2 APRIL 1925
Lord Salisbury stated in the House of Lords, in reply to a question by Lord Parmoor, that the defaults in disarmament alleged against the German Government included matters for which a time limit was prescribed in Article 203 of the Treaty of Versailles. While a great deal had been done by way of disarmament in Germany, there were substantial instances of unfulfilled obligations.
A socialist demand for the abolition of the death penalty in the Army, which took the form of an amendment on the Army and Air Force Annual Bill in Committee, was rejected by 320 to 136.
Replying to Sir Samuel Chapman in the House of Commons, the Under Secretary for Home Affairs, said the First Commissioner of Works was satisfied, after considering the evidence sent to him, that the execution of the Marquess of Montrose in 1650 took place in the High Street, Edinburgh, and had given instructions that the inscription should be altered accordingly.
Viscount Grey and Mr Austen Chamberlain referred to the problems of international peace and security in speeches in London.
A Cape Town correspondent understands that the majority of the South African Cabinet favour abolition of Preference to British goods.
Jerusalem University was opened by Lord Balfour, who declared that the opening of the University marked an epoch in the history of the Jewish race.
The death-roll in the German pontoon disaster is put at 84.
A New York banking syndicate is reported to have purchased the Dodge Motors Company for 175,000,000 dollars in cash.