JULY - SEPTEMBER 1924
HAPPENINGS IN THE BRITISH EMPIRE
Novelist H. G. Wells leads a delegation July 9 to ask Britain's Minister of Health Jack Wheatley
for birth-control reforms. A staunch Roman Catholic, Wheatley refuses to let health officers give
contraceptive advice even to those who request it or to let physicians at welfare centers provide
such information.
35% percent of British bread is baked at home, down from 70 percent in 1910.
Between 1911 and 1923 the number of salaried - white collar workers - in private employment
rose from 1 to 2.75 million, and there were increases in the number of civil servants in national
and local administration. There was a decline in the employment of domestic servants. The
numbers of servants in households was generally reduced and middle class families that used to
have one servant started to employ a daily woman instead.
Manchester Guardian reported that 2/3 of the wealth of the country remained in the ownership of
1% of the population! Over 75% of the population had less than £100 wealth.
Smoking is popular and increasing in Great Britain; Fortune magazine finds 53% of adult British
males smoke; 66% of males under 40 smoke. Cigarettes are now made from Virginian rather
than Egyptian or Turkish tobacco. It remains to be seen whether the tobacco tax of 12% will
have any effect on smoking.
The ruling elite are drawn mainly from a few hereditary families, most of whom went to either
Eton or Harrow, and then on to Oxford or Cambridge. However, there are some changes: The
rich, though still rich, are less idle. Members of the upper classes increasingly work in finance or
industry, and the distinction within the upper classes between landowners and capitalists is
declining. This also accounts for the decline of the Liberal party, since they had represented the
capitalist class in opposition to landed wealth. The Conservatives are increasingly to representing
the ruling classes as a whole.
British tobacco manufacturers tell Prime Minister Chamberlain that they are losing customers
every day to American competitors. They ask for price supports, tax breaks and government
sponsored loans to retool their industry. The companies would also like Parliament do away with
the minimum age requirement of 16 to smoke.
Labor leader Ramsey MacDonald announced that Labor was opposed to any military base being
built in Singapore as an unnecessary expenditure. Instead, they advocated making a strong
alliance with Japan and relying on their Far East bases. Whitehall is currently considering the
project.
Premier Saad Zaghlul Pasha of Egypt has asked for a meeting with British Prime Minister
Austen Chamberlain to discuss the Anglo-Egyptian dispute over the Sudan. The House of
Commons was firm in its resolution not to quit the country.
A bill was introduced in the House of Commons to control consumption of alcoholic beverages
by local option.
ONLY IN HUNGARY
Two Hungarian students at the University of Budapest fell in love with the same girl. One
challenged the other to a duel.
Upon the field of honor went the students, each with a hand grenade firmly fixed between the
thumb and fingers of the right hand. When the umpire dropped his white handkerchief the
duelists threw their bombs - both failed to explode.
The second round started like the first. This time the bombs went off - and covered the
combatants with snow and mud.
The seconds then declared that honor had been satisfied and the umpire pronounced the duel a
draw.
LEAGUE OF NATIONS BUSINESS
The League of Nations scheduled a conference on opium smoking and addiction in Geneva
beginning November 1, 1924.
The Permanent Court of International Justice held its first session in The Hague on August 1,
1924.
The League of Nations will sponsor a major health conference in Berlin on the treatment of
cancer beginning October 15, 1924.
A motion has been made in the General Assembly by Northern China and seconded by Russia to
prohibit the use of poisonous gases in warfare. After extensive debate, the League voted on it;
54% in favor, 46% opposed. Since it didn't ascertain the necessary 60%, the motion failed.
In the end, the issue became a question of national rights versus international regulation.
There was a great reluctance on the part of member nations to surrender their right to make
weapons to the League of Nations. The motion's lack of a provision to allow poisonous gas to be
used defensively was a sore point to many nations. Smaller nations were disappointed when the
Great Powers made it clear that they would not obey the resolution. There were even a few
nations that thought chemical weapons were a good deterrent to stop war from occurring. All of
this, when combined, overwhelmed the motion.
Efforts to negotiate a settlement to the Turkish-Greek war were futile since neither of the
combatants were willing to compromise. As in previous negotiations, everything came down to
Constantinople again. The Greeks won't give it up and the Turks want it back. Both consider it
their capital and one of their most sacred cities. With this impasse, only war can settle the issue,
but both sides are evenly matched. Not long ago, it looked as if Hungary and Bulgaria would join
Greece in its war with Turkey, but Hungarian Emperor Karl changed his mind because of
pressure from Italy. Italian dictator Benito Mussolini warned both Hungary and Bulgaria that
Italy would join Turkey in defending Asia Minor. Once again, parity had been reached and the
threat of renewed war receded.
The League also offered to arbitrate the war between Northern China and KMT China, but Sun
Yat-sen refused to participate.
World opinion has shifted dramatically against the League, seeing it as impotent and not to be
taken seriously. Somehow the League will have to regain public confidence.
The League commission of the International Red Cross gained support from the Secretariat in a
proposal to fund a new research facility for medical advancements. In principle, the facility
would be a League project supporting research and development in medical technology. Projects
would include malaria research and various studies of communal health and disease. All
Members of the League would receive the benefits of this research. As an investment, the
individual projects would be funded at a fraction of the cost to each member or about 2.5% of the
total cost. Donations would be sought to finance specific projects, but it is assumed that
wealthier nations may donate more in the effort. Secretary General Lamas proposed this subject
in his tour of European medical institutes and in several private meetings with the governments
of member nations. The project has received strong initial support from Argentina, Italy,
Turkey, and several other members. It is certain that a tropical disease specialization will attend
to the malaria issue discussed earlier this year. The first effort of the project will be to establish a
group of research laboratories to further studies on health issues. Late in September, the League
overwhelmingly approved the creation of the research center.
HEJAZ TILTS TOWARD BRITAIN
His Majesty Sherif Hussein ibn Ali of the Hejaz appointed Dr. Fuad Shatara as the Prime
Minister. This appointment was significant in that Dr. Shatara is a strong supporter of Great
Britain, which may mean that neutral Hejaz is ready to renew her wartime alliance with London.
Some interpret this as a move by Hussein to get British help in fighting Abdul Aziz of eastern
Arabia.
ANGLO-AMERICAN COMMANDO RAIDS DESTROYS HAIPHONG HARBOR
In a bold move to stop Sun Yat-sen from using Hanoi harbor to received foreign supplies, the
Allies launched a full scale attack on the harbor using air, naval and commando units. The harbor
was utterly destroyed and half of Haiphong consumed in a fire that appears to be chemical in
nature. Thousands are now homeless. Viet-minh leader Ho Chi Minh has condemned the
"criminal action" and vows that the Vietnamese people will never forget this terrorism".
President Calvin Coolidge and Prime Minister Austen Chamberlain defended the action as
necessary to prevent Sun Yat-sen from receiving war materials to continue his conquest of Asia.
Both men also accused Ho Chi Minh of establishing a Communist regime in Northern Vietnam
that has enslaved the people and liquidated its opponents. Chamberlain even inferred that Ho
himself probably started the fire that consumed much of Haiphong just to blame the Allies and
gain world sympathy.
MUSLIM HOLIDAYS NO LONGER OBSERVED
Greek authorities in Constantinople issued an order on August 20 directing that all public
institutions stop observing the Moslem Sabbath - Friday. Henceforth, governmental offices,
libraries, museums, public schools and state supported universities must now remain open.
Although privately owned, banks were instructed to have regular hours on Fridays well.
HAGIA SOPHIE REOPENED
The former Orthodox patriarchal basilica in Constantinople, Hagia Sophie, a mosque since 1453,
was restored to being a cathedral and reopened in August, 1924. After 471 years, the mihrab,
minbar, and four minarets were all gone, replaced by Orthodox bells, altar, iconostasis, sacrificial
vessels and mosaics. On Sunday, August 24, a high mass was sung by the Ecumenical Patriarch
of Constantinople to commemorate the restoration of the cathedral to the Greek Orthodox
Church. Many of leaders of Greece, including General Ioannis Metaxas, were present for the
event.
After the mass, General Metaxas told the media, "At long last, what was once Greek is now
Greek again. In 1453, Sultan Mehmed and his Turkish horde battered down the doors of our
blessed church and murdered priests singing prayers to Our Savior on behalf of the terror
stricken people who had sought sanctuary there. Our holy basilica was desecrated and looted,
and its occupants enslaved or slaughtered. Greece's greatest cathedral was stripped bare and
made into a mosque. Today, after nearly 500 years of Turkish bondage, one again mass has been
sung at the Hagia Sophie, this is a proud day for the Greek people."
Many mosques have been closed across Constantinople as thousands of Turks were being
deported to Asian Minor.
MONTENEGRIN GOVERNMENT-IN-EXILE APPEALS TO ITALY FOR HELP
Jovan S. Plamenatz, Premier of a non-existent government of a non-existent country Montenegro - arrived in Rome in September to urge the government of Benito Mussolini to
assist Montenegro to regain her independence.
The "Premier" spoke of the 16-year-old Michael I, "King of Montenegro," at present being
educated in England; of the 50,000 Serbian troops that are oppressing 2,000,000 Montenegrins;
and of the abandonment of the Allies at the end of the Great War that allowed Serbia to swallow
Montenegro whole."
"Montenegro," said Premier Plamenatz, "after Belgium and Serbia, felt the heaviest blow in the
Great War. It lost on the battlefield 46% of its entire army in deaths and one-third of her
population perished from hunger and disease. We entered the war as an ally of Triple Entente
and became a victim of our own allies. It does not seem that after all her suffering she should
now be made a conquered nation."
Reportedly, Premier Mussolini accorded the "Premier" Plamenatz a warm welcome, but there
was no public announcement of support for Montenegro.
PRESS MAGNATES
Who owns the most newspapers in the United States, and who owns the greatest circulation, are
two questions which Editor and Publisher, journalistic trade paper, answered with statistics for
1923.
The greatest example of multiple newspaper ownership in the country is the Scripps-Howard
group, consisting of 26 dailies. Robert P. Scripps and Roy W. Howard own and control this
group. Most of their papers were established, not purchased, by them. Their circulation is
1,270,843 daily, and of all their papers 'only one publishes a Sunday edition - the Pittsburgh
Press, acquired last year.
The next group in point of numbers, but one even larger in point of circulation, is the Hearst
press. Mr. Hearst owns 22 papers with 14 Sunday editions. They have a total daily circulation of
3,350,411, and a Sunday circulation of 4,084,394. This gives him over 10% of total circulation
of all daily papers in the country, and almost 20% of the entire Sunday circulation.
Other groups of papers, prominent for one reason or another, include:
The properties of James M. Cox: the Dayton News, the Springfield News, the Canton News and
the Miami News-Metropolis. The last two newspapers were acquired by Mr. Cox last year. His
group has a circulation of 94,903 daily and 76,804 Sunday.
The group owned by Louis H. Brush and Roy D. Moore: the Marion Star, the East Liverpool
Tribune, the East Liverpool Review, the Salem News - total circulation 30,906 daily.
The group controlled by John C. Shaffer and his son, Carroll Shaffer: the Chicago Evening Post,
the Indianapolis Star, the Muncie Star, the Terre Haute Star, the Rocky Mountain News
(Denver), the Denver Times - total circulation 248,518 daily; 215,706 Sunday.
Other papers owned and controlled together, but operated separately, include:
The Washington Post and Cincinnati Enquirer, total circulation is 134,900 daily; 146,265
Sunday. These are owned or controlled by Edward B. McLean, arch friend of President Harding.
The New York World and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, total circulation is 804,221 daily; 986,767
Sunday. These are owned by Ralph, Joseph and Herbert, sons of the late Joseph Pulitzer.
The New York Times and the Chattanooga Times, total circulation is 357,556 daily, 559,687
Sunday. They are the properties of Adolph S. Ochs.
The Chicago Tribune and the Daily News (Manhattan), total circulation is 1,201,206 daily;
1,444,848 Sunday. Colonel R. R. McCormick and Captain J. M. Patterson are the owners.
The Philadelphia Public Ledger and the New York Evening Post, total circulation is 318,360
daily; 247,297 Sunday. Cyrus Hermann Kotzschmar Curtis, veteran magazine publisher, is their
owner.
THE KING IS SICK
Sick King Vittorio Emanuel III and his eldest son, Crown Prince Umberto, were confined to their
beds with influenza at Villa Savoya, the home of the Italian Royal Family, which lies just outside
the Eternal City.
UNWASHED FOR DAYS
Although Rome was deluged by a continuous and torrential downfall of rain in July, the Romans
were miserable from thirst. The paradox is explained by a landslide which broke the Tivoli
Aqueduct and thereby cut off Rome's domestic water supply.
Immense squads of workmen rapidly patched up the fractured aqueduct, but for several days the
only water that Rome received was from the heavens. Even II Duce was reported to have "gone
unwashed for days."
ORDER, INDUSTRY AND CLEANLINESS
Cardinal O'Connell, of Boston, accompanied by Mgr. Michael J. Splaine, of Boston and Mgr.
Richard J. Haberlin, Chancellor and Secretary of the Boston Archdiocese, recently arrived in
Rome from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The Cardinal told the press that "Italy has undergone
a transformation since Premier Mussolini has been in power. It is all a real wonder to me. . . .
There is order, industry and cleanliness everywhere."
U. S. TREASURY RELEASES SOME ECONOMIC DATA
The U. S. Department of Treasury released sine economic news in September: (1) the purchasing
power of $1 is only 60.8¢ as contrasted with July, 1914. (2) Recovery since the peak of inflation
(July, 1920) is, however, marked by the fact that since the peak the cost of living has dropped
19.5%. (3) The cost of living dropped 1% since January.
WHERE ARE INTEREST RATES GOING?
Financial opinion is divided into two hostile camps on the question as to whether the present
4½% rediscount rate of the Federal Reserve banks can and should be maintained, in the face of
many factors which would normally make for a speedy reduction in the rate.
