How The Georgian Messenger covered international news
Prepared by Nika Gamtsemlidze and Levan Abramishvili
Monday, May 20
The Messenger continues its efforts to show the readers what The Georgian Messenger looked like a 100 years ago.
The Georgian Messenger was first published on February 25, 1919, during the time of the first Democratic Republic of Georgia (1918-1921), it was a weekly newspaper and only 13 issues were ever published.
Today, our readers have the chance to read selection of short international news that appeared in the May 4, 1919 issue of The Georgian Messenger.
Latest observations on Mars
It has been reported to Paris from Boston that Professor Pickering has published the results of the observations of a group of American astronomers on Mars.
They have been able to establish the indubitable existence of organic life on the planet: the melting of the snows, and a periodically appearing and disappearing red spot in the southern hemisphere, which points to a change in the seasons.
By means of astro-photography has been established the existence of 181 canals on Mars with 14 waterbasins.
A new invention in aviation
From New York it is reported that Secretary of War Baker has issued a statement about a new invention in aviation.
An automatic apparatus has been invented for the control of aeroplanes, which enables an aeroplane to fly at the rate of 100 miles an hour and descend in a fixed location. Up to the present this invention has been kept in secret. The decisive trial was made in December 11, 1918.
Churchill as Ambassador
Persistent rumors are circulating in New York that Lord Churchill is to be appointed military Ambassador to the United States.
International Congress of Labor
The British Minister of Labor has declared that in the course of the next few days an international convention will be signed regarding International Labor Congresses. They are to be summoned yearly. Each nation will be represented by four delegates, among whom there must be workmen.
The disarmament of Germany
French papers give the following details about the state of the military and naval forces of Germany after the approaching disarmament, in comparison to that which was at her disposal in the spring of last year.
In March 1918 the German Army had about 3 million men on all fronts with 200,000 officers. After the conclusion of peace, she had to reduce it to 100,000 men and 4.500 officers.
Last year the German Army had 18,200 field guns of all calibers. During the coming months the number of these will be reduced to 550. Of the total quantity of shell for them, in place of the 10.440,000 of last year, there are not to be more than 36,000. Of 7.000 machine-guns, not more than 2,000 are to be left.
The German Navy at the beginning of last year numbered 655 warships, of which 17 were Dreadnoughts. Of these the great majority-606 were handed over to the British Admirality before the conclusion of peace. Only 49 minor vessels are to be left to them.
Last of all Germany has got to part with her whole military air-fleet. Of 2,700 odd aeroplanes and dirigeables, not more than 200 will be left her, exclusively for sport, communications Land other purely peaceful pursuits.
IN EUROPE
GREAT BRITAIN
From London is announced that at the yearly banquet given by the Association of Boards of Trade, the American Ambassador, Mr. Davis, said that no one could have doubts about the feelings entertained towards each other by England and America. There are no other nations in the world which are so closely linked together. No independent nations have ever striven so for each other's prosperity. There is no doubt that the war has brought many new problems to the fore. The chief task before the world is to restore what has been destroyed. He had no doubt that the previous relations would continue to exist in the future, as unchanging as the Gulf. Stream.
He predicted that nowhere would the process of reconstruction go on as quickly as in these islands, where English endurance, ability and doggedness would soon bring the problem to a solution.
FRANCE
The French telegrams report the celebration in honor of France and the Latin genius which has recently taken place in Paris. Dechanel began his speech with the following words: after the most fearful bloodshed which humanity has ever known, in that moment when the whole world is shaken to its foundations, when the civilization of the whole world is in danger, the related Latin peoples should join together into one close family, without of course having the slightest intention of opposition to our gallant brothers-in-arms, the English and Americans, but merely with the intention of uniting our forces for the mighty work of the establishment of peace.
AUSTRO-HUNGARY
Communistic Hungary continues to repeat the experiments of bolshevik Russia. Following the nationalization of factories the communists are trying to put through a land reform of the type of socialization of land. A forced mobilization of the bourgeoisie has been declared. They are also copying the bolsheviks in the educational line. It is proposed to abolish all prerequisites for entrance into the universities, and to turn them into workinens universities of the type of Petrograd and Moscow. The new soviet government in Hungary up with its decrees, as it feels its position to be very insecure; on the one hand, they have to fight on three fronts: with the Serbs, Rumanians and Czechs, while on the other, signs of discontent with the new government have already made their appearance within the country.
In German Austria the movement to join with the bolsheviks does not meet with success. The leaders of the Austrian Social Democrats have come out strongly against this. Disputes have taken place between the government and the commander of the Italian forces in Vienna, the latter demanded that the Austrian National Guard be diminished in numbers.
GERMANY
The position in Germany has changed but slightly. The Spartacist uprising has spread into Saxony. The soviet power was overthrown in Munich, but after bloody fighting the communists again recovered it. Fighting between the Government troops and the rebels continues, as does the strike in the Ruhr district. The situation, is so serious that the Goverment runs the chance of remaining without any coal, which will in its turn bring about the stoppage of all the railroads. Berlin and Prussia are relatively quiet.
The commercial fleet of Germany has to all intents and purposes passed over into the hands of the Allies, and the first instalment of food for Germany has already arrived.
Polish troops are passing through Dantsic, but the Allies guarantee that they will occupy no German territory.
Negotiations have again been set on foot regarding an immediate union between Austria and Germany.
RUSSIA
Conflict between the bolsheviks and their opponents has attained an unheard-of intensity during the past week. Stubborn fighting in Livonia and White Russia continues many towns and villages are being taken and retaken. After the capture of Odessa the bolsheviks tried to advance on Bessarabia, but the attempt ended in a fiasco, as did the bolshevik advance on the Crimea.
In the Urals the position of bolsheviks is clearly becoming threatening. The army of Admiral Kolchak is irresistably forging abend. The last re. ports speak of stubborn fighting in the Government of Samara. The soviet government has declared the whole district in a state of siege, and threatens the moneyed classes of the locality with fearful punishments for the slightest attempt to help Kolchak.
In central Russia general mobilization has been declared. The turn of events on this front during the next few days will be decisive, and upon this will depend to a considerable extent the fate of Russia. If Kolchak succeeds in driving the bolsheviks across the Volga, central Russia will be deprived of her last supplies of grain. If he is beaten, the most dangerous opponent of the bolsheviks will be accounted for.
