Category: 100 Years Ago

2 MARCH 1925

A Paris telegram states that according to reliable French reports M. Herriot received ten days ago a proposal by Herr Stresemann for a guarantee pact between Germany and France. The prospect of the offer is regarded sceptically by most of the French newspapers.

M. Raynaldy, French Minister of Commerce, and Herr von Trendelenburg, German delegate, who have been negotiating a commercial treaty, signed the Franco-German modus vivendi.

After an all-night sitting the French Chamber passed the Finance Bill by a majority of 89 (328 to 239.)

Imposing scenes were witnessed at the funeral of M. Branting, the Swedish statesman.

An earthquake shock was felt in New York and suburbs on Saturday evening. Similar tremors are reported from other places in the Northern United States and Canada.

In the Indian Legislative Assembly, Sir Basil Blackett made his Budget statement, in which he announced a fall in military expenditure, considerable relief to the provinces in the matter of contributions, and no further increase in taxation.

The Cabinet, it is stated, have definitely decided not to support the Trade Union (Political Fund) Bill. Mr Clynes, speaking at Ashton-under-Lyne, referring to the Bill, stated that the political arm of the Labour movement must be left free for the Parliamentary endeavour of organised Labour.

There is published to-day correspondence which has passed between Mr Churchill, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the Earl of Balfour on the subject of the grant voted by Parliament to the Universities of Great Britain, except Oxford and Cambridge. Mr Churchill announces that the grant will be increased from £1,122,570 to £1,350,000.

1 MARCH 1925

The death of Herr Ebert, the President of the German Republic, was announced. He was 54 and had been the President since the founding of the Republic in 1919.

Z. A. H. Ekisler, a wealthy Armenian merchant, was found by his secretary seriously injured following an attack.

28 FEBRUARY 1925

The British Trade Union delegates who visited Russia in November and December last year have published their conclusions in an official report.

The Miners’ Delegate Conference decided to remit back to the districts the proposals for ending or amending the present agreement with the owners.

The Estimates for the Civil Service and Revenue Departments for the forthcoming year show a reduction of £14,216,850.

Mr Alexander Johnston, President of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, said trade to-day was just hanging in the balance. It would take very little either to give it a strong upward movement or equally little to send it back again to its recent disastrous condition. An all-in national insurance scheme was explained to the members by Mr T. T. Broad.

The Association of Economic Biologists discussed warble flies, a Continental barley pest, forestry disease problems, potato culture, and seed-testing practice, at their annual meeting in Edinburgh.

At the annual dinner of the Glasgow Shipowners and Shipbrokers’ Benevolent Association, the president, Mr George Sloan, said that in the case of the North Atlantic the liner trade had been heavily hit by the action of the American Government in instituting a quota beyond which they would not allow immigration.

27 FEBRUARY 1925

The King’s health continues to improve. He had a much better day, following on restful night.

The Scottish Grand Committee to consider the Church of Scotland (Property and Endowments) Bill had a stormy first meeting on the question of the nationality of the Chairman. There were several scenes, and an adjournment was made until the question of chairmanship was settled by the Chairman’s Panel Committee. Later it was announced that the Chairman’s Panel had decided that Sir Cyril Cobb should continue as Chairman of the Committee. The Socialists will accept this decision.

Air Estimates for a net expenditure of £15,513,000 – a net increase of rather more than half a million over last year’s expenditure were discussed in the House of Commons. A completely new experiment in the field of air defence this year is the introduction of non-regular units, comprising four auxiliary Air Force squadrons – two of which will be located in Edinburgh and Glasgow – and two special reserve squadrons.

Speaking at Walsall in support of the Socialist candidate, Mr Ramsay MacDonald, referring to the Political Levy Bill, said his party would put up a fine fight. Polling takes place to-day.

Arthur Henderson repudiated the suggestion that Mr Ramsay MacDonald was to be superseded in the leadership of the Socialist party.