One school, which includes the stock market fraternity, favors lower rates largely on the basis
that it would provide a cause for an advance in the prices of bonds and other fixed investment
securities, as well as for a speculative fillip to the general stock market. Borrowers of money
generally, however, favor a rate reduction.
The other party believes the present rate should be kept up, lest cheap money lead to inflation.
The Reserve authorities were severely criticized for not establishing a high rate in 1920, and
apparently they wish to avoid such criticism in the future, especially with its present large gold
reserves.
Money is easy now, although this is largely a seasonal condition, and signs of an increasing
demand have, to some extent, been already evidenced. The critical situation in the Northwest
may, however, produce political pressure on the Reserve to lower its rate. Even the Minneapolis
Reserve Bank has a reserve ratio of almost 80% - a very high figure. But the Reserve officials
evidently intend to feel their way cautiously, to adopt in part a policy of "watchful waiting."
Their greatest fear is inflation; and with our huge unused gold reserves, it is something to be
watched.
All eyes are cast on President Coolidge to see whether he will pressure the Federal Reserve to
lower the rate or maintain it.
EMERGENCY TAX MEASURE
After three weeks of embittered bickering over the Emergency Taxation Bill, which is to give the
French government power to enforce taxation by decree, the Government closed discussion and
the bill was passed by a majority of 136 votes. It went to the Senate where it received quick
passage.
The session at which the final vote was recorded lasted from 10 A.M. on July 18 to 7:05 A.M. on
the following day, with only two short intermissions. It was stated that only the indomitable will
of Premier Edouard Herriot and the indefatigable power of explanation and persuasion of the
Minister of Finance, Camille Chautemps made it possible to carry the closure motion in one day.
Deputy Leon Blum, one of the ablest of Socialist leaders, summed up the government position
by saying
"This measure is not an abandonment of democracy but a drastic measure necessary to save it
from totalitarianism. We cannot waste time debating revenue bills while the Bolshevik armies
are marching on Paris. France is in a life and death struggle with an ideology that would
enslave the people and take all their worldly goods away from us. This is a war for the soul of
France!"
The Emergency Taxation Bill gives power to the Government to decree taxation laws instead of
having to pass each bill through both Senate and Chamber. A substantial tax increase of 20% is
anticipated. Other measures that will be taken to produce additional revenues: sale of the various
government monopolies; reorganization of provincial government system, estimated to save
billions of francs; penalization of persons falsifying income tax returns; increase in parcel post,
postcard and telephone charges; 50% increase in railway fares; increase in the price of tobacco;
increase in the stamp tax; etc.
So far French pleas for money to been ignored by U.S. and British banks. The French have
stopped paying their foreign loans off because of being unable to obtain financing abroad.
STUDEBAKER
The Studebaker Corporation for the year ending Dec. 31, 1923, did very well by itself. Net sales
were about $33,000,000 greater than in 1922, though expense, depreciation, etc., grew almost as
much; the result was that net earnings last year were $20,307,804, compared with $20,043,957
the year before, and $23.60 per share as against $23.21.
In his report, President A. R. Erskine called attention to the steady increase in sales of
Studebaker cars: 39,356 in 1919; 51,474 in 1920; 66,643 in 1921; 110,269 in 1922; 145,167 in
1923.
The common stock, consisting of 750,000 shares, has been paying a $10 dividend during the past
year. A special meeting of stockholders has been called for April 1 to consider increasing the
company's capital stock from the present 750,000 shares of $100 par to 2,500,000 shares of no
par value. The plan is to issue 2% new shares for every old share, making 1,875,000 shares
outstanding, with 625,000 shares available for future issuance. At the new dividend rate, this
would mean that each new share would receive $4 a year.
THE AMERICAN BIBLE
Unitarian Charles F. Potter's contribution to the headlines last week was a proposal for an AllAmerican Bible wherein American heroes and heroines would be substituted for Jewish, and
wherein the writings of great Americans would become canonized. Thus for Jesus, substitute
Lincoln; for Deborah (prophetess and campaigner against social wrongs), substitute Jane
Addams; for Isaiah, Tom Paine or Thomas Jefferson; for the Psalms, our native verse. "If we are
to have the Bible taught in our American schools, let it be the American Bible!" This proposal
became at once the butt of many a merry jest.
When John Roach Straton, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, Manhattan, learned that Dr. Potter
was planning to radio-broadcast his principles he cried: "If that fellow Potter keeps on I'll have to
get out a warrant for his arrest on a charge of grand larceny. He cribbed my idea of a Christian
hotel and, like young Lochinvar, ran boldly away with it before we even had time to catch our
breath after the first announcement of the project. Now he has just dodged into the limelight with
the idea of broadcasting the Bible. We originated this at Calvary Church some months back.
Potter is a pilferer!"
CANADIAN UNIVERSITIES SUFFER FROM AMERICAN BUG
Room-wrecking is a tradition at Trinity College, University of Toronto. Sophomores do the
wrecking in the rooms of the Freshmen. But a new Provost has arisen who regards roomwrecking and other developments of the hazing mores as exhibitions of "that innate vulgarity so
common in America."
In this spirit of culture, the Provost (Dr. Seager) imposed a fine of $400 upon the group of
Sophomores who most recently perpetuated the room-wrecking tradition. Expulsion is the
penalty for nonpayment of the provost fine.
The picturesque campus incident has brought to light a widespread complaint on the part of
British "university men" against the Americanization of Canada's colleges. They point, for
example, to the Greek letter fraternities, which in the last 20 years have enjoyed a mushroom
growth at Toronto, McGill, etc. Oxford and Cambridge afford no precedents for such silly,
bourgeois performances, say the university men. In fact, the whole of Canadian university life,
they say, is unpleasantly infected with the American extra-curriculum bug.
Defenders of the existing state of affairs say that Canada draws the best from both British and U.
S. tradition and creates institutions which are superbly Canadian.
In any case, the $400 fine must be paid.
ANSCHLUSS AGAIN
Winston Churchill cynically called it the "big lie". Anthropologists are arguing heatedly about
the validity of "Teutoslavism". The unresolved question is how much interbreeding occurred
between Germanic Suebic and Marcomanni and Czechs 1500 years ago. Even the theory's
greatest critics admit that the Czech people are descended from ancient Slavic tribes, with
significant Celtic and Germanic admixtures, but they reject that Czechs were ever a genuinely
Germanic people. Of course, German anthropologists have presented significant scientific
studies to prove their theories, which their Western counterparts have dismissed as "lacking
credible evidence."
But, a smooth propaganda program, exercised from Berlin, made the Czechs believers. Not all of
them, only 56% to be exact, but enough to force Anschluss. Amidst the cheers of jubilation of
many young Czechs, a minority of Czechs, including Tomas Masaryk and Edouard Benes, were
bewildered that their countrymen, who only a short time ago declared their independence from
the Hapsburgs, should give up their sovereignty to a much more heavy handed taskmaster.
Churchill told the House of Commons, "The Pied Piper of Berlin has struck again. His ability to
mesmerize people is like an enchantment in a fairytale. Volker Heckmann is the threshold of
holding all of Europe in the palm of his hand. Once that occurs, Great Britain will be reduced to
an outpost of the Third Reich and we will be enslaved people."
The mood was hardly that of subjugated nation in the former Czech Republic. Czechs lined the
streets to welcome Chancellor Heckmann to Prague on August 1, 1924. The country was in
celebration for nearly week, but the festivities were spoiled as a large number of political and
business leaders left the country to go into exile. Amongst them were Dr. Masaryk and Foreign
Minister Benes. Benes said bluntly, "We must be free to act by remaining abroad until such time
as the Czech people realize the state of captivity that they have placed themselves in."
(Germany gained 1 research center and 3 military factories (small arms, armor and airplane). A
considerable amount of Czech equipment was mothballed as well.)
SMUTS AGITATES BERLIN
South Africa's Prime Minister Jan Smuts raised the tension with Germany in July by blaming
Volker Heckmann for the bad relations between their two countries. In a speech in Pretoria,
Smuts addressed a statement that Chancellor Heckmann made recently assuring the world that
"he bore no malice towards South Africa." Pulling no punches, Smuts said, "It is inconceivable
that Heckmann bore no malice toward South Africa given Germany’s recent repeated threats to
attack and invade South Africa. This message may play well in Berlin, but here in South Africa
we know the truth of German attitudes better."
However, Smuts still chose to accept the German peace feelers."Still, it has always been the
South African position that peaceful relations with Germany are preferable to hostile ones, and I
would be remiss in declining this olive branch that Chancellor Heckmann has stated he will now
extend. South Africa has attempted to extend the proverbial olive branch for two years to
Germany, and our offer has always remained. It has always been my hope that relations can be
normalized."
"I would like to propose to Germany that our Minister of Defense, the esteemed General van
Deventer, meet with German military commanders in Mozambique to facilitate a peaceful border
situation which will put to a halt once and for all the Mozambique refugees that have delivered
hardship to South Africa."
By calling Volker Heckmann a liar in the world press, Smuts had infuriated Wilhelmstrasse.
German Foreign Minister Gustav Stresemann told the Berlin Morgenpost, "Mr. Smuts refuses to
take responsibility for South African sponsored terrorism in Mozambique. South Africa has been
flooded by refugees because unexpected results of the murders and bombings perpetrated by his
agents. Instead of causing a fully fledged revolt like Smuts planned, it turned into a massive
immigration to South Africa. As the old saying goes; be careful what you wish for."
The Germans declined any meeting with General van Deventer, now or in the future. Stresemann
shrugged when he said, "The borders are secure, there isn't any fighting, so why do we need to
meet with the South Africans, who are uninterested in being our friends?"
FOREIGN INVESTMENT ACT OF 1924
In response to criticisms from the Nationalists that the Germans were being barred from
investing in South African natural resources, Prime Minister Jan Smuts submitted a legislative
proposal called the "Foreign Investment Act" to Parliament with the following provisions.
First, investment preference would be given to investors from nations where South Africa had
extensive trade relations. Otherwise, all foreign businessmen would have equal investment
opportunity.
Second, foreign businesses are prohibited from investing in natural resources or industries
deemed vital to national security. The list included in the bill included all military production
industries, precious metals and gems, production of energy resources and generation and any
industries relating to law enforcement or the legal system.
Third, no development offer would be accepted by South Africa unless South Africa received the
majority share of the profits and at least half of its production.
Fourth, South African funds may be used for a maximum of 40% of the project development cost
as recommended by the Minister of Finance and Minister of Trade & Industry.
Fifth, all foreign investments are subject to South African law. Any foreign investments
discovered to be a front for foreign nationals; espionage or being used to influence South African
politics or society will be subject to nationalization with no compensation to the offending
foreign government. Collusion by South African citizens in conjunction with a foreign
government shall be subject to all criminal charges including possible charges of treason.
The bill produced a good deal of debate both in committee and on the floor of Parliament. The
Nationalists were very opposed to Provision 1 because they felt that the government should
accept investment from whatever nation makes an acceptable proposal. "The Prime Minister is
playing political games again at the expense of South Africa's prosperity." J. B. M. Hertzog told
the legislators, "At the moment, there only two nations capable of spending large sums of money
on developing factories and mines in our country: the United States and Germany. The
Americans are largely uninterested because of their Latin American and Pacific investments.
The Germans could be, but Mr. Smuts has no intentions of allowing that to happen. I'm afraid
that our Prime Minister has closed his eyes to the shifting balance of economic power in the
Eastern Hemisphere and South Africa will be left behind."
The second provision seemed to have support from both political parties except the Nationalists
wanted Parliament to identify "national security natural resources and industries", not the
bureaucrats. J. B. M. Hertzog asked the government why precious metals or gems were barred
from foreign investment. He felt that a great deal of money was needed to exploit these minerals
that South Africa didn't have. "If a Swedish company comes to Transvaal, buys some lands and
begins mining minerals, why should we stop them? If we are getting out fair share of the profits,
it sounds like a win-win situation for all."
Both the Nationalists and Unionists were in agreement with the third provision. The feeling was
very strong that South African should profit handsomely from any investment.
The feeling was that the fourth provision was acceptable as far as government financial
involvement was concerned, but that the private sector shouldn't be hampered by any such
regulation. This was the joint consensus of both political parties.
The last provision drew heavy resistance from the Nationalists because of what they felt was the
ambiguity of the terms collusion. J. B. M. Hertzog called on the government to explain the intent
of this part of the legislation and to define the type of collusion in detail.
No matter what, Smuts does have the votes to pass the bill in October. All that is in question is
whether he is interested in placating the Nationalists or doing as he pleases.
U.S. Secretary of Treasury Andrew Mellon felt that the South African approach to foreign
investors would probably scare them away. "To demand 50% or more of the profits and
production won't be acceptable to many U.S. businesses. I don't understand why the South
Africans just aren't satisfied with taxing profits at a reasonable rate and allowing the free market
to take care of the rest."
FRANC IS VIRTUALLY WORTHLESS
Worldwide attention has been centered on the lively behavior of the franc, after it broke through
four cents to a new low record in the foreign exchange markets for all time.
The break came just about the time when an increase in the note circulation of the Banque de
France of 921 million francs in a single week was announced, bringing up the total note
circulation of that institution to the new high record of 40,265 million francs.
Several causes for the break are already discernible. The main problem is that the loss of huge
amounts of tax revenues caused by the severe economic dislocation of properties and businesses
across France combined with the need to pay for huge amounts of armaments to fight the rebels.
The French have not been able to balance their budget and have attempted to finance a huge
deficit by issuing more internal government notes and bonds. As it has become clear that France
could not in the foreseeable future make ends meet without substantial foreign aid, speculators
began selling francs off as fast as possible. The conservative investor, to avoid losses, sent his
balances abroad, and a "flight of the franc" ensued.
As the Franc is becoming worthless, many of the French people have resorted to bartering or
trading in precious metals or foreign currency. Unemployment has reached 15% in many
locations of the country.
ALBANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ASSASSINATED
While passing through the corridor of a public building, Albanian Foreign Minister Djaffer Ypi
was shot by a rebel terrorist. Despite efforts to save his life, Ypi died two days later.
