NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 25 January 1923

25 JANUARY 1923

The court martial took place of six German coal mine owners who had refused to assist with the French authorities who had occupied the Ruhr Valley. Although the court fined each of the coal mine owners, the judges accepted the defence that they had just been following the orders of their own Government in not to assist the French.

The French took control of the railway network in the Ruhr Valley following the strike of all German transport workers in the region.

Lord Peel, the Secretary of State for India, said that there was potential to review the Government of India Act to allow for greater democracy in the country and for the Constitution of the Legislatures to be developed. He also added that a Royal Commission was to be appointed to examines the services in India, including the Civil Service and the Police Service.