Tag: 100 Years Ago

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.

15 DECEMBER 1924

Édouard Herriot, the French Prime Minister, is suffering from para phlebitis of the right leg, induced by the strain of overwork, and the possibility that he may be compelled to resign the French Premiership is admitted even in Government circles.

Before dispersing the League of Nations Council at its closing session in Rome disposed of several questions relating to national minorities. The Permanent Court of International Justice is to be asked to give an advisory opinion with regard to Greeks “established” at Constantinople, whose case has been discussed in connection with exchange of Turk and Greek minorities.

Judgment was given by Lord Blackburn in the action in the Court of Session arising out of the stoppage of work in connection with the erection of a new church in Cathcart parish, Glasgow.

Recent statements that the South African Government was negotiating with German interests, for the establishment of an iron industry in South Africa are the subject of a published correction by the Managing Director of the South African Iron and Steel Corporation. “Recent developments,” he says, “are merely due to the impossibility of obtaining the necessary assistance from the British side, and surely nobody could blame the South African Steel Corporation for going elsewhere.”

A Sub-Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives which drew up the naval appropriations for the next fiscal year deny that America’s naval prestige is rapidly waning. Two battleships are being transformed into aircraft carriers, giving the country a greater tonnage of such vessels than any other nation apart from Great Britain.

27 OCTOBER 1924

Stanley Baldwin, in a special message to The Scotsman, says he feels confident that the electorate of Scotland will endorse the sound constructive policy of the Unionist party. He adds that every vote for the Constitutional cause is vital.

Addressing nearly 3000 electors at Perth, Mr. Stanley Baldwin said that there was no precedent for guaranteeing a Russian loan. Russian propaganda in the Empire, he said, had not ceased, and speeches made by members of the Russian Government had convinced him that, if he had money to spare, he would be unwilling to lend it.

M. Rakovsky, the Soviet representative in London, has issued a statement denying the authenticity of the Communist manifesto, and characterising it as a gross forgery. Mr. M’Manus, the Communist leader, denies that he signed the document. The Soviet Government is demanding from the British Government an apology for what it describes as the use of a forgery in an official document.

Viscount Younger, speaking at Dumfries, referred to the Bolshevist plot. This, he said, was a case of life and death for the country, and it was a question which ought to be probed to the uttermost.

Addressing the women electors of Paisley, Herbert Asquith described class warfare as being just as great an offence against moral law as the most sanguinary war on the battlefield. The ultimate ascendancy of one class over another was, he said, the death-knell of liberty.

David Lloyd George, speaking at Chichester, said it had always been said that in order to help agriculture they must have a tariff and a duty, but the countries where they were doing without a duty were the countries where agriculture was most prosperous.

26 OCTOBER 1924

Major Beaumont Thomas, the Conservative candidate for Pontypool, was attacked by hooligans.

A demonstration was held by communist supporters in Trafalgar Square, London.

Burnt Oak station on the Hampstead-Edgware tube extension opened.

25 OCTOBER 1924

An amazing letter from the Presidium of the Executive Committee of the Communist International, Moscow, to the Central Committee of the British Communist party, has come into the hands of the Foreign Office. The letter gives instructions to British Communists as to how to bring about a revolution. The Foreign Office has written to the Chargé d’Affaires of the Soviet Union stating that His Majesty’s Government cannot allow such propaganda, and must regard it as a direct interference from outside in British domestic affairs.

Professor Charles Sarolea, in an article on Bolshevism in the Labour movement, shows the close connection which exists between Russian Bolshevism and British Socialism.

Lord Balfour, speaking at Haddington, denounced the policy of the Government with regard to Imperial interests.

Viscount Younger, speaking at Annan, said the choice before the electors was Constitutionalism or Socialism. If the electors wanted a stable Government and wanted to avoid annual elections, let them vote for the Unionist party, the only party which could have a majority. Socialism meant tyranny and the sinking of our freedom.

Lord Birkenhead addressed a Unionist demonstration at Aberdeen.

Sir Robert Horne, addressing the Hillhead electors, said the great questions which previously divided Conservatives and Liberals had for the most part disappeared, and today the differences between them were almost inappreciable in comparison with the great abyss that separated both of them from the creed of Socialism.

24 OCTOBER 1924

Stanley Baldwin, addressing a crowded meeting at Gravesend, and referring to Preference, said he pledged himself there, as he had pledged himself before, that there would be no taxation of food if the Unionist party were returned to power.

The Earl of Balfour, Sir Robert Horne, and Sir John Gilmour, in a letter to the Editor, emphasise the importance of defeating the Socialists, and urge Unionist electors in Scotland during the present election, in all constituencies where there is no Unionist candidate, to register their votes for the Liberal nominee, and to give him all the support in their power.

Lord Birkenhead in Glasgow dealt with the Prime Minister’s grievances and the Government’s failure to implement its promises.

Herbert Asquith, speaking at Paisley, denounced the attempts of the Socialists to prevent their opponents stating their case, and said he was not going to submit to the humiliation of having the free statement and interchange of views left at the mercy of a set of unintelligent hooligans.

David Lloyd George at Pembroke declared that Liberals made far too little of the part they had played in making the Empire possible. He suggested that some day a conciliated Ireland would render to the Empire the service which was rendered by the Boers in the Great War.

The Prime Minister, speaking at Aberavon, said that neither the Coalition nor the Tory Government had ventured to face the problem of supplying houses to be let for rent as opposed to houses built by private enterprise and sold when they were built.

The Prime Minister announced at Aberavon that the third Commissioner to the Irish Boundary Commission had just been appointed.