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United States

2 of the 7 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for United States. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.

Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)

a republic of North America . It comprises the main body, Alaska, the Hawaiian Islands, Porto Rico , the Philippine Islands, Guam, Samoa, and Wake Island . As given in the United States census reports, the area of the main body is 3,317,494 square miles; that of the outlying territory is 720,593 square miles; total area, 4,038,087. The United States proper extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific, an extreme east and west distance of 3,100 miles; and from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, an extreme north and south distance of 1,780 miles. The longest straight line wholly within the United States extends from Florida to the state of Washington. The Canadian boundary is 3,700 miles long. The Mexican boundary is 2,105 miles in length. Counting ocean, lake, and river, the water boundary is 11,075 miles in length. The 49th parallel, running from the Lake of the Woods to the Pacific, is the longest uniform mathematical boundary shown on the map of the world. TOPOGRAPHY. Seen from a great height, the surface would seem very simple--a narrow mountain region parallel to the Atlantic coast, a wide mountain region parallel to the Pacific coast, and the vast basin of the Mississippi between. A coast plain borders the Atlantic and a narrow foot plain follows the Pacific. The widest part of the western mountain region includes the Great Basin , a large, elevated area of inland drainage. As reported by the United States Geological Survey, the most elevated mountain peak in the United States is Mount Whitney of California, 14,502 feet high. The portion of land surface nearest the center of the earth is the most northerly point of the coast line of Washington. The greatest drainage basin is that of the Mississippi. The largest body of fresh water wholly within the United States is Lake Michigan. MINERALS. The mineral wealth is very great. There are vast supplies of the useful minerals and they are well distributed. About half a million persons are employed in mines and quarries. The United States produces a half of the world's copper and petroleum; a third of the iron, coal, and silver; and a fourth of the gold, lead, zinc, mercury, and salt. According to the United States Geological Bulletin issued January 1, 1909, the mineral products for the year were valued at over $2,000,000,000. In point of money value, coal led with $614,798,898. Pig iron was second with $529,958,000. Next in order were copper, petroleum, gold, and stone. A complete list includes pig iron, silver, gold, copper, lead, zinc, quicksilver, aluminum, antimony, nickel, tin, platinum, bituminous coal, Pennsylvania anthracite, natural gas, petroleum, brick clay, cement, slate, stone, corundum and emery, crystalline quartz, garnet, grindstones, infusorial earth and tripoli, millstones, oilstones, arsenious oxide, borax, bromine, fluorspar, gypsum, lithium minerals, marls, phosphate rock, pyrite, sulphur, salt, barytes, cobalt oxide, mineral paints, zinc white, asbestos, asphaltum, bauxite, chromic iron ore, clay, feldspar, fibrous talc, flint, fuller's earth, glass sand, graphite, magnesite, manganese ore, mica, mineral waters, monazite, zircon, precious stones, pumice stone, rutile, molding sand, talc and soapstone, and uranium and vanadium. A separate article on each important mineral may be consulted. CLIMATE. In latitude the United States extends from 24 deg. 30' to 49 deg. N. with corresponding range in climate. The coast of New England is affected by a cold ocean current from Labrador. The temperature of the Gulf States is raised by the Gulf Stream . The region between the Great Lakes and the Rocky Mountains has a continental climate--warm summers and cold winters. Arid conditions raise the summer