Category: 100 Years Ago

5 DECEMBER 1925

Opinion in Ireland is divided on the Irish boundary settlement. Belfast accepts it with a feeling of relief, Londonderry is disappointed, and Dublin criticises it as not a good bargain from an Irish point of view.

The Prime Minister stated in the House of Commons that he had decided to postpone the fourth safeguarding resolution, that dealing with paper, for this session owing to the shortness of time remaining available for business, and to allow time for the Irish Bill.

The Rating and Valuation Bill passed third reading in the House of Commons, and the House of Lords at a formal sitting gave it a first reading.

The Roads and Streets in Police Burghs (Scotland) Bill and the Circuit Courts and Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Bill were read a third time in the House of Commons.

Professor Charles Sarolea, in an article entitled “France’s Ordeal: Battle of the Franc,” emphasises the dangers involved in a collapse of the French currency.

Proposals for the future organisation of the broadcasting service were submitted to Lord Crawford’s Committee by Sir Arthur Stanley, Professor A. M. Low, and Mr D. S. Richards, on behalf of the Wireless League. These included the forming of a representative commission to be in supreme control, and the devoting of all the revenue, less a deduction to the Post Office for collection, to improvements. Plans for the detection and punishment of “oscillators” were also mentioned.

At a sitting of the Coal Commission in London Mr Markham, an owner, alleged that miners spent 8s. to 10s. a week on cinemas.

Complete agreement was reached in the Irish boundary crisis. The settlement provides for the retention of the present boundary and for financial adjustments.

The Tithe Bill was read a second time and the Expiring Laws Bill a third time in the House of Lords.

Safeguarding resolutions imposing duties on imported fabric gloves, fur and leather gloves, and imported gas mantles were passed by the House of Commons in Committee of Ways and Means.

During an all night sitting on the duty for the safeguarding of the cutlery industry, the Socialist party, in its anxiety to obstruct the Government, unwittingly plunged the House of Commons into the first secret session since the outbreak of war in August 1914.

The Spanish Military Directory has resigned, and has been replaced by a civilian Cabinet. The King, in a message to General Primo de Rivera, the Prime Minister, says he trusts that within a reasonable period, which His Majesty hopes will be brief, the country will have constitutional laws of a normal character.

The French Chamber, after an all night sitting, passed M. Loucheur’s Finance Bill as a whole by 257 votes to 229. Fifty two Socialists abstained from voting, and this saved the Briand Government.

10 OCTOBER 1925

Mr Lloyd George, speaking at Inverness, recalled Mr Joseph Chamberlain’s land policy, and said the mistake had been made of only half doing the job. They would save money under the Liberal scheme, and the country would benefit by the values created. If one-fifth of the money spent on unemployment had been put into the land it would have made a different country.

Land reform and coal and power were among the questions discussed at the Scottish Liberal Federation Conference at Inverness. The new Liberal land scheme for England and Wales was criticised by Mr James Falconer, ex-M.P. for Forfarshire.

Before the Unionist party Conference at Brighton dispersed resolutions were carried demanding the amendment of the Trade Union Act of 1913, with the object of remedying the political levy grievance of non-Socialist Trade Unionists; urging large business concerns to facilitate the active participation of their directors, managers, and employees in municipal government; and postponing any declaration of policy by the party with regard to the mining industry until the Coal Commission reports.

In a report to the President of the Board of Trade, the Food Council state that, having regard to the price of flour, there is no justification for the price of bread which the London associations are seeking to maintain, and they invite bakers in the London area who are selling below the associations’ figure to send their names and charges to the Council, in order that the information may be made available to consumers.

Mr Austen Chamberlain, receiving Press representatives at Locarno, said that no secret understandings or undertakings of any sort would be made by the British. Everything occurring at Locarno would be disclosed before Parliament before binding decisions were reached.

9 OCTOBER 1925

Mr Baldwin, speaking at a Unionist demonstration at Brighton, claimed that the Government had fulfilled their promises, and in a reference to Communist activity, said the Government would use the full force of the law to deal with speech or action which they deemed to be of a seditious nature.

