January 28, 1919. The rights of small nations. . . Near Beer. . . and Girls.

French refugees receiving Red Cross materials on this day in 1919, in Riems.

One of the things that the Allies claimed to be fighting for, during World War One, was "the rights of small nations".

Not too surprisingly, which of those nations had rights, in the views of colonial powers, which all of the European powers were, including tiny Belgium, came to be an immediate topic of the Paris Peace Conference.  Indeed, in some ways, it went right off the rails, right from the start, for that reason.

Japan was going to be getting former German colonies, and it had the backing of other colonial nations in that.

This would be in the form of mandates, ultimately, meaning that they didn't really have colonial status.  But for nations that would be subject to that status, the difference wasn't really particularly clear.

A rosy glow was being put on the Red defeat of the Allied troops in norther Russia as well.  They were retreating, hardly a cause for celebration.

Well, at least there'd be Near Beer to drink anyhow.

And the troops would soon be back at Ft. D. A. Russell, which was good news for Cheyenne.

Although, if the Wyoming State Tribune was correct, those returning American troops might not be as enamored with the girl next store as they once had been. . .