Proceedings at the opening of the Miners’ Conference at Blackpool were quiet. Mr Hodges explained the policy he has been advocating in the coalfields, while delegates explained the attitude of the districts to the wages agreement, and submitted suggestions for ending or amending it. An adjournment will be recommended to enable the Executive to consider the district proposals in conjunction with the attitude of the owners.

Strong criticism of the Clydebank factors was made at the resumed sitting of the Rents Commission in Glasgow.

Captain Elliot MP speaking in Glasgow on the relief of unemployment, said Local Authorities in Scotland had found that the employment of direct labour was unsatisfactory in many respects, and that the best course was to let the work out to a contractor.

An electric tramway car, becoming out of control on the North Bridge, Edinburgh, collided with a standing car with considerable force, causing injury to a number of passengers and shock to others.

The South African Legislative Assembly has adopted, by 71 votes to 47, a Labour motion urging that the King should not bestow titles upon his subjects residing in the Union or its mandated territories.

26 FEBRUARY 1925

It was announced that the King continues to make good progress with his health, and no further bulletin will be issued.

Prince Henry, who was to have represented the King at the Shire Horse Show, was unable to do so owing to a slight chill.

Replying in the House of Lords to Lord Arnold’s criticism of the Government’s safeguarding of industries policy, the First Commissioner of Works, Viscount Peel maintained that the Government had a clear mandate to deal with the question. He asked why did not the Labour party during its term of office repeal those parts of the Safeguarding of Industries Act dealing with key industries and dumping if they had the views so strongly expressed by Lord Arnold.

The Poor Law Emergency Provisions Continuance (Scotland) Bill passed second reading in the House of Commons by 261 to 101. Discussion of the Public Health (Scotland) Bill, which empowers Local Authorities to supply insulin to people suffering from diabetes, was adjourned.

Protestant League candidates in the Edinburgh Education Authority election held a rally, at which protests were made against the growing influence of the Roman Catholic Church in educational matters.

Delegates are arriving at Blackpool for the National Conference of the Miners’ Congress. Mr Hodges, the former secretary, is among the number, and will take his seat as a delegate.

25 FEBRUARY 1925

The Government were asked in the House of Commons why it had been decided not to renew the contract with Arcos (Limited) to advertise Russian materials on the backs of Government publications. Mr A. M. Samuel replied that the Government were not willing that advertisements of a firm described as the sole purchasing and selling agents of a Government which had not met its obligations towards British subjects should be admitted into official publications.

Questions were asked in the House of Commons concerning Irish prisoners detained in Peterhead Prison, on behalf of whom Mr Buchanan sought to secure an undertaking that they should be transferred to their own country.

A statement by the Rev. Dr White that Free Church opposition to the Church of Scotland Bill had been withdrawn is challenged by the well-known Free Church leader, Mr Archibald MacNeilage. Statements made by Dr White, and also by Dr Donald Maclean (of the Free Church), to representatives of The Scotsman are published.

Evidence on behalf of the house factors and the tenants was given before the Clydebank Rents Commission sitting in Glasgow, and in the course of the proceedings it was stated that rates amounting to £66,776 were outstanding.

For the Miners’ Delegate Conference, to be held at Blackpool, proposals have been sent in from all districts either to end or amend the present agreement.

Neville Chamberlain, speaking in London, said if the building operatives were willing to accept a scheme of payment by results the output of houses would be increased by at least one-third, and probably a good deal more.

24 FEBRUARY 1925

A vote of £2,096,000 for the Ministry of Pensions was passed by the House of Commons. There was some criticism of hardship suffered under the policy of final awards, but the Minister of Pensions resisted a suggestion that the question should be reopened by an impartial Commission. A supplementary estimate of £1,250,000 for a grant in aid of the Government of Northern Ireland was agreed to after considerable discussion.