temperature in the Great Basin. The greatest degree of winter cold is found in northern Minnesota, North Dakota, and eastern Montana, where the thermometer falls as low as--40 deg. F. and occasionally lower. The highest summer temperature, about 120deg, is found in Arizona. The most equable temperature is found on the Pacific coast. The rainfall is uneven. Roughly speaking, the 100th meridian marks a falling off in rainfall. East of that line twenty inches of precipitation, well distributed through the year, may be depended upon. The Appalachian region has an average of forty inches or over. The eastern coast of North Carolina and the Gulf coast for a distance of two hundred miles eastward and westward of Mobile have over sixty inches of rain annually. Advancing eastward from the coast of Oregon the precipitation falls off from sixty inches and upward to practically zero in portions of the Great Basin. The annual rainfall for Boston, New York, Charleston, and New Orleans is 55 inches; Chicago, 40 inches; St. Paul, 27 inches; Denver, 15 inches; Yuma, 3 inches; San Francisco, 24 inches; Tacoma, 86 inches. FORESTS. With certain exceptions in favor of Illinois and other states of partial prairie, the region east of the Mississippi was originally heavily wooded. The same statement holds true for that portion of the Pacific coast within reach of the fogs and rains of the ocean. A recent writer ventures the statement that during the past 300 years the forests of the Atlantic, the Pacific, and the Great Lakes have yielded 1,000,000,000,000 feet of lumber. Settlers have piled up and burned half as much more to clear land for farms. It is to be expected that the native forests will last about fifty years more. STOCK RAISING. Stock raising may be divided into two great branches--stock raising on farms and stock raising on the ranches. Of domestic animals, cattle, hogs, horses, and poultry are most widely distributed. Hogs and poultry are raised for market chiefly in the corn belt. A vast extent of territory extending from Texas to Montana is devoted largely to cattle ranches. The cattle pasture summer and winter on native grasses either green and growing or cured on the stalk. Montana and Idaho form the center of the American sheep industry. Of late farmers have passed into the ranges and many owners of large ranches have divided their holdings into farms and have sold them. AGRICULTURE. The United States is preeminently an agricultural nation. A full third of the population is engaged in farming, gardening, raising fruits, dairying, and in kindred pursuits. The United States occupies one-sixteenth of the earth's surface, and has one-twentieth of the world's population. The American farmer tills a third of the entire amount of land under cultivation. He produces three-fourths of the world's cotton and corn; a third of the world's tobacco and meat; one-fourth of the wheat, oats, butter, and cheese; and a tenth of the wool and sugar. The range of climate and soil is such that all the cereals, the useful vegetables, and the fruits of temperate and subtropical regions are raised with success. MANUFACTURES. In manufactures the United States has attained a leading position. The nation now ranks first in the total value of manufactures. We now produce one-half of the world's paper, one-third of the world's glass, steel, and cotton cloth, one-fourth of the leather, and one-fifth of the woolen cloth. In addition to being first in farming and in manufacturing, the United States is first in mining, first in wealth, fourth in population, first in the number of children in school, first in the number of newspapers, telephone and telegraph messages, and railroad mileage. The United States is second in ship owning, third in foreign trading, third in the list of naval powers, third in order of national expenditure, and tenth in size of national debt. The national appropriations for 1909 were $1,008,884,884. The expenditure per person has increased rapidly. In Washington's