NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 20 January 1923

20 JANUARY 1923

Philip Lloyd-Greame, the President of the Board of Trade, spoke in London saying that it was essential that the Government should try to get a final settlement and the most out of Germany. He added that it was a misfortune that the recent reparations conference had failed to reach agreement, but at least countries differed as friends.

Roland William Boyden, the US observer to the Treaty of Versailles, caused some concern amongst the allies after stating that the terms imposed on Germany had been demonstrated as impossible to deliver.

French troops in the Ruhr seized a number of German coal mines and took control over several branches of the Reichsbank. The German government condemned the actions as French authorities stated that no coal would be distributed to the rest of Germany until reparations were resolved.

Wilhelm Cuno, the Chancellor of Germany, told Federal Governments to reduce the gluttony of excessive food and alcohol being consumed by the population, many of whom he said were in distress at current events. He suggested measures including prohibiting the sale of drinks to minors, punishing drunkenness and introducing early closing hours at licensed venues.