YEAR BOOK A RECORD OF EVENTS AND PROGRESS 1918 EDITED BY FRANCIS G. WICKWARE, B.A., B.Sc. WITH COOPERATION OF A SUPERVISORY BOARD INTER FOLIAS NEW YORK AND LONDON D. APPLETON AND COMPANY 1919 PREFACE With the publication of this volume, covering the events and progress of 1918, the AMERICAN YEAR BOOK reaches its ninth issue. In the last four issues, and particularly in the last two, the scope of the YEAR BOOK as originally conceived has been profoundly altered. The influence of the Great War has assumed increased importance with each succeeding year, until in the present issue it is seen to be the dominant factor in practically every field of human endeavor. It has been necessary, therefore, to give progressively greater space to the war itself, to cover foreign affairs more thoroughly, and consequently to alter the original space allotments of many of the departments of the YEAR BOOK. Nevertheless, the organization of the work remains substantially unchanged, and its fundamental purpose remains as defined in the preface to the first issue: "The AMERICAN YEAR BOOK is intended for the needs of writers and searchers of every kind. Because of its inclusion of scientific subjects, it has been necessary to limit the political and statistical material which is the staple of many annual handbooks; the book does not aim to treat everything that could be useful, but throughout to select from the enormous mass of details those things which, in the judgment of experts in each field, are most significant, most permanent in value, most likely to answer the searchers' questions. "The AMERICAN YEAR Воok does not aim to be a rival of other annual publications, either foreign or domestic. Details as to elections, the personnel of state and municipal governments, political personalities, societies, and educational, literary, and scientific institutions have deliberately been reduced, in order to make room for material of a kind not found in most of the annuals. The AMERICAN YEAR BOOK appeals first of all to students in all fields, who wish a record of progress, not only in their own, but in other departments of human endeavor. It is intended, also, as a handbook for busy men, editors, contributors, professional men, teachers, scientific workers, engineers, practical and business men, who wish to verify or confirm points that arise in their minds; and to serve as a handy body of reference material settling questions of fact. Throughout the work the object has been to make the volume convenient for the user; hence the YEAR BOOK is arranged on a plan entirely unique in publications of this general character. It is intended to make reference easier by subdividing material into departments, by putting cognate subjects into close association, and by liberal cross-references, making it easy to turn at once to the discussions relating to any subject. A full and carefully analyzed index is also provided in order to open up all remote connections and relations of a topic. This arrangement by groups of affiliated subjects, instead of haphazard or alpha iii betical succession of topics, is more convenient, and at the same time more scientific." The Supervisory Board of representatives of national learned and scientific societies, officially known as the American Year Book Corporation, continues actively to assist in the preparation of the YEAR BOOK. The members of this Board, which originally projected the work, remain individually responsible for the scope and content of the reviews of their respective fields; several are themselves contributors; many have coöperated with the Editor in securing contributors; and all have assisted the Editor with criticism and counsel. The Supervisory Board has now forty members, representing forty-four societies. One hundred and seventeen contributors have coöperated in the preparation of this issue. All are experts in their special fields, and the complete list printed on a subsequent page contains many names of eminence. The outstanding feature of the present issue, of course, is the history of the collapse of the Central Powers in the war and the triumph of the allied democracies. Scarcely less important is the survey of the mobilization of the United States for war and of American achievements both at the front and behind the battle lines. An article of especial interest and permanent value reviews the organization and function of the civilian agencies created by the Federal Government for the prosecution of the war. Notwithstanding the emphasis on war problems, however, no element of our normal, peaceful life has been slighted, and the volume carries the customary comprehensive review of American events and progress in politics, economics, sociology, the sciences, the arts, and the humanities. The acknowledgments of the Editor are due, not only to the contributors and members of the Supervisory Board, but also to the many public officials, Federal, state, and municipal, who have courteously responded to requests for statistical and other data, and to the readers who have offered disinterested criticism of previous issues. TABLE OF CONTENTS THE AMERICAN YEAR BOOK is arranged in thirty-one departments, in which CONGRESS AND ADMINISTRATION.-The Sixty-Fifth Congress, Second Russia and the Near East.-Peace with the Ukraine.-Peace with Russia. Subsequent Developments in Russia.-Relations with En- tente Allies.-The Allies in Siberia.-The Czecho-Slovaks.-Supple- mentary Russo-German Agreements.-American Note on Conditions in Russia. Finland.-Lithuania and Courland.-Esthonia and Livonia. Rumania.-Turkey.-Oppressed Nationalities of the Austro-Hun- garian Empire.-Neutral European Countries.-Holland.-Scandi- LATIN AMERICA.-Argentina.-Bolivia.-Brazil.-Chile.-Colombia.- Rica.-Cuba.-Dominican Republic.-Equador.-Guatemala.- -Salvador.-Uruguay.-Venezuela. CANADA.-Canada in the War.- Dominion Legislation.-Taxation.-Provincial Legislation. Decrease of Drunkenness.-Agriculture and Live Stock.-Trade, Revenue and |