time it was $1.32 per capita; prior to the Civil War it had reached twice that amount; in 1907 the national per capita expenditure was $6.77. Prices have risen and the government does more for the people than it used to do. HISTORICAL. The United States as a nation may be said to date from the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776. The territorial growth is as follows: Original Territory--827,844 square miles. From Great Britain by Treaty of Paris, September 3, 1783. Louisiana Territory--1,171,931 square miles. Purchased from France by Treaty, April 30, 1803, for $15,000,000. Florida--59,268 square miles. Purchased from Spain by Treaty, February 22, 1819, for $5,000,000. Oregon--291,000 square miles. By discovery 1792, exploration 1805-6, settlement 1811; and treaties with France (1803), Spain (1819), Russia (1825), and England (1846). Texas--376,133 square miles. By convention with Texas Republic, March 2, 1845. In 1850, Texas relinquished to the United States all her territorial claims to New Mexico for $10,000,000. First Mexican Cession--545,783 square miles. By conquest and purchase from Mexico for $15,000,000 by Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, February 2, 1848. Second Mexican Cession--45,535 square miles. Purchased from Mexico for $10,000,000 by Gadsden Treaty, December 30, 1852. Alaska--590,884 square miles. Purchased from Russia, March 30, 1867, for $7,200,000. Hawaiian Islands--6,449 square miles. Annexed by Joint Resolution of Congress, July 6, 1898. Porto Rico--3,435 square miles; Philippine Islands, 119,542 square miles; Guam, 201 square miles. By Treaty of Paris, December 10, 1898, and payment to Spain of $20,000,000. Samoa--Eighty-one square miles. Wake Island--One square mile. Total area United States--(main body) 3,317,494 square miles; total area outlying territory, 720,593 square miles. Grand total--4,038,087 square miles. GOVERNMENT. The government of the United States is based on the Constitution, adopted in 1787, to which ten amendments were added in 1791; one in 1798; one in 1804; one in 1865; one in 1868; and one in 1870. Separate articles may be found relating to the Presidency and to Congress. The Union comprises thirteen original states, seven states that were never territories, and twenty-eight states that had been organized previously as territories. Each state has its own constitution, consisting of such provisions as may be adopted by the people of the state and not contrary to the national Constitution. For details, the reader may consult separate articles as follows: Topography--Articles on the several states, mountain ranges, lakes, and rivers, GREAT BASIN, etc. Minerals--GOLD; IRON; SILVER; COPPER; COAL; PETROLEUM; MARBLE. Forests--PINE; OAK; WALNUT; COTTONWOOD; ELM; TUPELO; LUMBERING. Plants--CORN; COTTON; SUGAR-CANE; APPLE; PEACH; ORANGE; STRAWBERRY; BLUEBERRY; CRANBERRY; CACTUS; SEQUOIA; PECAN; SYCAMORE; MAGNOLIA. Fruits--APPLE; STRAWBERRY; PEACH; GRAPE. Wild Animals--BEAR; RACCOON; FOX; WOLF; BISON. Domestic Animals--CATTLE; SHEEP; HORSE; HOG; CHICKEN. Farming--COTTON; RICE; SUGAR; OATS; WHEAT; CORN; TOBACCO; THRESHING; PLOW. Manufactures--STEEL; WEAVING; SILK; NAILS. History--DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE; CIVIL WAR; SLAVERY; REPUBLICAN PARTY; DEMOCRATIC PARTY; PRESIDENT; COMMERCE; PENSION; DEBTS; CONSTITUTION. Cities--NEW YORK; BALTIMORE; SAN FRANCISCO; NEW ORLEANS; ST. LOUIS; CHICAGO, etc. Internal Improvements--STEAMBOAT; RAILROAD; TELEGRAPH; PHONOGRAPH; BANK; CANAL; NEWSPAPERS; PERIODICALS. Education--UNIVERSITY; HIGH SCHOOL; NORMAL SCHOOL; COMMON SCHOOLS. Government--ARMY; NAVY; PATENTS; POSTOFFICE; PRESIDENT; VICE-PRESIDENT; CONGRESS; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS; PUBLIC LANDS; CENSUS; MINT; CONSUL. The following statistics are based on the latest government reports. Some reports are delayed; others cover a period not coinciding with a calendar year. The figures as given are for a year ranging within 1908-1910: Area (U. S. survey) square miles 3,317,494 Population 88,689,392 Population per square mile 29 Members of Senate 96 Members of House 393 Electoral vote 489 Salary of president $100,000 Wealth $107,104,211,917 Wealth, per capita $1,310.11 Public debt, less cash in treasury $938,132,409 Public debt, per capita $10.76 Interest-bearing debt $897,503,990 Annual interest charge $22,000,000 Interest per capita $0.24 Gold coined $131,907,490 Silver coined $13,178,436 Gold in circulation $614,553,628 Silver in circulation $199,267,923 Gold certificates in circulation $788,464,309 Silver certificates in circulation $465,581,977 United States notes outstanding $340,189,838 National bank notes outstanding $632,431,530 Miscellaneous currency in circulation $4,968,084 Total circulation of money $3,045,457,289 Circulation per capita $34.81 Bank clearings $154,662,515,258 National banks 6,893 State banks 11,319 Banks, all kinds 22,788 Capital $1,800,000,000 Deposits $14,100,000,000 Cash in hand $1,432,000,000 Depositors 25,000,000 Savings depositors 15,000,000 Bank resources $21,000,000,000 Woodland, acres 640,000,000 National forest reserves, acres 162,000,000 Standing timber, board feet 2,500,000,000,000 Forest products, 1909 $750,000,000 Fisheries-- Vessels 6,930 Persons 220,000 Catch, value $63,000,000 Canning establishments 373 Canned fish, value $27,000,000 Mineral Products-- Coal, tons 475,000,000 Petroleum, gallons 6,976,000,000 Pig iron, tons 26,000,000 Steel, tons 23,000,000 Copper, pounds 1,098,000,000 Lead, pounds 700,000,000 Zinc 534,000,000 Gold $99,000,000 Silver $27,500,000 Phosphate rock $15,000,000 Cement, barrels 30,000,000 Government receipts $604,432,000 Internal revenue 246,329,000 Taxes on whiskey 128,315,000 Taxes on ale and beer 56,303,000 Taxes on tobacco 51,887,000 Taxes on oleomargarine 902,000 Taxes on playing cards 502,000 Customs 361,209,000 Duties on sugar 50,000,000 Duties on cotton and cotton goods 34,000,000 Duties on wool and woolen goods 22,160,000 Duties on vegetable fibers 18,613,000 Duties on silk 16,500,000 Duties on liquors 14,696,000 Duties on iron manufactures 9,663,000 Profits on coinage 11,000,000 Sales of public land 7,700,000 Tax on nat'l bank circulation 2,888,000 Tax on corporations 15,000,000 Government expenditure, ordinary $696,000,000 Civil establishment 153,000,000 Military establishment 128,000,000 Naval establishment 125,000,000 Indian service 17,000,000 Pensions 161,000,000 Public works 90,000,000 Interest on public debt 22,000,000 Agricultural Products (1909)-- Corn, bushels 2,772,376,000 Winter wheat, bushels 446,366,000 Spring wheat, bushels 290,823,000 Total wheat, bushels 737,189,000 Oats, bushels 1,007,353,000 Barley, bushels 170,284,000 Rye, bushels 32,239,000 Buckwheat, bushels 17,438,000 Flaxseed, bushels 25,856,000 Potatoes, bushels 376,537,000 Hay, tons 64,938,000 Tobacco, pounds 949,357,000 Rice, bushels 24,368,000 Cotton, bales 10,088,000 Wool clip, pounds 328,110,749 Hops, pounds 51,000,000 Cane sugar, pounds 700,000,000 Beet sugar, pounds 850,000,000 Value agricultural products $8,760,000,000 Domestic Animals-- Horses 24,000,000 Mules 4,227,000 Cattle 72,700,000 Sheep 56,300,000 Swine 55,950,000 Goats 1,960,000 Exports $1,860,000,000 Per capita $21.04 Breadstuffs, meats, fruits, nuts $486,000,000 Cotton 438,000,000 Cotton goods 25,000,000 Metals and metal goods 295,000,000 Coal 40,000,000 Petroleum 105,000,000 Tobacco 40,000,000 Oil cake 20,000,000 Rosin, turpentine 22,000,000 Agricultural implements 25,000,000 Furs 7,700,000 Books, etc 6,100,000 Soap 3,400,000 Imports $1,194,000,000 Per capita 13.70 Rubber, crude 62,000,000 Silk and silk goods 96,000,000 Cocoa 14,000,000 Coffee 67,000,000 Fruits and nuts 37,000,000 Sugar 80,000,000 Hides and skins 54,000,000 Fibers and fiber goods 80,000,000 Chemicals 73,000,000 Leather and leather goods 14,000,000 Glassware 6,500,000 Earthenware and china 14,000,000 Toys 7,200,000 Diamonds and precious stones 17,000,000 Books, etc 6,000,000 Seeds 6,000,000 