The annual Conference of the National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations was opened at Brighton. The Government’s attitude to the Communist menace and its policy in the industrial field were attacked by Mr Chappell, of Fareham, who moved the reference back of the Council’s report. His amendment, however, received little support, and the report was adopted. A resolution was carried which viewed with alarm the continued depression in British industry, and urged support of the Government in the application of the Safeguarding of Industries Act. Mr Wood, Minister of Agriculture, was elected President for the ensuing year.

Mr Bridgeman, in a speech at Shrewsbury, defended Admiralty policy in regard to Rosyth and Pembroke.

It is officially announced that the fourth meeting of the Locarno Conference was devoted to the consideration of questions raised by the participation in the League of Nations of the eventual signatories of the Security Pact. The Conference was adjourned until to-morrow, when two meetings will be held.

The National Delegate Conference of the Miners’ Federation defeated by a majority of 145,000 on a card vote the recommendation of their Executive that the Federation should take part in the Coal Commission inquiry.

It is feared that the Greek cargo steamer Margarita has been lost with all hands off the South African coast.

8 OCTOBER 1925

French demands at the Locarno Conference for the recognition of France’s guarantee of Eastern arbitration treaties have resulted in a deadlock. The discussions with regard to the Western Pact are understood to have proceeded satisfactorily.

Eighteen persons are reported to have been killed in the disorders at Florence.

Sir W. Joynson-Hicks, the Home Secretary, writes to a correspondent regarding the recruitment of Fascisti in the Special Constabulary.

Strong protest was voiced at the conference in Glasgow of the National Union of Scottish Mineworkers against the O.M.S., which was described as a “blackleg” organisation; and a resolution was passed pledging the delegates to work against such movements.

The Miners’ Executive are, it is understood, divided on the nature of the recommendations to be made to the National Delegate Conference, which meets to-day to decide on their attitude to the Royal Commission.

How British coal exports were affected by the threat of a stoppage in July was explained at a meeting of the Coal Exporters’ Association.

Preliminary to the opening of the Unionist Conference at Brighton there were a number of social functions. Over 2,000 delegates are expected to be present.

The Secretary for Scotland, speaking at Kirkintilloch, said that in Scotland there was an annual wastage of 10,000 houses and they had not begun to touch the capital want of over 100,000 dwellings. He was crying out for plumbers and plasterers and could not get them.

7 OCTOBER 1925

The Liberal Land Report puts forward a suggestion for a revolution in the tenure of agricultural land. It is proposed to transfer the land from the present landlords to the tenants. The landlords would be compensated by means of annuities, and the new tenants would pay a fixed rent to the tax collector. Land would be held subject to the condition that it was well-farmed, and of this representative County Agricultural Authorities would be judges. The report also contains proposals for the extension of State credits to agriculture, and touches on the problems of marketing and transport.

Edinburgh Presbytery of the United Free Church decided by 88 to 22 votes that the main causes of separation between the Churches have been removed, and that the time has come for entering on negotiations with the Church of Scotland with a view to the framing of a basis of union. The same decision was reached by the Glasgow U.F. Presbytery, the voting being 273 for and 116 against.

Study of the draft Security Pact was continued at Locarno. Nine of the articles have been virtually agreed upon, but the remaining two—those concerning Germany’s entrance to the League and her Eastern frontiers—furnish the main difficulties with which the Conference is faced.

According to Sokolnikov, Soviet Commissary of Finance, an agreement has been concluded by the Russian State Bank with a group of the largest banks, by which the latter grant the State Bank a credit of seventy-five million German marks, which, combined with trade credit, will render possible the purchase in Germany of goods on credit to the value of one hundred million gold marks. The shortcoming of the agreement, he admits, is its short term.

