Tag: 100 Years Ago

5 JANUARY 1925

Benito Mussolini made a speech in the Italian Chamber which has been received with great enthusiasm in Fascist quarters. He said that the Government was strong enough to break completely what he called the Aventino sedition. Fascist demonstrations have been held in Italian cities.

The principal topic before the Cabinet to-day will be the Allied Financial Conference in Paris. While the British view is that a separate conference should be called to deal with war debts, it is not doubted that the question will receive considerable attention. The contents of M. Clementel’s memorandum to Mr Myron Herrick, the American Ambassador, have been carefully guarded, but the document, it is presumed, recites French claims to special consideration by her late Allies.

The Allied Note to Germany on the subject of the evacuation of Cologne will be handed to the German Government to-day by the British Ambassador. It is intended to publish the text tomorrow.

A Berlin telegram states that President Ebert has ordered Dr Marx to form a non-political Cabinet.

The notorious German Communist, Ruth Fischer, was arrested in Vienna.

2 JANUARY 1925

Addressing the Diplomatic Corps at a New Year reception in Berlin, Dr Marx regretted that the wishes for the New Year in connection with the London Pact had not materialised. The evacuation of Cologne had not been carried out, for reasons which Germany was unable to recognise, and bitter disappointment was felt by Germans without distinction of party at the injustice.

A friendly British Note in reply to the communication from Washington on the question of America’s participation in reparations collected under the Dawes scheme has been dispatched.

A statement issued by the Post Office says that there was a phenomenal increase this Christmas in the posting of both letters and parcels. The most serious difficulty experienced by the Post Office was due to the abnormal influx of correspondence and parcels on the 23rd and 24th, in spite of the appeals to post early in the week.

Damage estimated at £10,000 was done by a fire at Ashington, Northumberland. Shop premises were destroyed.

The death has occurred of Sir F. Carruthers Gould, the famous political cartoonist.

Notable services in the cause of education and religion are recalled by the sudden death of the Rev. R. C. Strang, who was vice-chairman of the Edinburgh Education Authority.

Giving evidence before the Commission on Food Prices, Sir Leo Chiozza Money urged the establishment of a system of Imperial purchase of supplies as a method of safeguarding the interests of the United Kingdom consumer.

1 JANUARY 1925

In the New Year’s Honours list, Viscount Jellicoe becomes an Earl, while Sir John Bradbury and Sir Henry Duke are made Barons. Principal Irvine, of St Andrews University, is among those who receive the honour of Knighthood. Sir James G. Fraser, the author of “The Golden Bough,” and Sir Ernest Rutherford, the eminent scientist, become members of the Order of Merit.

The Treasury return of national revenue and expenditure for the past nine months shows an excess of expenditure over receipts of £89,036,803. Customs decreased by over 20 millions.

Evidence on behalf of the National Association of Master Bakers, Confectioners, and Caterers was submitted to the Royal Commission which is inquiring into the prices of food, and a protest was lodged against “unjust attacks” on the baking trade.

Sir Robert Blair, addressing the Congress of the Educational Institute of Scotland, emphasised the importance of educationists keeping abreast of modern developments. In the work of teachers, he said, there was no finality. They must catch up the movement of civilisation, which was ahead of them.

It is understood that the house factors in the Clydebank and Dalmuir districts intend to prosecute those evicted tenants who were illegally reinstated in their houses, and the sympathisers who assisted in the forcible reopening of the doors sealed by the sheriff officer may likewise be reported for prosecution.

A Washington message says that President Coolidge has again made it known that not only does he hope that there will be another Limitation conference, but that he will do his utmost to bring about a meeting of the Powers in Washington this year.

31 DECEMBER 1924

The Conference of Ambassadors, at its meeting in Paris today, will have before it the draft of the preliminary Allied Note which it is proposed to address to Germany on the subject of the evacuation of Cologne. The Note will point out that the Allies are not prepared to come to a decision until the full report of the Commission of Control is available, but that in any case, evacuation is impossible on January 10.

Dr. Stresemann, in an interview, gives a denial to the allegation that the Inter-Allied Military Mission of Control met with obstruction during their work of inspection in Germany. In regard to armaments, he contends that Germany is powerless and adds that the Army and police are exactly as provided for by the Treaty.

M. Blum, leader of the French Socialists, disclosed in the Senate debate that in a recent interview between the French Finance Minister and members of the Finance Committee, it was urged that any excess of reparations Britain received over her strict due should be credited to inter-Allied debts. M. Blum added that M. Clementel felt in a position to retain this suggestion in large measure. M. Clementel, though not replying, did not deny the accuracy of the statement.

30 DECEMBER 1924

The draft of the Allied Note to Germany on the subject of the evacuation of Cologne has been completed by the secretary of the Ambassadors’ Conference.

French Prime Minister Édouard Herriot, in a statement to the Senatorial Foreign Affairs Committee, referred to the cordial relations between the British and French Governments, and to the mutual understanding of interests and views that both are striving to establish in all international questions in the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and the Far East.

South African opinion opposes the Geneva Protocol in its present form. Sir Abe Bailey declares that no body outside the South African Parliament must ever decide for South Africa whether it should go to war or not. Should Great Britain sign and the Dominions refuse, it would mean the breaking up of the British Empire, as no Dominion could escape Great Britain’s liability without seceding.

The East African National Congress, after a stormy debate at Nairobi, has adopted, on the advice of its President, Abdul Wahid, a Kenya merchant pioneer, a series of resolutions offering, on behalf of Indians in East Africa, entire co-operation with the Europeans for the next three years.