Railway Statistics 1909-- Miles operated 230,000 Gross earnings $2,593,179,404 Operating expenses $1,694,329,059 Taxes $92,000,000 Net earnings $806,850,345 Passengers carried 890,000,000 Passengers carried one mile 28,000,000,000 Tons freight carried 1,800,000,000 Tons freight carried, 1 mile 240,000,000,000 Freight rate per ton-mile, cents 0.77 Freight cars ordered 188,000 Passenger cars ordered 4,480 Locomotives ordered 3,350 Telephone subscribers 5,200,000 Postoffices 61,158 Postal expenditures $206,796,000 UNITED STATES Postal receipts $192,000,000 Money orders, number 70,000,000 Money orders, value $590,000,000 Pieces of mail 22,000,000,000 Commercial telegrams sent 98,000,000 Patents issued 37,000 Newspapers 22,000 Public elementary schools 259,000 Pupils enrolled 16,890,000 Teachers employed 481,000 The following table gives the states and territories of the Union, their area, date of admission or organization, as the case may be, representation, capitals, and principal cities. The original states are designated by a star. For each state the number of presidential electors is two greater than the number of representatives: State. Area. Date of Admission. Rep. Capital. Metropolis. Alabama . . . . . 52,250 1819 9 Montgomery. Mobile. Arizona . . . . . 113,020 1910 . Phoenix. Tucson. Arkansas . . . . . 53,850 1836 7 Little Rock. Little Rock. California . . . . . 158,360 1850 8 Sacramento. San Francisco. Colorado . . . . . 103,925 1876 3 Denver. Denver. *Connecticut . . . . . 4,990 1788 5 Hartford. New Haven. *Delaware . . . . . 2,050 1787 1 Dover. Wilmington. Florida . . . . . 58,680 1845 3 Tallahassee. Jacksonville. *Georgia . . . . . 59,475 1788 11 Atlanta. Atlanta. Idaho . . . . . 84,800 1890 1 Boise. Boise. Illinois . . . . . 56,650 1818 25 Springfield. Chicago. Indiana . . . . . 36,350 1816 13 Indianapolis. Indianapolis. Iowa . . . . . 56,025 1846 11 Des Moines. Des Moines. Kansas . . . . . 82,080 1861 8 Topeka. Kansas City. Kentucky . . . . . 40,400 1792 11 Frankfort. Louisville. Louisiana . . . . . 48,720 1812 7 Baton Rouge. New Orleans. Maine . . . . . 33,040 1820 4 Augusta. Portland. *Maryland . . . . . 12,210 1788 6 Annapolis. Baltimore. *Massachusetts . . . . . 8,315 1788 14 Boston. Boston. Michigan . . . . . 58,915 1837 12 Lansing. Detroit. Minnesota . . . . . 83,365 1858 9 St. Paul. Minneapolis. Mississippi . . . . . 46,810 1817 8 Jackson. Vicksburg. Missouri . . . . . 69,415 1821 16 Jefferson City. St. Louis. Montana . . . . . 146,080 1889 1 Helena. Butte. Nebraska . . . . . 77,510 1867 6 Lincoln. Omaha. Nevada . . . . . 110,700 1864 1 Carson City. Reno. *New Hampshire . . . . . 9,305 1788 2 Concord. Manchester. *New Jersey . . . . . 7,815 1787 10 Trenton. Newark. New Mexico . . . . . 122,580 1910 .. Santa Fe. Albuquerque. *New York . . . . . 49,170 1788 37 Albany. New York. *North Carolina . . . . . 52,250 1789 10 Raleigh. Wilmington. North Dakota . . . . . 70,795 1889 2 Bismarck. Fargo. Ohio . . . . . 41,060 1803 21 Columbus. Cleveland. Oklahoma . . . . . 96,030 1906 5 Guthrie. Oklahoma. Oregon . . . . . 96,030 1859 2 Salem. Portland. *Pennsylvania . . . . . 45,215 1787 32 Harrisburg. Philadelphia. *Rhode Island . . . . . 1,250 1790 2 Providence. Providence. *South Carolina . . . . . 30,570 1788 7 Columbia. Charleston. South Dakota . . . . . 77,650 1889 2 Pierre. Sioux Falls. Tennessee . . . . . 42,050 1796 10 Nashville. Memphis. Texas . . . . . 265,780 1845 16 Austin. San Antonio. Utah . . . . . 84,970 1896 1 Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City. Vermont . . . . . 9,565 1791 2 Montpelier. Burlington. *Virginia . . . . . 42,450 1788 10 Richmond. Richmond. Washington . . . . . 69,180 1889 3 Olympia. Seattle. West Virginia . . . . . 24,780 1863 5 Charleston. Wheeling. Wisconsin . . . . . 56,040 1848 11 Madison. Milwaukee. Wyoming . . . . . 97,890 1890 1 Cheyenne. Cheyenne. Territories. Organization. Capital. Metropolis. Alaska . . . . . 590,884 1884 1 Nome. Nome. Hawaii . . . . . 6,449 1900 1 Honolulu. Honolulu.

