Category: 100 Years Ago

2 OCTOBER 1925

Mr Stanley Baldwin, the Prime Minister, was presented with the freedom of Glasgow, and was afterwards entertained at a civic luncheon. Later in the day the Premier opened two of the Corporation Housing Schemes and a Child Welfare Centre. After his outdoor engagements, Mr Baldwin, at a gathering in the City Chambers, made an important statement on the housing conditions in Scotland.

After rejecting an amendment in favour of nationalisation of land without compensation, the Socialist Party Conference at Liverpool carried on a show of hands a resolution submitted by the Executive outlining policy on the land problem and declaring that, pending the accomplishment of public ownership, land values should be subject to taxation. Mr Ramsay MacDonald defended his conduct of foreign policy during his late Premiership.

An official resolution, moved by Mr Sidney Webb at the Socialist Party Conference, pressing for public ownership and control of the banks and credit system, and the development of co-operative and municipal banks, was adopted.

Mr Ramsay MacDonald, in an address on “What is Socialism?” said capitalism organised human beings for economic and material ends, whereas Socialism organised economic and material resources for human ends. He did not believe in revolution, because we had now got democracy.

What is described as a temporary settlement of the question of the French debt to the United States has been reached, and M. Caillaux has sailed from New York for France. No agreement has been signed, however.

1 OCTOBER 1925

In reply to a correspondent regarding the organisation for maintenance of supplies during a general strike, the Home Secretary says that citizens would be performing a patriotic act by allying themselves with this or any other similar body.

Lord Balfour and Sir Robert Horne have given their support to a movement under which the public will be given tuition by post to prepare them to refute Socialist and Communist arguments.

The policy of the Socialist party in industrial and Imperial affairs was discussed at the Liverpool Conference. An attempt to revive the Zinoviev letter controversy and to commit the party to an apology to the Soviet Government proved unsuccessful, the resolution tabled by the extremists being defeated on a show of hands.

In the French debt negotiations at Washington an approach to a compromise was reached.

Feeling in Germany is divided on the British and French Memoranda on Germany’s reply to the invitation to a conference on security.

Both the French and Spanish armies in Morocco have launched attacks on the Riff positions, and report their objectives as taken.

In order to meet the shortage of coal owing to the strike of American miners, New York dealers have concluded contracts for supplies from Wales.

The Prime Minister arrived in Glasgow. He will receive the freedom of the city today.

30 SEPTEMBER 1925

Their Majesties the King and Queen made a formal visit to Aberdeen, where they took part in the inauguration of the Cowdray Hall, part of the new buildings forming an extension of the Art Gallery.

The Socialist party Conference at Liverpool carried by an overwhelming majority the Executive’s proposal to continue the exclusion of Communists from membership.

The text of the German reply to the invitation to the Security Pact Conference is published, as well as Mr Chamberlain’s answer.

According to a Washington message, the chief obstacle in the way of the debt settlement between France and America is M. Caillaux’s insistence upon the clause in the agreement permitting revision in case of French inability to pay.

It is expected that about 70 parish areas in Scotland will poll in the No-Licence campaign this year. Eight areas which are at present “dry” have sent in requisitions for a poll, which may, in some cases, cause the repeal of the No-Licence resolution.

Several destroyers and a battleship of the French Fleet bombarded the territory in Morocco of the rebel Beni Said, in support of an advance by the friendly Harkos.

The death is announced of M. Léon Bourgeois, a former French Premier.

Mr Amery, Colonial Secretary, in an interview, discussed the Mosul dispute. It would have been disgraceful, he said, for Britain to have scuttled out of Iraq. For the first time in their history the Arabs and the Christian population were enjoying equal treatment. Britain was not claiming anything from Turkey; she was simply seeking to maintain the integrity of Iraq.

29 SEPTEMBER 1925

The admissibility of Communists to membership of the Labour party was expected to be the sharpest issue before the party Conference at Liverpool, which begins today.

