NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 9 February 1925

9 FEBRUARY 1925

The British Government’s Note setting out in reply to M. Clementel’s request its policy with regard to inter-Allied debts has been received by the French Government. The Note suggests the lines on which discharge of obligations between Britain and France should be effected. It is reported to have been favourably received by M. Herriot.

Following the American example, China has withdrawn from the International Opium Conference. The delegate stated that present conditions in China unfortunately made it impossible for the Chinese Government to enforce effectively its policy of prohibiting the production of opium for other than medicinal and scientific purposes, but these conditions, he added, were only temporary.

Mr. Champ, Industrial Secretary of the N.U.R., speaking at Grantham, said that while there should be no talk of strikes until all other resources of reason and argument had been exhausted, there would be no cool dropping of their demands. If extreme action were needed they would not shrink from it.

The Executive of the National Union of Railwaymen have decided to refer the whole of their programme to the Central Wages Board.

President Cosgrave, speaking at Cavan, said there was no need for pessimism regarding the future of the Free State. They were far from being bankrupt. The running of Republican candidates in the partitioned North of Ireland for the Imperial Parliament was, he considered, a political blunder of the first magnitude.