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

1922-23. History (continued from Vol. X). In the 67th Congress, first called in special session by President Harding in April, 1921, the overwhelming Republican majority proved to be unwieldly and was also divided more or less sharply within itself. A notable innovation in American politics was the formation in this Congress of a legislative "bloc," representative in this case of the agricultural interests of the country, which by means of the bloc not only obtained a large share of agricultural legislation, but also thwarted the Administration in certain of its plans like that for the upbuilding of the American merchant marine by a subsidy, to which the agricultural sections of the country were opposed. Only On after eighteen months was a permanent tariff bill enacted, and to this long delay, with attending uncertainties, was ascribed the continuance of widespread business stagnation during most of 1921 and 1922. The revival of business was further postponed by two important strikes in 1922, the first involving almost ing refuge on a British warship and fleeing to Malta a few days later. An international conference to reestablish peace was held at Lausanne, Switzerland, November 20, 1922 to February 4, 1923. Turkey's new position on many questions was strongly maintained by the Turkish representatives. After long discussions, substantial agreements were reached on a number of important matters, but on others the Turks remained unyielding, refusing to permit the continuance or renewal of any concessions, political or economic, which seemed to infringe on Turkey's new sovereignty. (See NEAR EASTERN QUES- TION: CONFERENCE AT LAUSANNE.) TUTANKHAMEN, an Egyptian king of the Eighteenth Dynasty, fourteenth century, B. C. His tomb was discovered in 1922. (See Egypt: ARCHEOLOGICAL RESEARCH.) 80 per cent of all the coal mines of the United States, and the second that of the railway shopmen-leading to gradual in railroad equipment, deterioration service, and confidence. Other outstanding causes of und uncertainty and unrest were found in the wi widespread open violation of the 18th Amendment on national prohibition which President Harding in December, 1922, described as savoring of nation-wide scandal; and, finally, the opposition of the Administration to the soldier bonus, culminating in September, 1922, in the presidential veto of a bonus bill passed by Congress. The congressional elections of November, 1922, resulted in great reductions in the Republican majorities in both houses of Congress. In the House of Representatives, the majority fell from 165 to 15, and in the Senate from 24 to 8, the Administration majorities in both houses being further reduced through replacement in many cases of Administration by anti- Administration Republicans. FOREIGN AFFAIRS (March 4, 1922-March 4, 1923.) British Debt Settlement.-(See FOR- EIGN DEBTS.) German Relations. - Full diplomatic relations with Germany resumed April 20, 20, 1922, with Alanson B. Houghton as Ho ambassador to Berlin. German-American Patent Convention of 1909 revived. A Mixed Claims Commission was established by agreement of August 10, 1922, to determine the claims of American citizens for damages to property or interests arising out of the war and for debts owed Americans by Germany or her nationals. The last American troops were withdrawn from the Rhine, January, 1923. America's attitude toward the reparations question, as publicly expressed by Secretary Hughes, December 29, 1922, was that a body of financial experts should determine what Germany was able to pay and devise a workable plan of payment. Haiti. The final report of the Senate Committee to investigate charges of maladministration in Haiti was made June 26, 1922. The American occupation was justified throughout, as having been necessary in the beginning to uphold the Monroe Doctrine and having been continued since 1915 with high credit, on the whole, to the U. S. Marine Corps. The Committee recommended the indefinite continuance of American occupation, with increased constructive services of various kinds. International Economic Conferences. -The American government declined to take part in European economic conferences held at Genoa and the Hague, April and June, 1922, on the ground that they were largely political in character and that nothing was to be done for Russia during the continuance of the present regime there. A resolution proposed by Senator Borah authorizing and requesting the President to call an international economic conference to deal with European conditions, was opposed by the President in a letter to Senator Lodge, December 27, 1922, and was temporarily withdrawn. League of Nations. By invitation of the League of Nations, the United States in 1922 appointed representatives on several advisory committees connected mainly