The rebel tribal lords had condemned the entire government of King Zog to death. According to
proclamation, this is the only the first of their actions against what they term, "traitors" and
"Italian puppets."
SILVA STRENGTHENS HIS CONTROL
Antonio Silva, El Caudillo ("The Chief") of Spain's rightist government dissolved the Cortes on
July 12, but didn't make any provision for elections. Instead, he created a Council of State with
his personal cronies on it.
Vice President and Foreign Minister: General Count Francisco de Jordana.
Justice: Count Tomás Domínguez de Rodezno, monarchist member of the now defunct Spanish
Cortes.
Interior: General Francisco Franco.
Finance: Andrés Amado Regondo, former financial adviser to the King.
Education: Pedro Sainz Rodríguez, Legitimist monarchist.
Public Order: General Severiano Martínez Anido.
Defense: General José Fidel Davila.
Commerce: Juan Antonio Suances, a civilian engineer.
Agriculture: Raimundo Fernaádez Cuesta.
Hoarse-voiced "Radio General" Gonzalo Queipo de Llano, Minister of Propaganda, went to the
micro phone on July 13. "The Government is taking charge of everything, including the purpose
of my talks," said he, "therefore it is natural that you view these chats as law."
By his utterly crude, super-blatant "chats" Radio Queipo has probably done ten times more harm
to the rightist cause than any leftist propagandist. He is a typical, swashbuckling Spanish
braggart of the old school, whereas General Silva is a serious, close-lipped cogitator of current
fascist theories of government. Silva started out with soldier simplicity to stabilize the royal
government, obviously has not fully made up his mind what form of state Spain ought to have.
Although he rules using royal decrees rubberstamped by King Alfonso, the monarch is just as
much a prisoner of Silva as any Communists sitting in jail.
Most ominous Cabinet member is iron-fisted General Martinez Anido, Minister of Public Order,
who for the past several months has headed Silva's secret police, his hard bitten Guardia Civil,
his frontier and highway guards. He has ruthlessly suppressed Communists and
Anarchists through out Spain with such sadism that they retaliated by nicknaming him, "The
Epileptic Pig."
TURKEY'S POPULATION WOES
Turkey's population has begun to expand fairly rapidly, from 22 million in 1925, its expected
that it may double by 1940. While still under populated in terms of available land, it's
overpopulated because large areas of fertile lands were uncultivated. Population density is low,
due to high mortality and lack of developed resources.
In 1925, mortality had averaged more than 33/1000 per year. This condition has only gradually
improved under the leadership of President Kemal. Turkey can lower mortality through
irrigation, public sanitation, and a better system of distribution of crops and goods. Starvation is
real threat to Turkey. It's projected by some analysts that a Bulgarian-Greek invasion of Anatolia
could cause such dislocation that starvation and disease could kill 25% of the population.
The quest for employment has been a major cause of immigration. In Ottoman times, 175,000
Turkish emigrants went to the United States from 1869 to 1914. More recently, Turks have
sought jobs in Western Europe. This came to an end in Germany, when Germany decided to
expel its Turkish laborers. The civil war in France has ended that outlet for Turkish immigrants.
The United States' immigration quota system, dropped under the late President Warren G.
Harding, virtually denies Turkish entry into the United States.
President Kemal says that his government will be developing more and more industries in
Turkey, which would relieve population problems in the future. The question is, can the
economic growth rate catch up with the population growth?
KIDNAPPING IN THE HATAY
Shiite terrorists kidnapped the Mayor of Antioch on September 28, 1924. The mayor was
dragged from his carriage at an intersection in the city and all his bodyguards were killed. A
ransom of $5 million was demanded for his release.
TERRORISM IN GENEVA
A bomb blew up the Socialist Union Building in Geneva on September 8, 1924. Nobody has
claimed responsibility. The building has long been reputed to be the headquarters of the
Comintern in Switzerland. 43 people were killed. It suspected that the German Stasi might be
responsible.
LIBERALS DEMAND REFORM
Former New York Stock Exchange President Alexander White was indicted March 10 on
embezzlement charges. He has taken about $1 million worth of bonds from clients' accounts and
pledged them as his collateral for personal bank loans. Says the New York Daily News, "Not in
our time, in our fathers' time nor in our grandfathers' time has there been such a social debacle."
Whitney pleaded guilty on August 27, receives a 5- to 10-year prison sentence and entered Sing
Sing September 12. Liberals are demanding reforms to protect the bondholders.
LODGE AMENDMENT
In an election year, President Calvin Coolidge was unpleasantly surprised by one of the strongest
members of his own party, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, who proposed as amendment to the
Constitution of the United States that called for a national referendum on any declaration of war
by Congress, except in cases when the United States had been attacked first. It is position that
ordinary people, who were called upon to fight and die during wartime, should have a direct vote
on their country's involvement in military conflicts
Public opinion polls posed this question to the American public last spring, at that time 75% of
Americans supported the amendment. Most the major U.S. newspapers endorsed the proposition.
Others opposed the amendment. Former Secretary of State under President Wilson, Robert
Lansing, said that the amendment "would be as sensible to require a town meeting before
permitting the fire department to face a blaze". William Randolph Hearst argued that the
amendment would make "preventive diplomacy" impossible and would insure "that finally, when
the provocation has become intolerable, there would be no remedy except total war fought when
we were at the greatest possible disadvantage."
The text of the proposed amendment was "Except in the event of an invasion of the United States
or its Territorial possessions and attack upon its citizens residing therein, the authority of
Congress to declare war shall not become effective until confirmed by a majority of all votes cast
thereon in a nationwide referendum. Congress, when it deems a national crisis to exist, may by
concurrent resolution refer the question of war or peace to the citizens of the States, the question
to be voted on being, Shall the United States declare war on ________? Congress may otherwise
by law provide for the enforcement of this section."
Lodge passionately spoke about the amendment in the Senate, "The amendment would do more
to keep American boys out of slaughter pens in foreign countries than any other measure that
could be passed. It is based on the philosophy that those who have to suffer and, if need be, to
die and to bear the awful burdens and grief of war shall have something to say as to whether war
shall be declared. If the United States had such an antiwar provision in its Constitution, other
countries would follow our example, and I believe wars would be brought to an end."
Senator Lodge has made his displeasure well known about American involvement in the war in
China and believes that President Coolidge must bring this action to Congress for a declaration
of war.
COMMUNIST CELL ARRESTED IN ARGENTINA
Argentine police arrested a Communist cell in Buenos Aires. The cell was secretly printing
propaganda paraphernalia and a weekly newspaper advocating the violent overthrow of the
government. According to authorities, the cell was trying to organize urban workers,
intellectuals and college students for over a year. These Communists are now in jail awaiting
trial.
GREEK ECONOMIC PLIGHT
The average size of Greek farms is around 9 acres, typically in several scattered plots. Since
1922, the Greek government has paid price a guaranteed price for many agricultural goods. More
acreage has been put into cultivation, but Greek farm productivity is about half that of West
European farmers. The price support program shore ups inefficient farms.
Most analysts agree that Greek farm size is too small and has almost no mechanization. While
the majority of Greeks are employed in agriculture, she must import about 40% of her food.
Because of the high number of farmers and fishermen, heavy industry has failed to take off in
Greece. By contrast, light industry is doing much better. In 1924, industries like food processing
and clothing were accounting for over 61 percent of industrial output. Large steel, chemical and
petroleum plants accounted for only 5 percent of Greek industrial output and German firms
controlled most.
Greek worker is underpaid, earning at an average rate only about 50 percent of pay levels that
Western Europeans earn. Illiteracy is another deterrent to industrialization.
General Metaxas has quite a job ahead of himself. Greek wages have to grow or Greeks will lose
all incentive to improve their agriculture program.
HECKMANN IN BUDAPEST
A German state visit was the last thing that most international analysts had expected. Emperor
Karl was abandoning his long stated opposition to the Nationalist Socialist regime in Berlin and
invited Chancellor Volker Heckmann to Budapest. This seemed to further validate the feeling
across Europe that the continent had entered an "era of German ascendency".
Emperor Karl put out the red carpet for Chancellor Heckman and personally greeted him at the
railroad station on July 5, 1924. After a state banquet at Buda Castle, Herr Heckmann and
Emperor Karl met behind closed doors to discuss steps to be taken to further improve relations
between their two countries. Although the talks lasted three days, very little is known about the
substance of discussions other then Hungary entered a free trade relationship with Germany and
the Hungarian Krona was pegged to the German Reichsmark. As previously agreed, a nonaggression pact was signed and, perhaps most noteworthy, a mutual defense treaty was signed
between Germany and Hungary. Once again, the Hapsburgs have tied their fortunes to Germans
recreating the old Central Powers Alliance.
The rest of visit was very pleasant; Heckmann had a chance to tour St. Stephen's Basilica, relax
at the Rudas Baths, peruse the National Széchényi Library and watch Hungarian troops on war
maneuvers. The Hungarian nobility was standoffish to a commoner that had deposed an emperor
and relegated the German aristocracy to obscurity. To many of them, Herr Heckmann is as
threatening of a revolutionary as V. I. Lenin.
The Heckmann visit caused great alarm in Rome as Mussolini's greatest nightmare seemed to
becoming true; Germany descending into the Balkans. Reportedly, II Duce lodged a complaint to
Chancellor Heckmann about this "breach of German-Italian friendship".
EX-RUMANIAN KING REBUFFS HUNGARY
A personal envoy of Emperor Karl of Hungary sought out the former Rumanian King Ferdinand,
who was in exile in Paris. The Hungarians offered to restore part of the ex-King's personal
properties in Rumania in exchange for his abdication and recognition of Hungary's suzerainty of
Rumania. The 70 year old Rumanian royal dismissed the offer without consideration saying that
the Rumanians would ultimately throw out the Hungarians and regain their independence.
ARMS EXPORTS
According to a report released by the Office of Secretary-General of the League of Nations, the
following arms sales were reported and verified.
Argentina: 1 submarine squadron and artillery brigade for Russia; 1 submarine squadron for
Great Britain.
Australia: 2 fighter wings to Hungary. 1 armored division, 2 submarine squadrons and 1 artillery
brigade to Russia
Bulgaria: 1 squadron of cruisers and 2 squadrons of destroyers to Greece
Great Britain: 2 squadrons of patrol boats to Japan and 1 squadron of submarines to Argentina.
Italy: 1 mountain infantry division to Portugal. 1 mountain infantry division, 1 armored division
and 1 fighter wing to the Catalan Republic. 1 mountain infantry division and 1 armored division
to Spain. 1 fighter wing, 2 artillery brigade and 4 submarine squadrons to South China. 1
mountain infantry, 1 regular infantry and 1 fighter wing to Albania. 1 mountain infantry, 1
regular infantry and 1 fighter wing to Serbia.
USA: 6 infantry divisions, 6 artillery brigade, 3 wings of fighters, 3 wings of bombers and 2
squadrons of submarines.
MAKING SCHOOL A PRISON
The conservatives are demanding an exemption to the Child Labor Laws for Agriculture be
created. They say that Alvear's laws are hurting farmers who rely on their children to do many of
the tasks around the farm. "Alvear's laws are crushing the small farmer who can't afford to hire
field workers, but can't get all of the jobs done on his farm by himself because the children are
being forced to go to school," Sebastian Castro told the Congresso. "President Alvear says that
he favors the small farmers over the big landowners, yet he is driving them into liquidation sales
that only benefit the latifundias."
Going even further, Senator Castro said, "For centuries, families worked the farms happily with
children learning good moral values and strong work ethic. Argentina has become a great
country because people have the freedom to work and make money. Why is Alvear socially
experimenting with a system that works well to begin with? We should not be telling anyone that
they can't work or that they must go to school. By forcing everyone to go to school, you will only
make school seem like a prison. Let those who want to go to school do so, and those who want to
work, let them work. That is what democracy is about - choice!"
COOLIDGE SUFFERS HEAVY CRITICISM OVER ARMS DEAL
The U.S. newspapers strongly condemned Coolidge's arm sales to Russia at a time when it
appears that Tsar Alexis is working in collusion with Sun Yat-sen against Japan, a U.S. ally in
the fight to save Northern China. The New York Times said "President Coolidge has lost all
credibility as he asks Japan for assistance in fighting Sun and then sends weapons to the Tsar,"
The Boston Globe wrote "Coolidge has proven his incompetency by never considering that the
weapons being sold to Russia would be used against our Japanese allies. The St. Louis Dispatch
chimed in, "The blood of thousands of Japanese soldiers will be on Coolidge's hands." The
Philadelphia Inquirer demanded that Congress prohibit the Coolidge administration from selling
weapons to any foreign nation. Much to President Coolidge's dismay, Senator Henry Cabot
Lodge, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced a bill in the Senate with
that purpose in mind. The bill is now in committee in both the Senate and the House of
Representatives.
GREEKS LAND TROOPS IN LEBANON
At the invitation of the Lebanese Maronites, General Ioannis Metaxas sent two divisions of
Greek infantry to Beirut to protect the region from the Muslims. Greece officially declared a
protectorate over Lebanon in September 1924. The Greeks were enthusiastically received by the
Maronites and Orthodox Christians. Lebanese President Charles Debbas called the Greeks
"Lebanon's savior."
WAR AND LICE
Delousing stations (where soldiers bathed and their clothes were boiled) were part of the
standard military infrastructure of the Great War. Every member of the British Army, before he
was permitted to return home, was obliged to strip, scrub and dress in lice-free clothes. Only by
such drastic means could Army doctors be sure of preventing the transmission to Great Britain of
the louse-carried disease of typhus. And once typhus appears among dirty human beings huddled
together in unclean army camps, trenches, jails, poorhouses, hospitals or ships, they die by
thousands. It was Typhus, more than cold or Russians, made Napoleon retreat from Russia in
1812. In 1914 typhus killed 150,000 Serbs and 30,000 of their Austrian prisoners. The plague
spread to Russia, where it infected 25,000,000, killed 3,000,000, and made Hindenburg fear to
move German troops from his Polish front to his French front. The disease manifested itself in
dirty pink eruptions, high fever, delirium and terrific death toll peculiar to typhus fever.
