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22 DECEMBER 1924

David Lloyd George, at a Liberal demonstration in Edinburgh, stated the case for the maintenance of the Liberal party in the political life of the country, as coming between a party who supported private monopoly and vested interest, and the Socialist party, who sought to confiscate everything for the benefit of a State monopoly. On the problem of the slums, he contended that no solution would be found unless they dealt with land monopoly.

Voting takes place to-day at Dundee in the by-election caused by the death of the late Socialist member, Mr Morel.

At a political demonstration in the City Hall, Glasgow, Mr John Wheatley said that, if any attempt was made by the Government of Great Britain to launch us into war with Russia, he for one was prepared to spend, not merely his time, but his life, in appealing to the working class of this country, not merely to refuse to join in the attack, but to utilise the opportunity of the war with Russia in attacking British capitalism.

Benito Mussolini has thrown a bombshell into the Italian political camp in the shape of an Electoral Reform Bill providing for single-member representation and adoption of the British system whereby a majority vote secures a direct seat. His action involves an appeal to the country during the spring.

Édouard Herriot, the French Premier, received at his bedside a number of Parisian journalists, to whom he made a reassuring statement regarding Communists’ activities in France. He deprecated panic-mongering, the effect of which was to injure the credit of France. La Liberté is to be prosecuted for an alleged infringement of the Press Law.

Much angry comment appears in the German Press with regard to the British Government’s decision to postpone the evacuation of Cologne, which is held to be a breach of the Versailles Treaty. The German Government still awaits reports from its London and Paris Embassies, which are to be a breach of the Versailles Treaty.

21 DECEMBER 1924

Benito Mussolini announced a surprise bill in Italy for voting reform, based the new electoral system more on the UK model.

The death of British diplomat George Buchanan (1854-1924) was announced.

20 DECEMBER 1924

The House of Commons, before rising until February 10, discussed generally the question of unemployment and relief of trade depression. Mr William Graham, suggesting an ex- tended application of the export credits scheme, said that while at the Treasury he was amazed to find that even among business men there was an almost complete absence of knowledge of the scheme. On the same point, Mr A. M. Samuel said the Overseas Trade Department wished that the scheme were better known and used more than it is at present by people in the North.

A profound impression has been created in Berlin by Lord Curzon’s announcement that the Cologne zone will not be evacuated on January 10 and the reasons given for the postponement.

Viscount Kato, the Japanese Prime Minister, in a speech at Tokio, said that the British authorities had given assurances that the Singapore base was purely a national affair, and was not intended to influence international relations.

The Albanian Premier has appealed to the League of Nations to intervene at Belgrade with a view to putting an end to the present disturbances, which, he declares, have been organised in Jugo-Slav territory.

An Oil Conservation Board has been created by the President of the United States. It consists of the Secretaries of War, the Navy, Interior, and Commerce.

Flag appointments announced by the Admiralty include that of Sir Roger Keyes to the command of the Mediterranean station.

David Lloyd George, who is to address a Liberal demonstration in Edinburgh to-day, travelled to Scotland, arriving at Waverley Station last night.

Captain Elliot, Under Secretary for Health for Scotland, speaking at a Building Trade Association dinner in Edinburgh, said that considerable leeway needed to be made up in Scottish housing. He pointed out that unless Scotland completed 11 houses, as compared with every 80 houses built in England, she would be paying a subsidy towards housing in England.

19 DECEMBER 1924

It was confirmed that smallpox had returned to Derbyshire.

British manufacturers said that they predicted a big absorption of the unemployed when the Prime Minister’s plan for safeguarding industries and developing Empire trade was put into operation.

18 DECEMBER 1924

The Earl of Onslow stated in the House of Lords that inquiries would be made as to the truth of the allegations contained in an article in a monthly magazine entitled “Nigeria’s Curse – The Native Administration.”

A speech dealing with the Government’s fiscal plans was delivered by the Prime Minister in the House of Commons on the Liberal amendment to the Address. The amendment, which was moved by Captain Wedgwood Benn and seconded by Sir Archibald Sinclair, was rejected by 339 votes to 151.

Mr Ramsay MacDonald, in a message to the Socialist candidate in Dundee, said the Government had already proclaimed to the world that the nation had returned to the old ruts of militarism and Tory ascendancy. The Labour party stood as the champion of progress against reaction.

Addressing a Liberal rally at Llandilo, Sir Alfred Mond said that if the Government meant to reintroduce the Preference resolutions of the last Imperial Conference, which involved a number of new taxes and which the country decisively rejected at the election of 1923, they were committing a most serious breach of an honourable pledge.

Herr Stresemann has declined the task of forming a German Government on account of opposition by the Centre party.

Further evidence was heard by the Royal Commission on Food Prices. Bread, it was stated, was dearer in New York than in this country. Speculation in wheat in America was very great, but there were no corners.

On account of the “distinct difference of treatment between England and Scotland” in the matter of representation, the Scottish branch of the National Farmers’ Union has declined to participate in the agricultural conference.

17 DECEMBER 1924

In the House of Lords, Marquis Curzon, replying to Lord Newton as to the number of Russians connected with Soviet Missions admitted to this country since the Anglo-Russian Trade Agreement was concluded, said that since then 310 visas had been granted, and this 340 included members who came over in the course of last year to discuss the terms of what some of them regarded as the unfortunate treaty with His Majesty’s Government.

In the housing debate in the Commons, the Minister of Health stated that, by arrangement with Lord Weir, experimental steel houses would be produced for Local Authorities, who would be asked not to let them, but to erect them on accessible sites where they could be readily visited and inspected, and so enable people to judge of their suitability. In this way, among others, he hoped to produce the number of houses contemplated by the Wheatley Act.

Winston Churchill, speaking in London, said that out of the whole finance of Britain it was dangerous to take a decision in regard to any one part until they were quite sure what were the consequential reactions on the other parts. His work at first was to acquire a thorough understanding of his task.

Both the candidates in the Dundee by-election turned up at a dinner-time shipyard meeting, and there was a pleasant exchange of courtesies. A coin was tossed to decide who should speak first.

16 DECEMBER 1924

Mr Austen Chamberlain’s speech in the debate on the Address in the House of Commons was largely taken up with the Egyptian question. He emphasised the British trusteeship in the Sudan, the desire of the Government that the Egyptian Government should work with and not against Britain, and urged that there was no case to take to the League. Egyptian independence would be respected. The Foreign Secretary, referring to the Zinoviev letter, said that from four sources the Government had evidence of its authenticity. Dividing on the Socialist amendment to the Address, the House gave the Government a majority of 231.

Replying to questions by Mr Ramsay MacDonald in the House of Commons bearing on the Campbell case, the Prime Minister said there was no doubt that in particular cases of an exceptional character the Attorney-General, before undertaking a prosecution, had consulted the Cabinet. That, however, appeared to be an entirely different matter from the issue of a general instruction which would have the effect of placing the Attorney-General in a position of complete subservience to the executive authorities.

Questions with regard to Sir Dari Singa’s A.D.C. were put in the House of Commons to the Under Secretary for India.

Mr W. M. R. Pringle, supporting the Liberal candidate at a meeting in Dundee, was subjected to considerable interruption, and in a counter-attack said measures would be adopted to stop such tactics. Force would be met by force.

A Paris newspaper says that the number of killed, wounded, and missing in the last Spanish retreat in Morocco amounted to 20,000 men, besides the loss of several thousand prisoners.