with the Health Section of the League. (See LEAGUE OF NATIONS: HEALTH SECTION.) American objections to various League mandates were removed by negotiations prior to July, 1922, except in the case of Mesopotamia or Irak. On February 24, 1923, President Harding requested the consent of the Senate to a plan for American participation in the Permanent Court of International Justice, the United States to join with the members of the League in the selection of judges of the court and in its maintenance. Liberia. A loan of $5,000,000, originally promised to Liberia by the United States in 1918, was defeated by the Senate November 27, 1922, in spite of an appeal by President Harding that the country was morally bound by its previous pledge. Mexican Relations. - (See MEXICO.) Near Eastern Interests. - The United States was invited to participate in the Near Eastern Conference held at Lausanne, but declined to do so except by observers instructed to advise the other Powers in regard to Americans attitude on various subjects. The American program included the maintenance of Turkish capitulations, protection of educational and religious religious institutions in Turkey, maintenance of the open door policy in that country, and suitable provisions for the protection of minorities. The United States also advocated freedom of the Turkish Straits. Ambassador Richard Washburn Child headed the American delegation of "observers," and presented the point of view of Mr. Harding's administation. Norwegian Ship-Contracts Case,based on claims of Norwegian shipping companies against the United States Shipping Board for the value of contracts placed with American shipyards and taken over by the Shipping Board during the World War. Heard by the Hague Court of Arbitration, which awarded aw Norway Norway $12,000,000 $12,000,000 and interest. (October 13, 1922.) Payment was made February, 1923, but with a statement by the United States Government that it could not accept the award as a precedent. LEGISLATIONS AND COURT DECISIONS (March 4, 1922-March 4, 1923.) Agricultural Credits Act, -approved March 4, 1923, extending rural credits through twelve intermediate farm loan banks, each with a capital of $5,000,000 subscribed by the Government. Cable Act, approved September 22, 1922, providing that American women marrying aliens shall not by that act lose American citizenship and requiring alien married women to be naturalized independently of their husbands. Child Labor Law Decision. - (See CHILD LABOR.) Coal Fact-Finding Commission,created by act of Congress, September, 1922, to study the conditions existing in the coal industry with a view to determining the causes of persistent labor troubles and of making recommendations for their prevention. The Commission was authorized to study the question of nationalization of the coal mines, and was ordered to make a report as speedily as possible on wages, costs of operation, etc. John Hays Hammond was elected chairman. Fordney McCumber Tariff Act, -effect- continued to August ive September 21, 1922. A protectionist measure, with an average of rates somewhat higher than those of the last Republican tariff. An "elastic" provision gives the President power, on recommendation of the Tariff Commission, to raise or lower rates within certain limits, such action to be based in general on the principle of meeting differences in costs of production at home and abroad. Japanese Naturalization Decision, rendered November 13, 1922, by the United States Supreme Court. Japanese cannot become citizens of the United The States under existing statutes. privileges of naturalization are declared by this decision to have been restricted by Federal statutes from the beginning of the nation to free white persons and those of African birth and descent. Labor Unions' Liability Decision, rendered by the Supreme Court June 5, 1922, in United Mine Workers vs. Coronado Coal Co. Labor unions are declared to be suable under the Sherman Anti-Trust Law for damages caused by strikes, and their strike funds to be subject to execution of judgments. Women's Wage Law Decision, -by District of Columbia Court of Appeals, November 6, 1922, denying the right of women to special protection by law in the matter of minimum wages. MISCELLANEOUS (March 4, 1922-March 4, 1923.) American Legion. - Major Alvin M. Owsley of Texas elected national commander October 20, 1922. An overwhelming vote of the 1922 convention was in favor of the enactment of a soldiers' bonus law. Army. Further reduction of the army to 125,000 enlisted men was made by Congress June 30, 1922. A corresponding reduction in the number of officers made it necessary that one in every seven be dropped prior to January 1, 1923. Many voluntarily resigned. Coal Strike. April 1 to September, 1922, involving 80 per cent of the coal mines of the U. S., anthracite and bituminous. The