Dr. Hans Zinsser working in a laboratory in Vienna has developed a vaccine using antibodies in
the blood serum of typhus patients. The typhus vaccine contains dead Rickettsia which carries
markers called antigens. These antigens spark an immune system reaction whether they are alive,
weakened, or dead. When detected by the human immune system, a response is triggered that
sends macrophages and B cells to destroy the antigens. The B cells also produce memory cells
which initiate offensive attacks if the antigens are rediscovered in the blood during a future
infection. Since the vaccine contains weakened or dead organisms, the person experiences a mild
reaction, but does not develop typhus.
Thus it became possible to inoculate armies against typhus, just as armies of the war and since
have been regularly inoculated against typhoid and smallpox. But, although whole civilian
populations have been gradually inoculated against smallpox, it remains a question whether
under stress of war whole populations can be speedily immunized against typhus.
Last spring, this problem became acute. In China, humanitarian medical teams have been battling
a Chinese plague of cholera that still potentially threatens the world. As cholera subsided, typhus
rose, wrung from Dr. Herman H. Mooser a warning: "The danger is imminent. Refugees
throughout Central China are simply filthy with typhus-carrying lice. There are not a sufficient
number of Chinese delousing stations, and we are half crazy trying to get supplies since the
Allies have imposed an embargo on China. Members of my mission are doing what they can but,
we lack the supplies to stay on top of this epidemic."
In September, David Lodge George in the House of Commons declared that in case of war,
germs could be introduced into enemy territory by loosing infected rats, fleas and lice. Having
chosen the harmful war germ, the army employing it would immunize its own men in advance.
OPERATION COLLATERAL
President Calvin Coolidge held a special joint session of Congress to announce that the U. S.
Navy was taking possession of the French Indies, Guiana and Polynesia in compensation for
France's default on its loans owed to American banks. The action was also justified as a
precaution to stop potentially a "hostile power" from seizing those colonies, a very transparent
reference to Germany. Congress approved his action with bi-partisan support.
The occupation was virtually without bloodshed. The French authorities were caught by such
surprise that they didn't even have a chance to react. French troops were disarmed and interned
until they could be sent back to France. Both French nationals and property were meticulously
respected by American troops.
It is not clear how the President is planning to compensate the banks with these acquisitions. It's
expected that President Coolidge will unveil his plan in October.
French Premier Edouard Herriot denounced the action and France severed relations with the
United States.
BRINGING A CITY TOGETHER
The newly equipped urban trolley and bus system of Buenos Aires has allowed workers to find
better paying jobs in more distant parts of the city. Workers are much more prompt at getting to
work and their performance is better since they haven't had to walk for long distances to their
jobs. Ironically, the new transit system has caused more competition for workers across the city
causing wages to rise.
Commercially, goods travel across the city quicker and shoppers can reach whatever stores that
they choose to with not much effort. Argentines are less confined to their neighborhoods than
ever before. The trolleys and busses are bringing the city together and eliminating Buenos Aires'
many ethnic ghettoes
U.S. PROTESTS GERMAN TREATMENT OF GM
U.S. Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover lodged an official trade practice protest over the
Reich Bureau of Competition's block of a 100 million RM sale of Opel to General Motors unless
the U.S. car manufacturer agreed to charge the same prices in Germany as they did in the United
States. General Motors refused this provision saying that it wouldn't let the German government
to set their prices. It was Germany's contention that that General Motors would be able to rely on
American profits to lower prices in Germany and compete unfairly with German owned car
producers. Secretary Hoover called the German action "naked protectionism" that was very
disruptive to commercial activity and trade.
Although there wasn't any official linkage between the Opel sale and the German procurement of
a pattern for penicillin in the United States, Bayer AG sudden was confronted by the Drug and
Drug Administration that demanded extensive research into the medication for health and safety
reasons as well as an investigation of whether Bayer's sole production of penicillin presented a
monopoly.
Orwin Thyssen, Director of the Reich Bureau of Competition, replied on September 13, that the
United States is one of the most protectionist nations in the world with rates far exceeding
Germany. He asserted that U.S. tariffs on agricultural imports were outrageous, but Germany had
never complained. As to the Opel sale, "all decisions are final". There was no mention of the
problems that Bayer AG was now encountering in the United States in trying to sell penicillin.
The Berlin Morgenpost did refer to the penicillin maneuver with the headlines, "Coolidge
sacrifices U.S. lives for political purposes." Other German newspapers lambasted the Americans
as well.
BLOCKADE CONTINUES
The Allied blockade of the Southern Chinese coast continued through the late summer and early
fall with 90% effectiveness. Critical shortages in tools, machinery, munitions, medicines and
food developed. This has caused plagues in South China to grow considerably worse. Since
January, an estimate 10 million Chinese have died of disease like Typhus and Cholera.
GERMANY MARCHES INTO HOLLAND
Under the pretense of "defending the Netherlands against Communism, German troops occupied
the country in one day. The Dutch army didn't put up any resistance. In fact, many of the Dutch
junior officers seem to welcome the Germans rather than resist them.
The reaction of the Dutch people was mixed; roughly half greeted them enthusiastically, while
the other half were quite depressed. There were demonstrations for and against the German
occupation. The Germans were careful to avoid any confrontation with the Dutch citizenry,
leaving it to the Dutch police to keep order.
A hastily thrown together Anschluss plebiscite was held with only 51% of the population
favoring it. Unlike in Bohemia-Moravia, League observers wouldn't confirm the validity of the
voting citing questionable ballot processing in Amsterdam and The Hague that could have
spelled the difference in this narrow election.
The Dutch army was absorbed in the Wehrmacht, but this didn't produce any new units since the
number of soldiers was simply reduced by discharge. A significant number of Dutch soldiers
didn't want to serve in the German army and were honorably discharged.
(The Germans gained a research center, a naval yard, and three military factories (small arms,
armor and airplane. A good deal of Dutch equipment was stockpiled.)
REPUBLICANS NOMINATED COOLIDGE AND DAWES
The 1924 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States was held in
Cleveland, Ohio at the Public Auditorium from July 10 to July 12. For this convention the
method of allocating delegates changed in order to reduce the overrepresentation of the South.
This effort proved only partly successful as Southern delegates would actually be more
overrepresented than they had been in 1916 or 1920; however, they were not as overrepresented
as they had been before 1912.
It also made history by being the first GOP convention to give women equal representation. The
Republican National Committee approved a rule providing for a national committee-man and a
national committee-woman from each state. More controversy ensued over whether to condemn
the Ku Klux Klan with the result ultimately being to say nothing either way.
Incumbent President Calvin Coolidge was renominated without opposition. The convention
nominated Illinois Governor Frank Lowden for Vice President on the second ballot, but he
declined the nomination. Coolidge's next choice was Idaho Senator William Borah, but he also
declined the nomination. The Republican National Chairman, William Butler, pledged to
nominate then Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover, but he proved to be too unpopular to garner
the nod. Eventually, the delegates chose Charles Dawes, a big wig Republican banker, to be the
Vice Presidential Nominee.
Although the party platform supported President Coolidge's initiatives in China, Vietnam and
Honduras, there was strong of criticism from the Republican isolationists, particularly Senator
Henry Cabot Lodge, who felt that United States was involving itself in the "inscrutable power
politics of Asia without any real U.S. interests being in jeopardy." But that opposition was swept
aside by the party bigwigs, who were "captains of industry" and saw China as a lucrative market
to be tapped.
INDIAN CITIZENSHIP ACT OF 1924
On August 3, President Calvin Coolidge signed The Indian Citizenship Act of 1924, also known
as the Snyder Act. The new law granted full U.S. citizenship to America's indigenous peoples,
called "Indians". The Fourteenth Amendment guarantees citizenship to persons born in the U.S.,
but only if "subject to the jurisdiction thereof"; this latter clause excludes many Indians. The
Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 corrected that oversight. The Indians were permitted to retain
tribal land and cultural rights. However, the act was not clear whether the federal government or
the tribal leaders retained tribal sovereignty.
It's a well known fact that President Coolidge has strongly supported the Snyder Act on Capitol
Hill. In an interview with the Washington Post, Coolidge commented:
"I very much support this vital piece of legislation, which belatedly extends the full rights of
citizenship to the Indian tribes of our nation. These people with their proud heritage form an
important and firm piece of the American tapestry.
For too long we have relegated the Indian tribes to the shadows of our society, forgotten and left
behind. This Act helps to realize the promises of our Democracy, and affirm that all men are
indeed created equal."
CONVENTION IGNORES COOLIDGE ON LYNCHING AND CIVIL RIGHTS
At the Republican Convention, President Calvin Coolidge spoke out in favor of the civil rights of
African Americans and the end of prejudice towards Catholics. He promised that no members of
Ku Klux Klan would be appointed to federal office during his Presidency.
At the Convention, Coolidge responded to a letter that he received from a delegate claiming the
United States was a "white man's country":
"I was amazed to receive such a letter. During the war 500,000 colored men and boys were
called up under the draft, not one of whom sought to evade it. As president, I am one who feels a
responsibility for living up to the traditions and maintaining the principles of the Republican
Party. Our Constitution guarantees equal rights to all our citizens, without discrimination on
account of race or color. I have taken my oath to support that Constitution."
President Coolidge worked hard to include an Anti-Lynching clause in the Republican Party
platform, but the Southern Republican delegates successfully blocked it.
LA FOLLETTE RUNS FOR PRESIDENT
Both the Democrats and Republicans had nominated conservative candidates with strong ties to
big business. Liberals across the country turned away in disgust and looked for a standard bearer
to run as to a third party candidate to represent their views in the Presidential election as. In
August, Wisconsin's Senator Robert M. La Follette formed an independent Progressive Party and
accepted its nomination in Cleveland with Democratic Senator Burton K. Wheeler of Montana as
his running mate. The American Federation of Labor, the Socialist Party of America, the
Conference for Progressive Political Action and most of the former supporters of the FF-LP
along with various former "Bull Moose" Progressives and Midwestern Progressive movement
activists then joined La Follette and supported the Progressive Party.
Senator La Follette was very vocal in his opposition to the war in China. Calling it "Wall Street's
War", La Follette Yan Xishan the moral equivalency of Sun Yat-sen and that neither was worth
the life of a single American soldier. "Calvin Coolidge has thrown the United States into the
fratricidal politics of a country not sharing the democratic and moral values of our nation. The
war in China is not a war for freedom, but rather of one bloodthirsty warlord against another."
La Follette's platform called for government ownership of the railroads and electric utilities,
cheap credit for farmers, the outlawing of child labor, stronger laws to help labor unions, more
protection of civil liberties, an end to American imperialism in Latin America, and a referendum
before any President could again lead the nation into war.
Polls indicate that La Follette could have a significant effect on the Presidential elections in the
North and Midwest. The question is will La Follette split enough of the vote to put a Democrat in
the White House?
TOLERANCE JAPANESE STYLE
Over fifty homosexuals were attacked and beaten at a well-known haunt in the city park. Many
of them had to be hospitalized. Reportedly, the Kempeitai, Japan’s secret police, had carried out
the attacks. The Kempeitai told the press, "These depraved beasts will go straight to jail after
they leave hospital"
Shumei Okawa, a member of the Imperial Diet, is a well known critic of Western influences in
Japan and strong believer in Japanese traditional values. He calls homosexuality the "European
perversion". Not long after the arrest, Okawa told the Diet, "In a time of declining population,
it's appalling that Japan has these freaks against nature lurking in our city park, instead of
procreating, they are engaged in sodomy." Okawa demanded that the Kempeitai compile lists of
homosexuals and begin arresting them. "Special work camps should be set up to punish them to
death."
LATVIANS FOR LATVIANS
Thundercross, a Latvian radical nationalist organization in Latvia, has taken violent action to
stop the creeping German influence in their nation. Its followers firebombed several German
owned businesses in Riga in September killing a dozen people.
The Latvian nationalists say that the German corporations dominate the economy and Stasi
agents are trying to "Germanize" population using propaganda. "We do not want Latvia to be
absorbed as another German satrapy like Holland or Switzerland".
President Janis Cakste declared martial law and had troops patrol the German areas of Riga. His
police have made arrests, but the Germans are dissatisfied with the progress of the investigation.
HO CHI MINH ATTACKS FRENCH PLANTATIONS
The Vietminh, a coalition of communist and noncommunist forces, have launched raids
throughout the Red River delta and Mekong River delta, where 90% of Indochina's rice is grown.
In a land that is five-sixths jungle, the Viet rebels can strike almost anywhere. The lack of
sufficient French troops in Indochina has led to the French plantation owners to ban together and
hire mercenary troops. From July to September, despite heavy rains, the two forces fought
throughout the country.
A group of French plantation owners have decided to better protect the roads. They are planning
to build 40-ft towers on each road at one-mile intervals with sentries on duty. There will also be
continuous horse and foot patrols on the road.
MISS AMERICA CROWNED - ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY.
Miss America 1924 was crowned on September 6th, at the 4th annual Miss America Pageant.
This year's pageant was held at the Million Dollar Pier in Atlantic City, and saw Mary Katherine
Campbell's two-year championship streak end as Miss Philadelphia, Ruth Malcomson crowned
the new Miss America.
MACARTHUR IN CHINA
General Douglas MacArthur has not slept more than four hours at a time in almost six months;
such is his passion, zeal, and excitement over commanding the U.S. Expeditionary Force in
China.
MacArthur has found himself enamored of the Chinese culture, and in a scant few months has
amazingly become conversant in Standard Mandarin. The general and his staff have developed a
warm and excellent working relationship with their Chinese colleagues, who have seen the
American intervention as nothing short of a miracle, coming in their darkest hour.
MacArthur has helped organize the defenses around Shanghai, and to the south and west of the
city. Fortified trench lines, with defense in depth and multiple communication and logistics lines
have sprung up in the sector and turned it into a fortress province.