Over a hundred inmates of a private lunatic asylum which caught fire at Tokio are missing. A number of bodies have been recovered.

Mr Lloyd George at Criccieth said Liberalism would be the strongest force the Government would have to contend with before it reached the end of its term of office.

29 DECEMBER 1924

Following the gale and rainstorm of Friday night, great damage has been caused to property in all parts of Scotland by flooded rivers. Countless fields have been inundated, and roads rendered impassable. A shipping disaster is reported from Islay, where a German trawler has been wrecked, with the loss, it is feared, of eleven lives. In England, Wales, and Ireland, extensive flooding took place. The Rhondda and Taff rivers overflowed their banks at several points, causing great damage and heavy destruction. Shipping also suffered severely.

The Conference of Ambassadors has decided to notify Germany by Collective Note that it is impossible to evacuate Cologne on January 10. It is understood that the reasons they will give are the necessity of awaiting the final report of the Control Commission and evidence regarding the non-fulfilment of the disarmament clauses of the Treaty.

The last report which General Nollet made to the Inter-Allied Commission of Military Control shows that the organised forces of Germany are in excess of the number authorised, and that the stipulations regarding the High Command and the reserves have not been observed.

M. Tsankoff, the Bulgarian Prime Minister, after conferring with members of the Jugo-Slavian Government at Belgrade, left for Bukharest. In an interview with Press representatives at Belgrade, he stated that the Balkan States were at present faced by a grave danger from subversive elements, which aimed at the overthrow of the existing social order.

The Congress of the Indian National Liberal Federation at Lucknow has concluded. According to Reuter’s correspondent, the session is generally regarded as showing signs that the party is regaining strength.

28 DECEMBER 1924

There were substantial floods in the Thames Valley with heavy amounts of damage done to agricultural land.

A train was caught in a landslide in Wales with four passengers hurt when 300 tons of earth fell on it.

27 DECEMBER 1924

26 DECEMBER 1924

A meeting of the French Cabinet approved a memorandum from M. Herriot expressing the opinion that it was impossible to evacuate the Cologne zone by January 10.

The Paris Eclair publishes an account of M. Herriot’s conversations with Mr Ramsay MacDonald at Chequers in the summer, when the French Premier emphasised the dangers which threatened France on her eastern frontier.

Mr Bruce, the Australian Prime Minister, has informed the Imperial Government that it would be difficult for him to attend a special meeting of the Imperial Conference in March to discuss the Geneva Protocol, and he has suggested that the matter could be settled by cable. A similar view is understood to be held by the Canadian Government.

A fire broke out at a Christmas entertain- ment in a school at Hobart, Oklahoma, U.S.A., and 40 persons lost their lives.

A terrible air disaster occurred near the Croydon Aerodrome. The Instone air liner DH 34 had just left with seven passengers and the pilot on board, when it was seen to be in difficulties, and then it crashed. On reaching the ground it burst into flames, and everyone on board perished.

In an American aviation accident four men of the Naval Air Service lost their lives.

M. Otto Ballon, a well-known Latvian air- man, has been killed at Buenos Ayres.

The Pope, amid scenes of solemnity and splendour, opened the Holy Door of St Peter’s, Rome, to signify the opening of the Holy Year.

On January 1, Oslo, the ancient name of Christiania, is to be revived.

25 DECEMBER 1924

Many spectators were injured following a football game between Bristol City and Swansea Town played on Christmas Day.

The Dundee Evening Telegraph reported:

“Mr F. G. Linfield, the former Liberal M.P., who has returned to London after a tour in Africa extending over several months, described his jungle adventure with a lion.

Mr. Linfield, Mr. Ormsby Gore, and Major Church were appointed by Mr. J. H. Thomas, when Colonial Secretary, as a Colonial Office Mission to make inquiries in Central Africa. While they were there the General Election intervened. They were unable to return in time, and of the three who left Britain M.P.’s only one, Mr Ormsby Gore, came back to find himself re-elected. Mr Linfield’s adventure with the lion occurred after he had ascended a mountain in company with Lord Delamere and was returning in order to secure help to release Lord Delamere’s car from a dangerous position.

Concealed Behind a Bush

“While we were ascending in the car,” he said, “rain came on, and the car skidded all over the place. There were no roads, and at one point one of the wheels went over, and the car was on the point of toppling over. Major Buxton, Major Dutton, and myself got out and tried to push the car to keep it from toppling over the side, but at one point one of the wheels went over, and the car had to be abandoned. Major Buxton and I walked for nine miles to the nearest farm to get help. As we were walking along I saw under a little bush a foot or two away from me a black object. I was not thinking of Africa, and imagined it was like a pig. Before I could say a word it jumped up, just looked at me, and then bounded into the dense bush. Major Buxton walked over to where the lion had disappeared, but I told him to be careful as there might be cubs there. He said, ‘The best thing we can do is to walk straight on. Probably the lion is as much frightened of us as we are of it.’ So we walked on, keeping as far as possible from the dense bush. I kept one eye on the bush and another on the nearest tree.”

Lion’s Skull as a Reminder.

On another occasion,” he said, “I stepped out of the rest house in which I was staying one night because I could not sleep on account of the high temperature. I had just opened the door and stepped into the garden when there was a tremendous growl. I went back into the house at once. Next morning I was informed that two or three hyenas had been prowling about the grounds.”

Mr Linfield has brought back a large number of trophies and mementoes of his visit. These include swords, spears, and shields, a beautiful lion’s skin, and the skull of another lion. The lion’s skin his colleagues decided ought to be presented to him because of his adventure.”