main cause of the strike was a threatened reduction of wages in the bituminous mines. Efforts made by President Harding to end the strike and afterwards to have the mines reopened under promise of federal protection failed. An agreement continuing old wage scales and conditions in the bituminous mines to April 1, 1923, was signed at Cleveland, O., August 15th. Anthracite strike settlement signed at Philadelphia September 2d, with the old wage scale ast 31, 1923. A new wage scale for the bituminous fields was signed January 23, 1923, to become operative April 1, 1923. Terms practically the same as those of the expiring contract. Immigration. During the first year under the Immigration Restriction Law (q. v.), Italy supplied the greatest number of immigrants to the United States, 42,089, the full quota permitted. Great Britain and Ireland used less than half the quota of the United Kingdom, 35,935 out of an allowable 77,206. Poland exceeded its quota of 26,103 by 500. Russian immigrants numbered 22,891 out of a permissible total of 34,247. Germany sent 16,158 immigrants or about 28 per cent of its quota of 68,039. In general, northern and western Europe sent less than half of the quotas allowed them, while southern and eastern European countries used their full quotas, being then restricted by the operation of the Restrictive Law. The Law was extended with some amendments to July 1, 1924. The total number of immigrants admissible for 1922-23 was fixed at 357,903. White foreign-born residents of the Ú. S. and those whose parents were foreignborn numbered 36,398,958 on January 1, 1920. Of this number 13,713,754 were themselves immigrants and 1,488,948 or 11 per cent of these were unable to speak English. Ku Klux Klan. - Activities of the Klan in Louisiana led to a conference between Governor Parker of that state and the Federal authorities, November, 1922. The murder of two citizens of Mer Rouge, La., attributed to members of the Kla aroused nation-wide indignation. Curbof the Klan's activities was discussed by a conference of state governors in ing December, and steps were taken in Kansas and other states for the Klan's suppression. Navy. A cut in the enlisted personnel of the navy from 100,000 to 86,000 men was made by Congress, June, 1922, after a spirited contest with the "small navy" group who desired the number to be cut to 67,000. The reduction necessitated putting a large number of destroyers out of commission. Construction on all new capital ships except the "West Virginia" and the "Colorado," as allowed by the Five-Power Naval Treaty, was discontinued during the year, and the scrapping provisions of the Treaty were set in motion. By order of Secretary By Denby, the Atlantic and Pacific fleets were consolidated into a single United States fleet under one supreme command. Porto Rico. (See PORTO RICO.) Railway Shopmen's Strike, - July 1 to September, 1922. Following the announcement of a reduction in wages ordered by the Railroad Labor Board, about 90 per cent of the railway shopmen of the nation went on strike July 1, 1922. A proposal by President Harding to bring about a settlement July 31st was rejected by the railroads on the ground that they could not restore the striking shopmen with "seniority" rights unimparied. A sweeping injunction obtained by Attorney-General Daugherty September 1st, restraining the strikers and all affiliated organizations of the American Federation of Labor from interfering in any way with the operation of the railroads, greatly heightened feeling and brought about an appeal to the workers of the country to resist writs VILNA. The local diet elected January 8, 1922 (See VILNA, p. 47) voted in February for union with Poland. The latter country hesitated to annex it, owing to the unsettled quarrel with Lithuania, WHEAT RUST, a parasitic growth which forms on wheat leaves and affects the quantity and the quality of the product. There are twelve known varieties of the rust, affecting the several varieties of wheat in different ways or degrees, certain varieties of wheat being comparatively immune to certain strains of rust. Efforts made to develop a wheat stock with immunity or high resistance to all the rusts have so far proved to be unsuccessful, but a more recent plan, worked out by Dr. E. B. Mains of Purdue, is based on the fact that in any given section of the country only three or four rust strains are ordinarily present. With this observed fact to build upon, it now seems assured that for each wheat-growing section a hybrid wheat may be developed possessing immunity to the rusts of that section. 104 WOMEN'S WAGE LAW DECISION of injunction in labor disputes. Final settlement of the strike was made in September on the basis of an agreement in which no mention was made of seniority rights and under which the strikers returned to work at the prevalent rates of wages.