Mr A. J. Cook, speaking at Wigan, said the most difficult phase in the history of the Labour movement had arrived. While he himself held views which he hoped some day would be applied, he recognised that other people had their views too. He hoped the Labour Conference would consolidate the programme laid down by the Trade Union Congress. He held the view that if the Communists thought they could convert the Trade Unions to their point of view they had a right to try.

Addressing a miners’ demonstration near Nottingham, Mr Frank Hodges said there was no universal model for expressing the will of the Labour movement; each country had its own methods. The effort to inject the Communist party and doctrine into the movement must be thwarted at Liverpool. Labour and Communism were mutually opposed in fundamentals; there was no basis of reconciliation.

In an interview at Liverpool, Mr A. J. Cook said he was hopeful that the present difficulties regarding the Coal Commission would be overcome.

Mr J. R. Clynes, at Liverpool, declared that the growth of the Communist movement was very largely the result of bad trade conditions. These things, he added, were due far less to influences from Moscow than to wage reductions the men had to suffer.

The Allied Conference with the representatives of Germany on the Security Pact will be held at Locarno.

28 SEPTEMBER 1925

Returning from Geneva, Mr Amery, in an interview, expressed Britain’s readiness to abide by the League of Nations’ decision in the Mosul boundary dispute. He further stated that if Iraq retains its present frontiers there is every reason to hope that in a short time the British taxpayer will be free from any cost attributable to administration or defence of the State.

Mr Austen Chamberlain received from the German Ambassador the reply of the German Government to the invitation of the Powers to send representatives to the Security Pact Conference, which is expected to take place in Switzerland on October 5. The text of the German Note will be published to-morrow.

At the closing sitting of the League Assembly, Senator Dandurand declared that the deliberations had shown that the spirit of the protocol drawn up last year still lived, and constituted at the present time an ideal line of conduct. The work done in the last few weeks showed that the sixth Assembly had not disappointed the hopes which the world had set upon it.

It is expected that M. Caillaux will make a new offer to the American Debt Commission.

27 SEPTEMBER 1925

Following an incident where Flying Officer Cuddon-Davies had died, the Air Ministry decided to equip all aircraft with parachutes.

Stanley Baldwin, the Prime Minister, visited Balmoral Castle to visit the King.

The Food Council confirmed an inquiry into the high prices of milk and meat, adding that they were addressing the short measure scandal with legislation expected.

26 SEPTEMBER 1925

The Food Council, in a report on bread prices, records its unanimous finding that the charge of 10d. for the quartern loaf is unjustified.

The Mining Association correct Mr Cook, the miners’ secretary, regarding his statement on the Prime Minister’s decision. They state that no profits are guaranteed to the owners; and that the guarantee to the miners was that their wages shall not be reduced below the minimum that would have been payable had the agreement of 1924 remained in operation.

Mr. A. J. Cook, the miners’ secretary, in an interview, replies to Mr Ramsay MacDonald. He says Mr MacDonald’s action in attacking the decisions of the Trade Union Congress is an insult to the British Trade Union movement, from which the Labour Party receives its financial support and help. Without the Trade Union movement, the Labour Party would die.

At the meeting of the League Assembly, Viscount Cecil warmly supported various resolutions relating to the principles of arbitration and disarmament.

M. Caillaux’s proposal of a basis for the settlement of the French debt has surprised the American Debt Commission, but do not regard it as either final or definite.

No reply has yet been received from Germany accepting an invitation to the Conference on the Security Pact. The Federal Premiers have, however, unanimously approved the Cabinet’s decision to attend.

A general attack on the Rif front by the French is reported to be imminent. The Spaniards have been hampered by ill-luck and bad weather, and despite their recent success have much hard fighting in front of them. A campaign lasting far into the winter is contemplated.

Colonel Jackson M.P., speaking at Swansea on the proposed closing of dockyards, said the Prime Minister had decided to bring the question before the Cabinet before any definite steps were taken.

