Q. Have we ever had a Secretary
of State killed in office? —R. A. M.
A. By the explosion of a gun that
was being demonstrated to Govern
ment officials on the Princeton on a
trip down the Potomac in February.
1848, Secretary of State Upshur and
Secretary of the Navy Gilmer were
killed and several other prominent
persons were seriously Injured.
Q. How manv people are employed
in taking the census? —H. T. S.
A. The regular force of the Bureau
of tlie Census at Washington is about
700 during intercensal periods, and.
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL V. COLLINS.
In the northwest corner of Africa,
directly opposite Gibraltar, lies Tan
pier, a city and chief seaport of
Morocco. It is the twin key to the
Mediterranean Sea, the mate being
the famous Rock of Gibraltar, 35
miles away. The nation which con
trols both Gibraltar and Tangier will
hold the cork to the entire Mediter
ranean, together with the Red Sea
and the seaway from Western Europe
and America to Italy, Greece, all Bal
kan states. Turkey, Egypt, India,
Australia and New Zealand.
For 20 years Tangier, with 140
square miles of hinterland, has been
governed by an international com
mission, through a treaty made at
Algeciras, Spain, in 1906. Now Spain
is demanding that the internationali
zation cease and Tangier be added to
Spanish possessions. That demand
is opposed by Great Britain, France,
Italy (?) and perhaps the United
States.
Italy’s position is in doubt. The
verv fact that Spain sent notice to
Italy, as well as to the signers of
the Algeciras treaty, is resented by
England and France, for they as
sume that it is none of Italy’s affair
if the original signers of the pact see
fit to modify it or not.