6 OCTOBER 1925

Acknowledging the welcome of the Swiss authorities at the opening of the Locarno Conference, Mr Chamberlain referred to the services rendered by that country to humanity and to peace, and said that, once again, Switzerland was coming to their assistance. Opening the Conference proper, Mr Chamberlain suggested that no formal presidency was required, and that the delegates should meet on a footing of perfect equality, each contributing what he could to the success of their common object — the peace and prosperity of Europe. Discussion was commenced of the articles of the draft pact which were drawn up in London by the legal advisers of the Powers concerned. Agreement was at once reached with regard to a certain number of them; other articles which gave rise to draft amendments were reserved for fuller examination by the jurists.

The Home Secretary (Sir W. Joynson-Hicks), speaking at Liverpool, gave details of his powers in regard to the Communist menace to this country, and also as to his attitude towards members of O.M.S., whose services as special constables, engineers, or transport drivers he would be a fool not to accept, but in the moment of trouble they would not be allowed to take part with military status.

Mr Bruce, in an outline of election policy at Dandenong, said the Australian Government were determined to defeat the wreckers who would plunge Australia into chaos, misery, and class war. The Commonwealth Parliament would pass legislation empowering action against persons engaged by associations in propaganda having for its object the overthrow of the Constitution and of commerce.

A conference lasting nearly three hours, in which representatives of the National Union of Railwaymen and the Railway Clerks’ Association met the railway companies, reached an arrangement by which the meeting of the Central Wages Board on October 14th would take place.

The death is announced of Admiral Sir Arthur Henniker-Hughan, M.P. for Galloway.

5 OCTOBER 1925

The Security Pact Conference opens at Locarno, Switzerland, today.

The French Prime Minister, M. Painlevé, in a speech at Nîmes, declared that France’s foreign policy of “liberate and reconcile” was still her ideal, but in order that reconciliation in Europe should be possible, it must first be realised on the Rhine. Franco-German reconciliation was the cornerstone of European civilisation.

Spanish forces in Morocco have now taken possession of Ajdir, the former Riffi headquarters, and most of the territory around the Bay of Alhucemas; and the French troops have started a new offensive, which is proving successful, and which has been aided considerably by night air bombardments.

Representatives of the National Union of Railwaymen and the Railway Clerks’ Association are to meet the companies’ representatives to-day to deal with difficulties which have arisen in respect of the matters to be dealt with at the forthcoming meeting of the Central Wages Board. Mr C. T. Cramp, in a speech at Chester, said the railwaymen would shortly have to face a crisis of their own. He was proud to say that they rallied to the defence of the miners, and having helped others to secure the principle of maintaining at any rate the right to live, they would refuse, he was certain, to see their own standards unduly thrown down.

Members of the British Fascisti in the Merseyside area to the number of between 2000 and 3000 have decided to enrol as special constables in the Liverpool Police Force so that their services may be available in emergencies.

4 OCTOBER 1925

It was reported in West Ham that a new scheme of offering paper vouchers to the unemployed was causing issues for local shopkeepers who claimed that they were becoming overwhelmed by them. Criticism was made of the West Ham Board of Guardians for how the scheme was implemented, but the aim was to improve the well-being of those struggling financially in the area.

The Northern Ireland Government said that if Archbishop Daniel Mannix attempted to enter Ulster then he would be expelled.

3 OCTOBER 1925

Replying to a protest against the closing of Rosyth and Pembroke Dockyards, Mr Bridgeman said that an endeavour would be made to effect the reductions in staffs in such a way as to cause the least possible hardship; and he added that any applications by private individuals for the use of the establishments would be considered.

French disappointment at the outcome of the Washington debt discussions is reflected by the newspaper comment. The Ministry of Finance, summarising the results, stated that France had recognised her debt, had obtained a reduction of the total claimed, and would make payments based on her capacity to pay without accepting any foreign control, while her political and commercial debts would be combined. Discussing his country’s capacity to pay, M. Labeyrie, Director of the Cabinet at the Ministry of Finance, stated that future reconsideration of this question in no way implied that America could exert financial control over France.

The conclusion of a Russo-German commercial treaty is imminent. Chicherin, in an interview with the representative of a Berlin paper, expressed strongly anti-British sentiments, and said that Britain’s Pact policy was directed towards driving Germany into a coalition against Russia.

Madrid is rejoicing over the Spanish success at Ajdir, in Morocco.