General MacArthur has not been shy about visiting the front lines, making many rounds a week
to visit not only American units, but also Nanking units as well. The boost to morale from this
lanky American speaking encouragement in Mandarin has been remarkable. Almost as valuable
to the Nanking soldiers has been the steady flow of American guns, bullets, cigarettes, and CocaCola. It is hard to say which item has improved morale the most, but truth be told it does not
matter what is the biggest increase to morale. All that matters to the soldier in the trench is that
he isn't fighting the vast legions of Sun hell bent on dying like crazed warrior ants alone
anymore.
TANAGER EXPEDITION CONCLUDES
The firth Tanager Expedition, the last of several biological surveys of the Northwestern
Hawaiian Islands conducted in partnership between the Bureau of Biological Survey and the
Bishop Museum, with the assistance of the U.S. Navy, ended this month. Four expeditions
occurred from April to August of 1923, and the fifth set sail in July 1924. Led by Lieutenant
Commander Samuel Wilder King on the minesweeper USS Tanager (AM-5), and Alexander
Whitmore directing the team of scientists, the expedition studied the plant, animal life, and
geology of the central Pacific islands. Noted members of the team include archaeologist Kenneth
Emory and herpetologist Chapman Grant.
The expedition began with the goal of exterminating domestic rabbits that had been introduced to
Laysan Island by the guano industry in 1902. Since that time, the rabbits had devoured Laysan's
vegetation and led to the extinction of several endemic species. The rabbits were eventually
eliminated on Laysan, and the crew witnessed the extinction of the Laysan Honeycreeper.
Throughout the expedition, new species were discovered and named, and unique specimens were
captured and returned to laboratories for further study. Over 100 archaeological sites were found,
including ancient religious sites and prehistoric settlements on Nihoa and Necker Island.
The expeditions were considered a great success by both the BBS and U.S. Navy, and more such
expeditions are planned for 1925 and beyond.
COOLIDGE HITS THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL - PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA
President Coolidge hit the road, bringing his message to the American people as the 1924
campaign season opened in late autumn. Making his way through the Keystone state and to the
Midwest, he conducted numerous stops.
In Pittsburgh, he held one of his lengthiest speeches, focusing for the first time on his "three
pillars". As enumerated by Coolidge, they are:
Prosperity- "Let there be no doubt that this administration, and the whole of the Federal
government, is focused above all else on the economic betterment of each citizen of our great
nation. We will continue to relentlessly drive the standard of living ever higher for our citizens,
and expand American trade to every corner of the world."
Security- "America has been blessed by a natural position away from the congested blood feuds
of Europe and the wanton bloodlust of Asian warlords. Our general isolation from the wellknown wars of recent history should not be mistaken for weakness. America shall stand strong
and proud, as we always have. We will aggressively protect our interests and will not be bullied,
or allow others to infringe on our rights."
Justice- "Our nation is governed in a system by the people, and for the people. Let me be clearcorruption and unethical behavior will not be tolerated in this administration. The excesses and
greed of the recent past is sickening and will be aggressively stamped out under my watch. We
will not let the American dream be perverted by the gluttony and immorality of a few."
A DAY WITH THE KING - LONDON TIMES - BY WILLIAM HUNTINGTON
"Not every day do we have an opportunity to look into the life of a king. I was granted a rare and
honorable afternoon with King Faisal of Iraq. When I arrived inside Baghdad I was met by the
King's personal assistant and explained that the King would be meeting us shortly for an
afternoon brunch. It was during this time I was able to discuss the background of the Arabian
born Iraqi king that made such a grand impression on the British government that they put him
on the throne in Baghdad.
As a child, Faisal grew up in Istanbul where he was groomed to be a natural leader by his father
the Grand Sharif of Mecca, Hussein bin Ali. During his youth, he served the Ottomans as a
legislator, administrator and soldier. As time went on, he became disenchanted with the Turks
and longed for Arab independence. With this in mind, Faisal joined the side of the allies during
the Great War and successfully led the Arabs in defeating the Ottomans.
King Faisal claims to be a descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Whether this is true or
not, I can't say. As a King, he appears to have the good interests of his people at heart at all
times. King Faisal has worked hard to overcome the cleavage between Sunni and Shiite to foster
common loyalty and promote pan-Arabism in the goal of creating an Arab state that would
include Iraq, Syria and the rest of the Fertile Crescent. So far, he has made some headway, but
religious differences are hard to bridge. To help soften the religious divide, King Faisal has
diversified his administration by including different ethnic and religious groups in offices.
When I arrived at the Palace, His Royal Majesty gave me a warm welcome. Over lunch, he spoke
about the difficulties of ruling Iraq. "Iraq is a geographical expression. It is polyglot land of
Kurds in the north, Sunnis in the middle and Shiites along the Persian Gulf. Bringing these
people together is daunting, but I have committed my life to the challenge," King Faisal spoke
warmly about the British, but felt that Iraq needed more foreign aid to build roads, schools,
governmental infrastructure and to develop its economy. His passion to make Iraq the greatest
country in the region was quite obvious.
Palestine troubled him. "Things are spinning out of control," the King lamented. 'I have long
favored a Jewish homeland, but the flood of Jewish immigrants in such a short amount of time is
literally impoverishing the Arabs living there. In some instances, the Arabs are being forced out.
I have warned my friends in London that this is fertile ground for the Mufti of Jerusalem to stir
up trouble."
The situation in Syria was even more worrisome to the King. He was glad that the French were
gone, but he was most opposed to Syria becoming a battleground between the Greeks and the
Turks. "Syria is an Arab state with little in common to the Turks and Greeks, both nations should
withdraw out of the country."
In the end I left our time and meal with an already admiration strengthen as I knew the right
man was in place to lead Iraq into its growth into a nation all the Middle East can follow.
MILITARY RANKINGS
The League of Nations published the sizes of a selected group of nations around the world.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Military
1924
Russia
KMT China
British
Germany
Japan
Hungary
Nanking
China
Italy
USA
Turkey
Brazil
Bulgaria
Argentina
Venezuela
Australia
South
Africa
Canada
Total
2,641,600
2,319,800
2,054,400
1,733,200
1,723,400
1,388,000
Land
2712
804
792
1132
568
966
Air
434
80
188
184
110
52
Naval
34
107
686
674
593
16
1,268,200
1,026,000
962,200
869,000
770,000
565,000
449,400
251,000
248,000
820
541
404
338
212
428
136
104
114
0
52
56
116
60
104
48
0
12
25
352
566
228
70
100
108
44
82
183,200
116,000
142
52
12
0
0
40
SOUTH AFRICAN LEGISLATORS ARE ARRESTED
The Pretoria News reported that 13 members of the South African Parliament were arrested in a
sting operation on charges of misusing public funds, accepting bribes and tax evasion. In
addition to this, a number of lobbyists, lawyers and business executives were arrested as well.
At the urging of Prime Minister Jan Smuts, the South African parliament is considering
legislation to establish laws to fight corruption. However, there is strong opposition to many of
the Prime Minister's proposals. Legislators feel that a public disclosure law is a violation of their
privacy and that the law should not prohibit legislators from deriving income outside of their
office (honorariums, investments, royalties, earned income etc).
One law that was agreed upon was making it illegal for candidates or holders of political offices
to accept funds from foreign nations, foreign companies or foreign nationals.
EXIT STATEMENT
Sir Auckland Geddes, ex-British Ambassador to the United States, was entertained at a dinner by
the Pilgrims Society on his return to England from Washington. In his speech Sir Auckland
touched upon several points:
Rum Running: He was glad that the treaty to put an end to rum running had been successfully
negotiated. Nothing, he said, had humiliated him more than to have to go to the State
Department, week after week, to request the release of some wretched schooner, sometimes
rightly and sometimes wrongly flying the British flag.
Prohibition: Given the American problem and the American climate, Sir Auckland thought he
would become a prohibitionist. A cheer came from a corner of the hall; the speaker added that,
fortunately, he was not "given the American climate."
Debt Settlement: He said that he did not think British realized how far the U. S. had met them in
regard to the debt settlement. He said that it could never have been accomplished had not the
American negotiators shown every desire to aid in securing a settlement.
Architecture: The ex-Ambassador said that Britain had much to learn from the U. S. about
architecture.
Labor Conditions: On the whole, working men were better housed and better clothed than their
comrades in England. During his many visits to industrial centers he had frequently inquired how
the well-being of the wage-earner had been achieved. He always received one answer: "Well, we
'believe in keeping a big share of the home market for our own people." Turning to J. R. Clynes,
Lord Privy Seal, he urged the Government to take care of the working people and to see if there
was not something which it could learn from the Americans.
Reply: U. S. Ambassador Kellogg spoke next. Said he: "You have been represented in
Washington by a long line of distinguished statesmen, but no man has held a higher standard of
statesmanship than Sir Auckland Geddes, statesman, soldier, scholar of the highest order, orator
and a man who knew the American people through long study of them."
FREEDOM TO ASSEMBLE
An answer is an answer, in politics. John Davis, Democratic candidate for President,
campaigning in Georgia, had just completed a speech at Macon. An inquiring Georgian rose and
asked: "How do you stand on the Ku Klux Klan?"
Mr. Davis never hesitated. Turning to the questioner, he answered:
"I stand four-square with respect to this and every other order, on the immutable guarantee of
liberty contained in the first paragraph of the Constitution of the United States, that is, for
freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religious worship and the right of peaceable
assemblage."
BOUNTY PLACED ON BOSE'S HEAD
On orders of British Prime Minister Austen Chamberlain, a $10 million bounty was placed on
the head of the Indian Nationalist leader Subhas Bose. This received mixed reactions across
Great Britain. Winston Churchill applauded the action as a step towards restoring British power
on the subcontinent. Laborite Leader Ramsey MacDonald called it an illegal "bill of attainder"
for a man not yet found guilty of any crime in a court of law. Overall, the British public didn't
seem to support the bounty feeling that it was a step beyond what a government should be able to
do.
ANTARCTIC CONCESSIONS TO AUSTRALIA
Having reached an understanding with Prime British Minister Austen Chamberlain on the
cessation of British claimed Antarctica territories to Australia, Prime Minister Bill Hughes of
Australia sent experts to London to settle the precise boundaries. It was decided that Australia
would hold all of the islands and territory south of 60 degrees S and Between 45 and 160 degrees
East except for Adelie Land.
TRAITORS TO WORKING CLASS
British Communists, at a Party meeting in Manchester, condemned the Labor Government for its
"faithlessness and treachery to the working class," declared that it was the "willing tool and
accomplice of the capitalist exploiters."
The agenda of the Communist Party: 1) All property and industry to be nationalized without
compensation. 2) Monarchy to be abolished. 3) Colonies and protectorates to be liberated. 4)
Disarmament of the Bourgeoisie. 5) Arming of the Proletariat. 6) Maintenance of the British
Empire to be regarded as "an act of deadly enmity to the workers of the world."
Another hostile critic was the Daily Herald, official organ of the Independent Labor Party. The
newspaper referred to the "ostentatious" court gown of Mrs. Philip Snowden and "the scarlet coat
and blue trousers trimmed with silver braid" of "Jamie" Brown, King George's proxy at
Holyrood, spoke of its "impatient contempt for such misuse of life."
SWAIN'S ISLAND
The President transmitted to the Senate a recommendation of Secretary Hughes that U. S.
sovereignty be extended over Swains Island, a little speck of land off the Bonavista Bay district
of Newfoundland, not far from Greenspond Island. It was discovered by a Briton who deeded it
to an American. Great Britain hasn't contested U.S. sovereignty.
BARIUM DIOXIDE
President Coolidge by proclamation gave notice that in accordance with the flexible provision of
the Tariff Act, at the end of September, the import duty on barium dioxide (used in the
manufacture of hydrogen peroxide) would be raised from 4¢ to 6¢ a pound. The Tariff
Commission had reported that Germany was the principal competing country and manufactured
barium dioxide more than 6¢ a pound cheaper than it can be done in the U. S.
Germany protested the raise in tariffs as "blatant protectionism".
PRESIDENT UNDER THE WEATHER
President Calvin Coolidge too some time off from the campaign in September because of illness.
His trouble, sometimes botanically referred to as "rose fever," or as a "bronchial cold," or just as
a "cold," returned after having abated. So he visited the Army Medical Corps headquarters and in
a closed room breathed atmosphere in which was a mild concentration of chlorine gas. Dr.
Sawyer, White House physician, went along to see that everything was all right. During his
inclusion, the President studied Senator Lodge's bill on war referendums. He took three
treatments of about 45 minutes each, in the second of which Mrs. Coolidge participated just to
see what it was. Meanwhile Secretary Slemp, who had a private cold of his own, went to the
Naval Hospital for similar treatments. The success of the treatment, which was discovered by the
Chemical Warfare Service, has been such that the Bureau of Animal Industry is preparing to try
it out on the cattle of California as a prophylaxis for the hoof and mouth disease.
DUCE ON DEMOCRACY
Shortly before another session of Parliament began in August, Benito Mussolini was interviewed
at the Palazzo Chigi, Italian Foreign Office.
His interviewer asked: "You know you are accused of being antidemocratic? How do you
propose to rebut this accusation? What do you consider the principal weaknesses of the
democratic system? And how do you think they can be cured?"
Mussolini replied, his eyes rolling with fury: "This is a point which I want you to understand. I
have never asked myself that question because a universal conception of democracy does not
exist. There exist and have existed, States which glorify themselves with the title democratic, but
every one of them - Athens, Venice, Britain, the United States - have, in their history, novelties
so absolutely distinct that nothing has ever seemed to me so grotesque as an attempt to reduce
them to a common measure.
"To create a type of democracy, historically speaking, there can be no such thing as democratic
or antidemocratic. I have been against all the phenomenon of a parliamentary democracy which
has corrupted and weakened the Italian state and threatened its very life, less violently but not
less fatally, than any Socialist scheme of revolution. I am against the return to these systems, to
their vices and corruptions, and if they obstinately call themselves democracy, then I am against
that democracy.
