher letters which it is alleged reveal a terrorist plot to assassinate the French Foreign Minister, M. Delbos, while on his tour of Central Europe. Valenciennes, a town of France, is situated on the Schelde at its junction with the Rhonelle, 20 miles by railway east of Douai. The chief industries are cambric, iron foundries, metalworking, and railway materials. There is also commerce in sugar and coal. Valenciennes lace is no longer manufactured there. Occupied by the Germans during the Great War, it was retaken by the Canadian troops on November I. 1918. The ■metal factories were robbed of much plant, but the town suffered little damage. The population is about 40,000. (