The Colonial Secretary has telegraphed to the Governor of Hong-Kong that he is pressing for a settlement of the negotiations with Chinese bankers and business men upon whose assistance the Hong-Kong Government depends for the disposal of loans. Of the £3,000,000 at its disposal the Government has still to raise £1,000,000.

25 SEPTEMBER 1925

A deadlock has arisen in the coal trade. The miners’ deputation, after hearing Mr Baldwin’s reply to their representations as to the interpretation of the truce, expressed themselves as dissatisfied, and have called a delegate conference. They have also resolved not to aid the Royal Commission in its work or take any part in its proceedings.

A body has been set up in London for the maintenance of supplies and vital services in the event of a general strike. Steps are being taken to create corresponding organisations in all the principal centres of the kingdom.

The Council of the League of Nations decided to send a Commission of Inquiry to Mosul.

Preliminary conversations took place at Washington between M. Caillaux and Mr Mellon with reference to the French debt, and to-day the Franco-American Debt Commission gets to business.

Developing their offensive in Morocco, the Spanish forces have carried the Alhucemas Heights with losses which are described as small compared with the magnitude of the victory.

At a general meeting of the Association of British Chambers of Commerce, held at Aberdeen, the President, Mr Stanley Machin, referred to the possibility of a serious stoppage of traffic, and said it was the duty of the Government to prepare for such an event. If an appeal were made for volunteers, and the assistance of all organisations capable of rendering help he felt sure they would have a great response from the whole community.

4 JUNE 1925

The Prince of Wales’s visit to Durban was marked by scenes of great enthusiasm. The town was en fête, and there were several functions in the Prince’s honour in the course of the day.

The Prime Minister, receiving the freedom of Dundee, made an appeal to the citizens to work for a fairer city in the years to come, which would be an example to the world and a happy home and heritage for her children and children’s children. The splendid site on which Dundee stood, said Mr Baldwin, should stimulate them to see that the newer city was worthy of that site for all the people.

Contracts amounting to nearly £3,500,000 have been placed in Great Britain for the new cruisers and submarines for the Royal Australian Navy.

A spread of the anti-foreign riots at Shanghai is reported, and further encounters between patrols and rioters have resulted in a number of deaths. British sailors have been landed, and a number of foreign residents rescued from positions of danger.

Inquiries regarding the new Industrial Alliance proposed by the Miners’ Federation show that none of the Unions is prepared to bind itself to an alliance without further consultation and consideration.

By 147 to 37, the Canadian House of Commons rejected a Protectionist motion by Mr Meighen designed to define the tariff issue on which the Conservatives of the Dominion will base their main appeal at the next General Election.

3 JUNE 1925

The King’s Birthday Honours list contains no new peerage, but Baron Bearsted becomes a Viscount. Eight baronetcies are conferred.

The report of the Committee appointed to inquire into the difficulties in carrying out the provisions of the Rent Restrictions Acts in some districts in Scotland was issued.

The Allies’ Note on disarmament will be presented to the German Government tomorrow. Its publication at the end of the week, followed within a few days by the report of the experts on Germany’s treaty default, is expected. France has completed the draft of a Note to Germany on the proposed guarantee pact. She has accepted the British view.

Amundsen’s colleagues on the Farm at Wellman’s Bay, Spitsbergen, have given up hope of seeing him return by aeroplane, and patrolling of the ice-edge will begin tomorrow. The view is held that the machines were probably damaged on landing at the Pole, and that the airmen have set out for Cape Columbia on foot.

The Duke of York welcomed 700 American and Canadian medical men, who are visiting this country and the Continent under the auspices of the Inter-State Post-Graduate Assembly of America.

Further disturbances have occurred at Shanghai, where the position is serious, and a Note from the Chinese Government protesting against the action of the police in suppressing the riots by force has only served to encourage the agitators, who are being openly incited by Bolshevist agents.

All nine accused charged at Cairo with the murder of the late Sirdar, Sir Lee Stack, have been found guilty.

A police raid was made on a Communist Conference of women at St Mungo Hall, Glasgow. Each delegate was questioned, but no arrests were made.