"This is the precise sense in which I have several times declared myself to be antidemocratic, but
nothing is further from my spirit or from the spirit of Fascismo than the doctrinaire antidemocratic dreams of reaction."
CHILDREN'S AMENDMENT
The proposed Amendment to the Constitution, giving Congress power to limit, regulate and
prohibit the labor of persons under 18 years of age, has been introduced in the U.S. Senate on
September 7. The bill had originated in the House of Representatives and was already under
debate. It had been introduced by Republican Congressman Israel Moore Foster a few months
ago.
The bill's floor marshal in the Senate, Republican Senator Samuel Shortridge of California,
knows that it’s a long shot under President Coolidge endorses it. His oppoistion is against almost
any government regulation on employment. In their minds, the government would be infringing
upon the rights of young people by limiting or prohibiting their right to work.
Senator James Wadsworth (R- New York) was one of the leaders of the opposition. "It goes
farther in extending the power of the Federal Government than the 18th Amendment. I think it
will do more to change the form of our government than any amendment since those that
followed soon after the Civil War.
"Continuing at the pace we have followed for the last 20 years, we shortly will establish an
imperial Government whose territory will consist of provinces instead of sovereign States. We
are whittling at the structure framed by the founders of this Government and if we whittle long
enough we will destroy it."
The Bible was freely quoted: "Six days shalt thou labor". . ."The laborer is worthy of his hire". . .
"If any offend the least of these, better would it be if a millstone were hanged around his neck
and he were drowned in the sea."
Democratic Senator Thomas Bayard of Delaware suggested that the author of the last quotation
had worked as a carpenter at the age of twelve and without evil result.
The supporters of amendment spoke plainly. "There are 2 to 3 million working children under
the age of 15, who will never be educated. They work as miners, chimney sweeps and cotton
pickers. Often they work 12 hours a day with wages much lower than an adult worker. Not only
do they lose their childhood, but they lose all opportunity to better themselves in the future.
These young people are more prone to job related accidents that kill or maimed them. Big
Business says that these children labor willingly, that's not true. They labor under these
horrendous circumstances because they have no choice."
EDUCATIONAL REFORM IN ARGENTINA
Appearing at the Congresso, Minister of Interior Manuel Olascoaga outlined the renewed
educational initiatives heavily funded by the administration of President de Alvear.
"The budget of this government has again advanced substantial funds toward the general
improvement of the secondary school programs of Argentina. With 300 millions of dollars
applied, a new mandate for the upper level classes of public education will modernize and
expand its opportunities for the New Argentina.
"Learning from the new philosophies of psychology and education applied in the United States
and the Netherlands, we shall mandate literacy testing of all students graduating from the
elementary system. This shall apply the methods of Dr. Thorndike used extensively in screening
the national military of the United States and its school children. Further, we shall require
literacy testing of all immigrants at our entry points to further facilitate their citizenship in
Argentina. In support of an educated citizenship, this funding shall also provide adult language
classes to acclimate immigrants and especially workers to our national family.
"We shall also address the structure of Argentine education at the secondary level. Aptitude
testing shall determine eligibility for a bi-cameral educational program in either vocational skills
or academic skills for the integration of students to the industrial workforce or to curriculum for
university qualification. Employers will find our young citizens qualified for advanced
apprenticeship training and management training. Our universities shall find able minds for
advanced studies. In the future, our administration shall provide free university education to
qualified middle class students at the University of Tucuman in the hope that a broader base of
talents will serve to modernize our nation."
CAN ARGENTINA COMPETE IN THE ASIAN MARKETS?
Argentine wool exports are heading to the Far East, but can they be sold cheap enough? Japan is
a tough market that is quite insular. Both the Americans and Germans have had great difficulty
in competing in the Japanese textile market and have given up. The Japanese per capital income
is about half of what Argentines earn. The quality of the Argentine wool products is very high,
but that may not be enough incentive for the penny conscious Japanese. So it will be challenging
for Argentine exporters.
ALVEAR SUPPORTS RED CROSS
The medical research initiative of the International Red Cross has been strong supported by
President Marcello Turcato de Alvear. Although, the facility would be supporting world-wide
research and development in medical technology, Alvear thought that Argentina would still
benefit immensely.
"Our rural workers in the north suffer from malaria. Our urban workers need community health
initiatives to remain productive. Projects which serve the families of Argentina also serve those
that produce our goods and services. My administration has long supported community health
programs for our workers and citizens. In the most recent budget we have completed our first
efforts and plan to deliver more in the next year.
"The League proposal is a new direction for us to consider: the Red Cross research institute.
The New Argentina shall contribute to that important project 200 million dollars in the next
year. I challenge all nations of South America to find support for this worthy effort. Let us
diminish the terrible cost of malaria upon our people and surmount the issues of health care
which have no borders."
MEAT SALES DOWN
The Argentine meat industry has suffered a decline in sales in 1924 and efforts are being doubled
to promote beef and lamb exports in Europe. The trade preferences of key European nations are
hurting it. The British and Irish have built in trade preferences for Canadian, Australian and New
Zealand meats. The French market has collapsed, which had strong possibilities. Germany is its
best market with its 100 million plus population, but it remains to be seen whether the Balkan
nations can squeeze into that market to undercut Argentina.
With the current emphasis on wool production, the food products from sheep are constricted, but
beef products remain strong. A seasonal adjustment in the next year will see the expansion of
grain production on the estancias to increase profits as the demand for beef is expected to slump.
This cycle of production adjustments has long served the great landowners in keeping Argentine
exports strong and profitable. Promotions are also expected in Northern China where agents are
not in conflict with the Allied blockade. In support of this significant food industry, the
government has been directly supporting the refitting and construction of refrigeration vessels
with new chemical refrigerators to replace ice ships.
So Argentina is working hard. The slump in food prices and world-wide overproduction hurts it.
President Alvear is diversifying the economy, but that takes time.
ARGENTINE POSTAL WORKERS WANT RAISES
The postal workers are threatening strike in Argentina. They are demanding 7% a year for the
next five years in order to catch up with wages across the country. The Conservatives say that the
costs would be exorbitant and make the postal workers too highly paid for their service.
President Alvear is in negotiations with the workers. So far, he hasn't taken any stance, one way
or the other. In the last election, the postal workers strongly supported him. Making challenge
even more daunting, postal workers want full health benefits and $5000 life insurance policy.
NO GOVERNMENTAL INTERFERENCE NEEDED
In Manhattan, the annual convention of the National Association of Manufacturers positioned
themselves on an unusually wide variety of topics. Its "Platform of American Industry, 1924"
advocated freedom for individual initiative and a halt in governmental control of business;
deplored "dishonesty in high places"; defended the Supreme Court; condemned unnecessary
taxation; favored the compilation and distribution of current trade information; declared tor
complete freedom in making and maintaining voluntary employment agreements, without
respect to compulsory membership or nonmembership in any organization; urged fair treatment
for the railways and continuance of the Transportation Act; stood for the admission of
immigrants economically needed, subject to the highest selective tests; supported the World
Court idea; frowned upon any change in the present tariff; endorsed the development of U. S.
foreign trade; pointed out the need for a privately controlled U. S. merchant marine; and after
praising the stabilizing influence of the Federal Reserve System opposed the entry into it of
political considerations.
NO THANKS
The eve of the reconvening of Reichstag in September found the militarists trying to persuade
Reich Chancellor Volker Heckmann to accept former Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz as
Minister of War. His biggest advocate was Dr. Hergt, one of the most conservative National
Socialist members of the Reichstag. Dr. Hergt has approached the party's floor leader, Wilhelm
Marx, with the idea backed by a petition signed by a number of other conservative members.
Prussian tactfulness is notoriously a myth; but the advocacy of bewhiskered Von Tirpitz as chief
warlord crossed the border of crass stupidity. Simply put, Herr Heckmann had no desire for "his
baggage".
Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz had grown up with the German Navy; they met each other in
childhood; they left each other in old age. He was never a child of the Navy; the Navy was a
child of his. In his Memoirs (1919) he said: "My rise is bound up with the development of the
torpedo arm." It was dependent upon more than that. His hostility to Britain had been conceived
when the German Navy was but a pup. His intense desire to have a better and bigger navy than
Britain's made him push the idea relentlessly with the Kaiser. He descended to cheating the
Reichstag by framing the naval estimates with much cunning and deceit. He was responsible to a
large extent for Germany's naval policy during the War, became embroiled with Chancellor
Heckmann when he took power, retired in 1917 over Herr Heckmann's refusal to continue
"unrestricted submarine warfare". From 1914 onward he never ceased to advocate "ruthless
submarine warfare," although at first he had stoutly championed "ruthless dreadnaught and
torpedo boat warfare." His conduct during the War was undoubtedly actuated by his intense
fidelity to the tradition which he had built up in the Navy, by his inherent cruelty, and by his
great belief in the omnipotence of the Fatherland.
Chancellor Heckmann has never forgotten Von Tirpitz's troublesome behavior during a time of
great national struggle. While Heckmann has sought a great navy as well, he has been satisfied
with parity. Unlike Von Triptiz, he accepted that Great Britain's naval commitments far out
weight Germany's. Tirpitz is a prima donna that Heckmann doesn't want in his cabinet.
Reportedly, Herr Heckmann said cynically, "There can be only one sun in my government."
So Dr. Hergt was summoned to the Reich Chancellery where Herr Heckmann said no, but soften
the blow by his willingness to give Von Tirpitz an ambassadorship. Von Tirpitz scornfully
refused, which some feel is what Heckmann had hoped any way. Still the conservatives were less
then pleased with the outcome.
JAPANESE HOSPITALITY
The U. S. world flyers landed at Kasumigaura, 90 miles from Tokyo, about one-quarter of their
course completed. A loud chorus of banzais from a thousand throats, belonging to Japanese
officers who were beribboned and bemedalled, greeted the aviators as they stepped from their
machines. Hundreds of school children waving American flags shouted more banzais. Major
General Yasumitsu, Commander of the Army Air Service, was there, accompanied by Admiral
Komoku, Chief of the Naval Air Service, American Army attaches, Governor Tsugeta of Ibarki
Province and a delegation of 20 prominent citizens from the nearby town of Tsuchiura, all
draped in the Stars and Stripes and dressed in their best kimonas. The aviators were then escorted
to a hangar in which were tables spread with chestnuts and dried fish. These are old warrior
tokens - the chestnuts signifying triumph, the dried fish, good luck. At Tokyo the U. S. aviators
were lionized by Prime Minister Sadao Araki. They were presented with cigarette cases by the
American Society of Tokyo and with harmonicas by the Young Men's Harmonica Clubs.
Japanese mechanics busied themselves putting the Douglas World Cruisers into perfect condition
and replacing the Liberty motors with new ones; taking off their sea legs in the shape of
pontoons and putting on their landing gears, whereby they will become lighter on landing and
speedier in the air. After the appropriate thanks, off the pilots flew.
PROJECTED GNP INCREASES FOR 1924
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Argentina
Australia
Brazil
Bulgaria
Canada
Germany
Great Britain
Hungary
Italy
Japan
North China
Russia
South Africa
South China
Turkey
USA
Venezuela
1923
GNP
714
757
520
681
790
4256
2446
723
1099
1495
1174
2480
463
1468
257
5000
400
1924
GNP
742
805
536
655
804
4573
2680
740
1113
1646
1245
2583
487
1501
266
5589
397
Average
% Change
4%
*
6%
*
3%
-4%
2%
7%
10% *
2%
1%
10% *
6%
4%
5%
2%
*
4%
12% *
-1%
4%
*Advanced to next technological level.
Statistically, the United States economy is projected to grow the largest from last year - 12%, but
Germany's annexation of Holland and the Czech Republic adds another $12.5 billion to its total
bringing it to $58.228 billion economy or 5823 GNP, now the largest in the world.
The Northern Chinese GNP estimate is probably not accurate because of the Allied blockade. It's
like you will see the Chinese GNP actually shrink by the end of the year.
The Ukraine and France, not on the above list, are expected to be financially bankrupt by the end
of the year.
The Balkan nations have very slow economies with large military expenditures and low foreign
investment. To jump start their economies, most analysts expect that the German investment will
move. More than likely, some type of economic union may develop between Germany and the
Balkan countries (Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria and Greece).
Italy is looking to improve their economy by reducing their military and developing markets.
The 1% increase in the GNP was very embarrassing for Fascismo and many wonder whether
Mussolini can produce.
Is this the last hurrah for the British Empire? With the collapse of France and Germany's
growing control over the European market, combined with the American hegemony in the New
World, what's left for Merry Ole England?
Economically, the world seems more polarized than ever.
GERMAN NEWS
The Reichstag approved legislation from Chancellor Volker Heckmann that would subsidize
each new born child for up to five years to defray the costs of raising children for lower and
middle class families. "What we are saying by this initiative," Chancellor Heckmann told a rally
of supporters in Frankfurt, "is that each child raised in a warm and supportive environment is an
asset to our community of people. Therefore, it's our collective duty to aid the parents by
providing the monetary means towards that end. Even more than that, I am saying that the
parents do not need to feel alone or exhausted in raising their children, our community is there
to support them by all means possible."
Another law passed makes it mandatory for all parents expecting their first child to attend 60
hours of "child rearing" classes. "Our goal is to provide support for new parents to deal with the
many problems that arise in raising children." Herr Heckmann said at another speech in Munich.
The law is clear that parents that refuse to attend the classes may be identified as unfit parents
and forfeit custody of their child. "Some say that we are forcing people to become informed
about parenting. I say to those people - Good! No child should be brought up by uncaring and
negligent parents."
A third law gives the state the immediate right to take custody of any child in an abusive
household so that he or she can be fostered in a proper environment. Parents involved in crimes,
alcoholism and drug usage would also lose custody under this law. "The child comes into the
world without being evil. It is the environment around the child that produces bad behavior and
poor morals." Heckmann told the Berlin Morgenpost. "We have a duty to each child to give them
the best possible start in life. For children coming from unsavory parental backgrounds, we wish
to make sure that it's not repeated in the next generation."