The Prime Minister stated in the House of Commons that in Japanese official and other well-informed circles it was realised that the improvement of the Singapore dockyard by Britain was a normal development of Naval policy. The two countries were firmly united, added Mr Baldwin, by common interests in the preservation of peace.

Austen Chamberlain stated in the House of Commons, in reply to a question, that the British Government would not send an Ambassador to Moscow under present circumstances.

The King’s medical attendants saw His Majesty last evening, but issued no bulletin. It is understood that His Majesty’s satisfactory, though slow, progress continues.

A Berlin telegram announces the serious illness of President Ebert.

A deputation which was arranged by the Convention of Royal Burghs waited upon the Prime Minister and urged the desirability of raising the status of the office of Secretary for Scotland. According to an official report of the proceedings, the Prime Minister said that he viewed sympathetically the case which had been put forward, and promised to examine the subject without delay.

23 FEBRUARY 1925

According to the latest bulletin regarding the King, “the slow progress continues.” In order to secure complete restoration and fitness, the King’s medical attendants advise, when the stage of convalescence has been reached, that His Majesty should proceed to the south of Europe and cruise in his yacht for a few weeks.

Austen Chamberlain, when on his way to Geneva early next month for the meeting of the Council of the League of Nations, will have an interview with M. Herriot in Paris. He will discuss with the French Premier the report on German disarmament.

David Lloyd George is confined to bed in a Birmingham hotel suffering from a feverish cold. He was returning from Walsall when he developed a temperature, and the journey to London had to be postponed.

David Lloyd George, speaking in Walsall, asked representatives of the Conservative party or the Labour party to point out one plan introduced by them which had not been initiated by Dr Macnamara, Liberal candidate in the Walsall by-election.

Messages have been received from the Earl of Oxford and Asquith and other prominent members of the Liberal party by Dr Macnamara, Liberal candidate in the Walsall by-election.

Describing the visit of the Trade Union delegation to Russia, Mr John Bromley, M.P., said that there was neither free speech nor a free Press, but the working people were dictating to everyone else, as they were dictated to for so many years. There were rest houses for workers, prisoners were paid Trade Union rates for their work, while tickets for the opera were issued to the workers.

The text has been issued of Mr Macquisten’s Trade Union (Political Fund) Bill, which seeks to repeal certain sections of the Trade Union Act of 1913.

22 FEBRUARY 1925

London County Council was asked to report on the practicability of linking up tramways in central London by shallow subways taking double-deck cars.

It was confirmed that no formal meeting had yet been made for a meeting between Austen Chamberlain and M. Herriot in Paris.

21 FEBRUARY 1925

Yesterday’s bulletin in regard to the King’s illness stated that in spite of a somewhat restless night, His Majesty was making slow progress.

A private member’s Bill designed to remove the restrictions of the 1918 Act and to grant women the franchise at 21 years of age, as in the case of men, was rejected in the House of Commons by 220 votes to 153.

The Earl of Oxford and Asquith, speaking at Manchester Reform Club, said it was a caricature of representation that a party which had polled three million votes should have only some forty members in Parliament. He criticised the Government’s plans for the safeguarding of industries.

Mr Ramsay MacDonald, speaking at Swindon, referred to the Clydeside opposition to the payment of expenses in connection with the Prince of Wales’s tour, and said they were not going to cure the cause of the poor widow by being mean, small-minded, and petty.

Mr Clynes, speaking at Hornchurch, referring to the visit of the Prince of Wales to South Africa, said it was as right for Parliament to vote public money for it as to vote money for the railway expenses of M.P.’s between Westminster and their constituencies.

The Prince of Wales, the Prime Minister, and several members of the Cabinet attended the annual Civil Service dinner in London.

In the Prussian Diet a vote of confidence in the new Marx Cabinet was rejected by 221 to 215 votes, and the Government resigned. There were scenes of uproar in the Diet when Herr Heilmann, a Socialist Deputy, charged leading members of the Right parties with acts of corruption.