Tag: 100 Years Ago

24 JUNE 1924

According to a Paris telegram, the British and French Premiers decided to send a firm note to Germany with regard to Inter-Allied military control.

The Prime Minister answered questions in Parliament relating to the interview with the French Premier on the subject of the Experts’ Report, and said the talk was preliminary to the Inter-Allied Conference, which meets in London next month.

The Prime Minister made a further statement in the House of Commons with regard to the friction with Mexico, and said there was now no questions of the Mexican Authorities entering the British Legation House.

The Opposition amendment for the rejection of the Housing Bill was defeated by 269 to 206 in the House of Commons. Mr Masterman than moved the committal of the Bill to a Committee of the whole House, the motion being carried against the Government by 315 votes to 175.

The King, in a message expressing his distress on hearing of the Everest disaster, said that the two gallant explorers, Mallory and Irvine, will be remembered as fine examples of mountaineers ready to risk their lives for their companions and to face dangers on behalf of science and discovery.

23 JUNE 1924

Ramsay MacDonald, the Prime Minister, and Édouard Herriot, the French Prime Minister, conferred at Chequers on the questions arising out of the Experts’ Report on Reparations.

Raymond Poincaré, the former Prime Minister of France, spoke at Verdun in justification of his Ruhr policy.

The French authorities made a number of arrests of Nationalists in the Ruhr.

The King and Queen welcomed the King and Queen of Denmark at Liverpool Street in London on their arrival in Britain on a short visit.

The Speaker of the House of Commons, speaking at the commemoration of the Signing of Magna Carta at Runnymede, said that it was not from monarchy that the challenge to liberty came nowadays from dictatorships.

22 JUNE 1924

It was confirmed that the nomination day for the Lewes by-election would be 30 June and the election itself would be on 9 July.

Grand Duke Michael of Russia attended the concluding performance of the Aldershot Military Tattoo with the King and Queen.

21 JUNE 1924

It was reported that George Mallory and Andrew Irvine had died during their attempt to summit Mount Everest.

Herbert Asquith inaugurated the new Liberal campaign in Scotland by addressing a meeting in the Usher Hall, Edinburgh. Their business, he said, was to make clear to the electorate at the General Election, which could not long be delayed, the fundamental differences which divided Liberalism from both its competitors. Protection and Socialism, he said, led alike to sectional predominance. He added that he had never seen the Liberal Party in a more healthy situation.

A crisis began in the building trade, with the national employers at a conference in London deciding to withdraw all offers of wages increases primarily to the strike of operatives in Liverpool. A national lock-out was called from 5 July.

20 JUNE 1924

An official statement of Unionist principles and aims was published, setting forth the attitude of the party on all the great questions calling for solution in the spheres of Imperial, foreign and domestic policy.

The position of British trade was discussed in the House of Commons on a Vote for the Board of Trade. Sidney Webb, the President of the Board, took an optimistic view although David Lloyd George, the former Prime Minister, was no sanguine.

General Nollet, the new French War Minister, said that the country took a grave view of Germany’s military preparations and that it would be an important part of discussions with the British Government.

Ramsay MacDonald, the Prime Minister, made a statement in the House of Commons backing up the action of Mr Cummins, the British representative in Mexico.

19 JUNE 1924

Voting on the Imperial Preference resolutions moved by Stanley Baldwin, the House of Commons rejected the first, which exempts Empire-produced dried fruits from import duty, by the narrow margin of six votes, the division figures being 278 against 272. The result was received with loud Opposition cheers.

Further correspondence between Ramsay MacDonald, the Prime Minister, Sir James Craig and President Cosgrave on the subject of the Irish Boundary Commission was issued as a White Paper.

General Smuts, in a message to his Election Committee, says that his faith in the future remains as strong as ever, although the immediate outlook before South Africa is gloomy.

18 JUNE 1924

The first results in the South African elections show Nationalist and Labour gains. General Smuts has lost his seat in Pretoria West.

The debate on the Imperial Preference resolutions was opened in the House of Commons by Sir P. Lloyd-Greame after Stanley Baldwin had formally moved the first resolution, which proposes to abolish the import duties on dried fruits of Empire origin. The Secretary for the Colonies announced the Government’s intentions to vote against the resolutions.

Strong representations have been made by the British Government with regard to the Mexican Government’s threat to deport HAC Cummins, the British diplomatic agent at Mexico City.

17 JUNE 1924

The House of Commons rejected all the Lords’ amendments to the Prevention of Eviction Bill, including one which sought to discriminate in favour of a British subject against an alien landlord or tenant without pro-Ally war service.

Replying to questions in Parliament with regard to the treatment of the British diplomatic agent in Mexico City, the Prime Minister said HM Government regarded the action of the Mexican Government as a grave breach of international courtesy.

The Prime Minister stated in the House of Commons that the Turkish delegate at the Iraq frontier conference having informed the British representative at the last meeting that he was unable to consider His Majesty’s Government’s proposals, Sir Percy Cox had left Constantinople, and no other course remained open to Britain than to submit the matter to the League of Nations under the terms of the Lausanne Treaty.

16 JUNE 1924

Exceptionally difficult conditions have compelled the Everest Expedition to fall back from the higher levels of rest and reprovision before resuming the attempt to climb the mountain. An account of the latest misfortunes to befall the Expedition is contained in a dispatch from Lt-Col. Norton.

Édouard Herriot, the new French Premier, formed his Cabinet. General Nollet, President of the Inter-Allied Mission of Military Control in Germany, becomes War Minister.

Ramsay MacDonald, in a short speech at Elgin Station on his way to London, said that he hoped this week to meet the French Premier.

David Lloyd George, the former Prime Minister, was elected first President of the new Welsh Liberal Association.

15 JUNE 1924

The media speculated that the Labour Government would be forced to go back to the country in later 1924 to secure a stronger mandate.

Ramsay MacDonald said that he expected his Government and the new French Government would have “a complete friendship”.

The Board of Trade said that there had been a record increase in overseas trade.