On July 31, the Ministry of Economics gave permission for Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft and
Benz & Cie to merge as Daimler-Benz AG to be more competitive abroad.
Serbian Foreign Minister Momtchilo Nintchitch visited Berlin from August 7 to 10 for talks with
Chancellor Volker Heckmann. A friendship treaty was signed.
The German Colonial Ministry reported that all of Germany's colonies have only produced a
dismal 20 million RM in revenues.
The Reichstag rejected the 12 mile limit set by the United States for its territorial waters.
Germany, like the rest of Europe, will not recognize any limit beyond 3 miles.
CONDOMS WARS
The Vatican and Germany are back at it again. In July, the OKW of the Wehrmacht approved the
continued use of condoms by its soldiers as a method not only to prevent unwanted births,
but for disease control as well. The Roman Catholic Church responded by issuing a sharp rebuke
to the Germans saying that no one had the right to interfere in the God's "gift of life". The OKW
didn't respond to the Vatican.
Making things more explosive was condom vending machines that were being placed all over
Germany by Julius Fromm AG. The German mass production of rubber condoms has outraged
Pope Pius XI, leading to even more protests to Wilhelmstrasse. Herr Heckmann responded
that "Abstinence is unrealistic considering the biological drives of the human being. Condoms
are necessary for good hygiene planned parenthood."
Pope Pius XI instructed the German clergy to speak against condoms from the pulpit, but
Chancellor Heckmann warned them to talk about the blessings of birth and abstinence without
attacking condom use directly. The German clergy decided it was better to obey Herr Heckmann
then the Pope. A few priests did attack the government for permitting condom use and found
themselves deported to Italy.
Relations between the Vatican and Germany remain very poor. It doesn't look like that there will
be any improvement in the near future.
FIGHTING WORSENS IN PALESTINE
British troops had their hands full trying to maintain order in Palestine. Muslim radicals launched
attacks on British tax offices and police stations. The British tax offices in Haifa, Nazareth and
Hebron were partially destroyed by bombs, as were the police stations in Netanya, Acre and
Tiberius. The Arab terrorists also targeted Christian churches and Jewish temples. Jewish
neighborhoods in Haifa, Acre and Netanya were severely bombed with over 250 killed. The
Arab terrorists attacked a British troop barracks in Nazareth and killed 40 men.
Arabs in Nablus staged a very serious riot in August that British troops brought under control
after two days. There was serious damage to the town. Mohammed Amin al-Husayni, Mufti of
Jerusalem denounced Christian rule over Palestine and warned about a possible jihad against the
"infidels" unless the Jews left Palestine. British General Simon Nicholas complained that he
lacked sufficient troops to bring order to the region.
NEGOTIATIONS IN ROME
Hungarian Prime Minister Mihaly Karolyi traveled to Rome to open negotiations with the
Italians regarding a non-aggression pact. However, before this can be settled, the final
disposition of Fiume must be settled. Prime Minister Mussolini told the news media in late
September that "the talks were making progress."
EMPEROR KARL OUTLINES HIS PLANS
Hungarian Emperor Karl told the Hungarian Parliament that big changes were in store for the
agriculture sector. "Agriculture is our bread and butter. It's our chief export and money maker.
We need to improve our crop yields and meat production. Towards those two goals, I'm planning
a series of new reforms including land redistribution, providing farm machinery, rural electricity,
developing water sources, hybrid seeds and direct subsidies to help modernize other aspects of
the farms."
The Hungarian nobility, which makes up about 90% of the parliament, sat
stonily as the Emperor talked about land redistribution. By and large,
they are adamantly opposed to giving up land to the peasants and are
likely to fight if necessary. To avoid civil war, Emperor Karl will have
to buy them off somehow.
ELECTIONS IN EAST KARELIA
The Russian Government has announced that they will settle the border dispute with Finland
once and for all. A plebiscite will be held on October 1, 1924 for the people of East Karelia to
decide if they wish to remain with Russia or be a part of Finland. The vote will be held on a
provincial level effecting the disposition of the entire region. The Russian government is not
willing to turn the area into a checker board of areas controlled by either Finland or Russia. The
Finns have protested this decision since it favors the Russians that live in large numbers near
Lake Onega and the Svir River. Finland wants a municipal plebiscite that would allow different
areas within East Karelia to decide their future. Tsar Alexis, tired of their intransigence, just
shrugged "Nothing will satisfy the Finns, so why should I try?"
WHO KILLED THE POLES?
Interpol agents have joined Russian investigators looking into the murders in Poland. There is
strong evidence that the purge was carried out by Okhrana agents, but there also appears that
some local groups may have had complicity in the crimes. Interpol complained that there were
too many dead ends with people that would have been in the know being dead. "I must say that
whoever was responsible for these murders certainly knew how to cover their tracks well and
took the extra mile to do so," said Interpol officer Jan Connery. Yet, Mr. Connery stopped short
of blaming the Okhrana. "It's possible that some of the Poles retaliated against families of
former Polish officials for crimes committed while they were in charge. But, I have reservations
about that because of murders were more widespread then former Polish politicians and
included physicians, university professors, businessmen, clergy and others. I'm convinced that
the Tsar and his ministers didn't order any such genocide."
Polish immigration out of both German and Russian Poland continues to remain high.
BULGARIAN BANKING SYSTEM
After the liberation from Ottoman rule foreign bank established themselves in Bulgaria. The
increase of foreign banks was halted during the period from the Balkan Wars (1912-13) through
the Great War (1914-17), when the government froze the activities of all foreign-controlled
banks. Because Bulgaria joined the Great War on the side of the Central Powers, the French
banks Banque de l'Union Parisienne were forced to withdraw. At the time the French held a
quarter of the capital of four of the main banks in the country, the Generalna, the Balkanska, the
Crédit Foncier Bulgare and the Banque Commerciale et Foncière des Balkans. The German,
Austrian-Hungarian banks benefited from the withdrawal of the French by increasing their
stakes. The Allgemeine Bodencreditanstalt took control of the Generalna. The Weiner
Bankverein, together with other Austro-Hungarian banks, took control of the Balkanska.
German Kreditna Banka benefited from the war and opened branches in Varna and Rousse, and a
one in Uesküb (Skopje) in Macedonia. The German Deutsche Bank opened a branch in Sofia in
1917. In 1918 the Bulgarische Bank- und Handels received a capital infusion and changed its
name to the Banque Hongroise-Bulgare. The Allgemeine Depositenbank led another AustroHungarian group to found the Banque du Credit Austro-Bulgare.
The end of the war brought a rush to establish banks including a number of banks with foreign
interest. The Banque de l'Union Parisienne (BUP) re-involved itself with the Balkanska Banka
and increased its shareholding. At the time of the Anschluss and with the agreement of the other
shareholders the BUP took a dominant position on the executive committee shareholders in the
Balkanska Banka together with the Hungarian General Credit Bank (Magyar Áltálanos
Hitelbank).. The Germans took control of the other large Austrian banks, the Kreditna Banka and
The Allgemeine Depositenbank.
One of the shortest lived entrants was the Banca Commerciale Italiana e Bulgara (BCIB), which
the Banca Commerciale Italiana (BCI) and the Assiccurazioni Generali established in 1919 to
finance trade between Italy and Bulgaria. BCIB had a head office in Sofia and had plans for
branches in Burgas, Varna and Plovdiv but when the Italian-Bulgarian War broke out these
banks were quickly withdrawn.
The Czech investors who had started to establish the Prague Credit Bank in 1914 reorganized the
bank in 1920 and registered it as a joint-stock company in 1922. This became the center of a
small but growing industrial group.
The Franco-Bulgarian Bank for International Trade was reorganized in 1920. The French
investors were the Crédit Français, the Caisse Commerciale et Industrielle de Paris, the Crédit
Foncier du Brésil et de l'Amérique du Sud (in Paris). The bank created an industrial group that
plays an important role in the Tobacco Cartel. Due to the domestic problem in France other
investor including domestic Bulgarian will likely increase their shares in these banks.
There are also some other foreign banks in Sofia, the Bulgarian-American Bank, the Lozarska
Banka (with a small amount of British investment); and the German-Bulgarian Credit Bank. The
Banque Internationale de Bulgarie also had some minor foreign ownership.
By 1924, the foreign banks accounts for around 45 per cent of the assets of Bulgarian private
Banks. The foreign banks dominated the four Bulgarian non-government banks in Sofia and
foreign banks accounts for 31 per cent of bank capital in Bulgaria as a whole. Still a small
number of other state and quasi-public banks dominates the banking system.
CAMPBELL CASE
The Campbell Case of 1924 involved charges against a British Communist newspaper editor
(J.R. Campbell) for alleged "incitement to mutiny" caused by his publication of a provocative
open letter to members of the military.
The letter stated
"Comrades:
"You never joined the Army or Navy because you were in love with warfare, or because you were
attracted to the glamour of the uniform. In nine cases out of ten you were compelled to join the
services after a long fight against poverty and misery caused by prolonged unemployment....
"Repressive regulations and irksome restrictions are intentionally imposed upon you. And when
war is declared you are supposed to be filled with a longing to 'beat the enemy.' The enemy
consists of working men like yourselves, living under the same slave conditions....
"Soldiers, sailors, airmen, flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone, the Communist Party calls
upon you to begin the task of not only organizing passive resistance when war is declared, or
when an industrial dispute involves you, but to definitely and categorically let it be known that,
neither in the class war nor a military war, will you turn your guns on your fellow workers, but
instead will line up with your fellow workers in an attack upon the exploiters and capitalists, and
will use your arms on the side of your own class....
"Refuse to shoot down your fellow workers!
"Refuse to fight for profits!
"Turn your weapons on your oppressors!"
Back benchers from the Labour Party pushed to have the charges dropped or to avoid further
prosecution, but the country in general and Prime Minister Chamberlain in particular were in no
mood to allow such leniency with the uprising in France so fresh in everyone's minds.
Campbell was found guilty and sentenced to 30 years hard labour, his sentence to begin
immediately.
FRENCH REFUGEES BEGIN ARRIVING
With the recent upheaval in France, refugees have begun arriving in Great Britain in greater
numbers. At first it was professionals, but as the conflict has raged on unabated, more and more
Frenchmen have begun moving towards the stability and security offered by their cross-channel
neighbors.
Prime Minister Austen Chamberlain stated flatly that Britons would not turn away their allies in
their time of need. When pressed about possible military involvement in France, Prime Minister
Chamberlain refused to take any option off the table, but pointed out that the French had yet to
request ground troops to help them quell their armed insurrection.
French immigration to the United States, Canada, Brazil and Australia has picked up
considerably.
GLAGOLITSA
Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Boris Neykov opened a special exhibition in the National Museum
of Natural History in Sofia, dedicated to the first Slavic alphabet known as Glagolitsa.
The National Museum of Natural History is the oldest museum in Bulgaria and the oldest and
richest among the natural history museums on the Balkan Peninsula. It was founded in 1889 by
the Royal Prince Ferdinand under the name Royal Prince's Natural History Museum. At first it
used to accommodate Prince Ferdinand¡¯s personal collections of birds, mammals and
butterflies. The first curator of the museum was the court doctor Dr Paul Leverk, who was a
famous ornithologist. He organized the first exposition in 14 halls on two floors in an old
building where today's museum stands and it was opened for visits in 1907.
The new exhibition is about the Glagolitic alphabet, or Glagolitsa, that was the original alphabet
drafted by Byzantine monks St. Cyril and St. Methodius in 855 AD in their mission to spread the
Christian word among the Slavs, even though the term for its name was not coined until the late
Middle Ages ¨C from the verb glagoliti meaning "to speak".
The Glagolitic alphabet was based on the three major symbols in Christianity - a cross, a circle,
and a triangle.
St. Clement of Ochrid, the most important Bulgarian disciple of St. Cyril and St. Methodius,
while serving the Bulgarian king Boris I later modified the Glagolitic alphabet in the late 9th
century because he found its letters were too hard to write.
Based on it, he created the Bulgarian alphabet that he named "Cyrillic" after his teacher St. Cyril,
which was introduced by the First Bulgarian Empire, and was then also adopted by other Slavic
states in the south and east, including Serbia and Russia.
"The most real Bulgarian alphabet is the Glagolitic. It combines in itself a new beginning for
Bulgaria and the Balkans and in many monasteries this alphabet is still kept alive. Each letter in
this alphabet has a name of its own, and there is an idea enshrined in each of those names. This
exhibition shows the common cultural roots the Bulgarians share with our neighbors," said Dr
Ivan Buresch, member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, who run the museum.
CALLES ELECTED
Election Day in Mexico was dull. Excitement had been forecast: bombs, blood, blasphemy were
expected. Nothing happened. A few naughty Mexicans played with their fists, but failed to shed
a drop of gore. One or two reckless citizens made off with the odd ballot box, but that was all.
Nevertheless, the police and soldiers in Mexico City rushed about in armored cars, waving
swords and pistols, brandishing quick-firing guns, twirling their mustachios.
Election results indicated that General Plutarco Elias Calles had won his expected victory over
his rival, General Angel Flores. Little interest was shown by the electorate and the voting was
light. From Mexico City it was announced that President-Elect General Plutarco Elias Calles will
visit Europe during the interim before he assumes his presidential duties. The President-Elect
will visit England, France and Germany to study social problems. Senor Calles will not assume
the Mexican Presidency until December 1, 1924, when the term of President Obregon expires.
HEADHUNTERS UNHAPPY ABOUT JAP TAXES
On the northern end of Formosa, several large tribes of semi-aborigine headhunters live. Over
the years, there have been altercations between the Japanese authorities and the tribes. The
Japanese have found the headhunters to be so much trouble that as long as they paid taxes; it was
just as well to leave them undisturbed. Unfortunately, new trouble broke out in late May when
the Japanese tax collectors went to pick up the semiannual tribute. Although not much is really
known about the incident, apparently the Japanese officials had an argument with the headhunter
chiefs for some reason and ended up as new trophies hanging off the belts of the aborigines. In
total, 12 Japanese officials were killed. Tokyo is reportedly furious.
GERMANY AND ITALY SIGN NAP
Italian Foreign Minister Dino Grandi travelled to Berlin late in September to meet with
Chancellor Volker Heckmann. The Italian diplomat was accorded high honors almost as if he
was a chief of state. After two days of meetings with Herr Heckmann, a state dinner and a chance
to see the new German tank, the Jaguar, in action, Senor Grandi left Berlin with a friendship
treaty and non-aggression pact signed between Germany and Italy.
Back in Rome, Benito Mussolini boasted that he had secured his northern border, but there was
nervousness in his voice that betrayed a lingering fear about Germany.
TEXTILE STRIKE CRUSHED
Prime Minister Sadao Araki doesn't coddle strikers. When Araki told them to go back to work,
the union refused. There was never a question that the textile owners would be forced to raise
wages, Araki has decide that societal discipline had to be maintained. The Kempeitai, the secret
police, was sent in to crush the union. Thousands were arrested; many of them simply
disappeared never to be seen again. The repression was so fierce that the common laborer
meekly went back to work without any further argument.
Blaming the Communists, Prime Minister Araki said that the textile workers had been duped into
a strike. "The Empire is the friend of the workingman. Six months ago, to reward our workers for
their hard work and loyalty, my government decreed the largest wage increase and tax decrease
in Japanese history. Our business owners went along with this wage increase out of patriotism,
but they also expected the same behavior out of the laborers. The Empire doesn't blame the
textile workers for their mistakes; they were lied to by their Communist leadership. These poor
workmen were confused and used. We have punished the troublemakers. The Communists are no
more. Tranquility has returned to the work place."
TURKS RECEIVE SUPPORT
In July, Turkey received foreign support in their struggle against Greece and Bulgaria. Reza
Shah sent an army corps to defend the Turkish side of the Sea of Marmara. The Persian force
was composed of 4 divisions (2 infantry and 2 cavalry) and 1 brigade (artillery). A few weeks
later, 2 Egyptian infantry divisions landed at Alanya to further buttress the Turks.
SYRIA INVADED
On July 2, Mustafa Kemal sent troops across the Syrian border to end the civil disorder. One
Turkish army composed of 100,000 troops and 2 artillery brigades struck southwest for Latakia.
Another army of 150,000 and 3 artillery brigades headed to Aleppo.
After heavy assaults with high causalities, the Turkish easily pierced the Aleppo defenses at
A'zaz and drove them south. Ad Dana fell on July 7 and Al Bab the next day. 40,000 Syrians
were taken prisoner during the first week of fighting.
Aleppo was heavily fortified. Turkish Field Marshal Fevzi Çakmak laid siege to it but chose not
to force anything. Instead, he ordered his men to take the city of Ath Thawrah to control the
Syrian railroad east to west and to occupy the eastern banks of the Eurphrates River. Meanwhile,
Turkish artillery pounded various Aleppo with impunity. The 6th Motorized Corp arrived from
Turkey and brought additional cannons to bear on the city.
As Aleppo held out, news came that President Haqqi Al-Azm of Damascus had mobilized his
troops and were marching north. Adding to Turkey's woes, Al-Azm was in negotiations with the
Greeks that had landed in Lebanon. Field Marshal Cakmak felt that he had no choice but to take
the city by assault. On July 20, after storming Aleppo, the city surrendered. It took another
month to pacify Syria east of the Euphrates.
To the west, the Turkish 2nd Corps had fought down through the Hatay and decisively defeated
the Alawite army at Yayladagi. After that Latakia fell on July 17, 1924. However, that wasn't the
end of the fighting; Sh'ia rebels continue to attack the Turks throughout the summer.
Al-Azm and his 125,000 Damascus troops had taken their positions at Hims. They were joined
by 100,000 Greeks and 50,000 Lebanese Christians. That was a very formidable force for
Cakmak's army.
The Turks attacked any way figuring that the longer the Greeks and their allies dug in, the more
costly it would be to defeat them. After several days of artillery barrage, the Turks attempted to
overwhelm the Greek lines and failed. The Greeks hammered the Turks down with machine guns
and poison gas. Never was there more vicious battle as both sides attempted to slaughter one
another. Finally after two weeks of attacks and repulse, Cakmak called off the attack to give his
men a rest. Both sides had taken serious losses. The summer heat was almost unbearable.
A new Turkish offense in September did capture Hims and push the Greek Alliance back to An
Nabk before running out of steam. The Turks captured Sab Abar on September 16 and At Tanf
two days later. Damascus had lost a good deal of its lands because the Greeks refused to stretch
out their troops to defend a perimeter that long.
The 3rd quarter of 1924 ended with the Greeks well entrenched in Lebanon, receiving Bulgarian
reinforcements. The Turks controlled most of Syria. Damascus had been reduced to a Greek
client.
Losses: Turks, 130,000 (3rd and 7th regular infantry, 19th mountain infantry, 59th and
60th artillery
Syrians, 250,000 +
Greeks, 16,000
Lebanese, 10,000
(The Turks captured a small arms factory at Latakia. The factory at Aleppo was destroyed in the
fighting)
USA/ GREAT BRITAIN BLOCKS ECOSUR
Argentine Minister of Trade Pedro Tonnelier sent emissaries throughout South America
discussing the possible options of Ecosur, the proposed South American trade union. However,
he found much resistance to the whole idea because of the Americans and British waving foreign
aid moneys in the face of South American leaders. Not a single nation signed onto the accord
because of this.
LEAGUE AUTHORITY
League of Nations Secretary General Lamas released a statement to the press in late September
as he traveled the European capitals in hopes of furthering a new plan for the Red Cross.
"The incidental comments in the press regarding the actions of the League in regards to
the Balkan crisis or the Far East crisis are greatly mistaken in concept and in fact. The League
has no mandate over its Members to compel arbitration to occur. Neither South China nor
Turkey publicly accepted the offer extended to them; therefore the League was not a participant
in that process. The presumption of the press to proclaim failure upon the League is greatly
mistaken."
"There are those parties whose interests in martial conflict wish to influence the course of affairs
in the League, but that is neither in the jurisdiction nor intent of the League Charter. The claims
of the press fail considerably in their logic: a non-martial organization does not impose military
solutions."
"There was notable communication in the Balkan crisis which did not find public
exposure. Given a reasonable distance, deliberations were making progress toward a nonmartial solution. I await clarification from the Greek government against the press statements
of a reversal of its reasonable offer to reach a conclusion to the conflict."
U.S. SENDS ADDITIONAL ARMS TO NORTH CHINA
The White House announced that it had purchased 32 units worth of small arms and 6 units of
heavy artillery from Russia and the South Africa that was sent to North China. Congress
approved the expenditure.
Germany called the Americans the "greatest proliferators of weapons in the world."
THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL WEAPONS EXHIBITION FIZZLES
There seemed to be great interest in Hungary's 1st International Weapons Exhibition, but very
few nations participated. Serbia, Spain, Canada and Northern China showed up, but the major
powers did not. No explanation was given except by the Germans. General Kurt Schleicher
explained, "We had planned to attend until we learned that the neither United States nor Great
Britain was coming. Therefore, we simply considered an open opportunity for the Allies to spy
on us as spectators while we didn't receive any benefit. We apologize to the Hungarians for this."
BALKAN OUTCRY ABOUT PROPOSED JOINT MANEUVERS
Greece and Bulgaria lodged stiff protests with the Hungarians over their proposed war games
with the Turks. A very angry Greek dictator Ioannis Metaxas called it another stab in the back by
what he had considered a strong ally and friend. "The Hungarians may friends with our blood
enemies despite the Balkan Entente."
Of course, the Hungarians never specified how these war games were to take place considering
Greece and Bulgaria stand in the way of any transport between the Hungary and Turkey.
National analysts have given Mustafa Kemal high marks for splitting the Balkan Entente and
rendering it ineffective.
OTHER HAPPENINGS
The Ku Klux Klan raises $5 million, mostly in the Midwest, and vows to keep America white
and Protestant by tightening the U.S. immigration laws even more.
To protect whites from job losses, the Nationalist Party is demanding a "Civilized Labor" policy
in South Africa that excludes blacks from many trades
A bi-partisan group of Congressmen and Senators pass a resolution in both houses calling on
President Coolidge to reduce income taxes below 30% for fiscal 1925
Ethyl Corp.'s Thomas Midgley Jr. and C. F. Kettering of General Motors make a deal with Dow
Chemical to obtain 100,000 pounds of ethylene dibromide per month at 58¢/lb. Ethyl combines
the chemical with tetraethyl lead to make a gasoline additive that eliminates engine knock
Germany's I. G. Farben starts a synthetic gasoline development program. Executive chemist Carl
Bosch has been advised by his experts that rising gasoline prices will make gasoline derived
from coal competitive with that derived from petroleum
The first round-the-world flights are completed September 28 as two plywood, spruce, and linen
canvas World Cruisers arrive in California after a 30,000-mile, 5-month journey (15 flying
days). A third U.S. pilot crashed early on in Alaska (but survived) and a fourth had engine
trouble; British, French, and German pilots have all come to grief. Donald W. Douglas designed
and built the biplanes and powered them with 12-cylinder Liberty engines; he wins a U.S. Army
order for 50 XO observation planes
The ZR-3 dirigible built by Hugo Eckener at Friedrichshafen, Germany crosses the Atlantic in
October under Eckener's command.
The first Chrysler motorcar is introduced September 5 by Maxwell Motor Company; it has fourwheel hydraulic brakes, a high-compression 68-horsepower engine that develops more power
cubic inch than a luxury Duesenberg, and has other engineering advances, including an
instrument panel behind glass, that give the motorist more excitement for $1,500 than he can get
from a $5,000 car
Ford produces nearly 2 million Model T motorcars for the second year in a row and drops the
price of a new touring car to a low of $290, making a durable automobile available to Americans
even of modest means.
President Coolidge says Father's Day should be observed by all Americans
The U.S. National Council of Catholic Women launches a campaign in July urging modesty in
dress.
Chicago post-graduate students Nathan F. (Freudenthal) Leopold and Richard A. Loeb, both 19,
confess May 31 that they have murdered 14-year-old schoolboy Robert "Bobby" Franks "in the
interests of science." Leopold graduated from the University of Chicago at age 18, Loeb from the
University of Michigan at age 17. They both come from rich families (Loeb's father is a Sears,
Roebuck vice president). Having committed several petty crimes of theft and arson, they
kidnapped Franks in a rented car on Chicago's south side May 21, hit the boy in the head with a
chisel, stuffed a gag in his mouth, poured hydrochloric acid over his face to conceal his identity,
half-buried his body in a railway culvert on the Indiana border, and demanded a ransom of
$10,000 in a cold-blooded attempt to commit the "perfect murder." The body was discovered,
Leopold's glasses were found near the culvert, the police arrested him and his cohort, and their
parents hired lawyer Clarence Darrow, now 67, to defend them. He took the case to advance his
campaign against capital punishment. Their sensational trial goes on for 33 days between July
and August, Darrow saves them from the gallows with an eloquent appeal, and Judge John R.
Caverly sentences them to life imprisonment for murder September 10, adding 99 years for
kidnapping. Many members of the Leopold and Loeb families change their names.
German zoologists Hans Spemann and Hilde Mangold show that if an amphibian embryo is
grafted to another embryo, the graft is formed in part from tissue of the host, demonstrating
"organizing action" by the second embryo. This is one of a series of experiments by Spemann
that demonstrates that cells affect other cells near them.
Louis de Broglie introduces particle-wave duality for matter: An electron or any other subatomic
particle can behave either as a particle or a wave.
Satyendranath N. Bose introduces a new statistics for light-quanta (photons) and sends a copy of
his work to Einstein. Einstein applies the Bose statistics to gases and deduces that certain forms
of matter should exhibit wave properties on a macroscopic scale.
Tasmanian Nationalist Senator Herbert Payne proposed a bill to make voting in federal elections
becomes compulsory in Australia.
Anti-Japanese demonstrations continue in Australia.
Spanish strongman General Silva continued campaigning in Bilbao.
INDICTED
Four indictments were ground out by the machinery of Justice in July and largely buried from the
public mind by the deluge of Convention gabble which filled the press for many days.
But, as a matter of fact, criminal indictments were returned against the main players in the
Teapot Dome Scandal; Edward L. Doheny, his son, "Jr.," Harry F. Sinclair and Albert B. Fall.
In the natural course of events, action will be due in the autumn. The two Dohenys filed motions
to quash the indictments, arguing that there were, illegally, too many Federal officials inside the
Jury rooms, and that the Attorney General's office had no business to secure indictments when
Congress had placed the oil cases in the hands of special counsel. The motions were dismissed.
Many moons and many motions will come to pass before the oil story has been rehearsed,
revised, finally edited and entombed.
ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
While saluting a Cairo crowd from the train which was to take him to Alexandria for a reception
of King Fuad, Egyptian Premier Saad Zaghlul Pasha was shot by a young student from a distance
of three yards.
It was at first thought that the Premier had been fatally wounded, but subsequent investigation
showed that the bullet had merely gone through the fleshy part of his right forearm and skinned
the chest muscles of his right side. The great crowd that had assembled to bid au revoir to the
Premier was infuriated by the dastardly attempt upon his life. The would-be killer was seized and
severely man-handled before the police were able to affect his rescue. In custody, the young
student gave his name as Abd el Khadir, aged 20; he said that he tried to kill the Premier in order
to prevent Anglo-Egyptian negotiations over the Sudan and because the Premier had described
the British Parliament as just and honorable.
MATTEOTTI AFFAIR
The black shirt, it has been frequently alleged, was adopted by the Fascisti on account of its
utilitarian color. Premier Benito Mussolini discovered, however, that certain kinds of spots show
up most plainly, and to the quiescent but intense discomfiture of thousands of Fascisti, he
ordered the first general wash of black shirts.
The stain which Benito was endeavoring so nobly to remove from the Black Shirts was made by
the supposed murder of Deputy Giacomo Matteotti by some Fascisti. The whole story has now
come to be known as the "Matteotti Affair," and with that affair Mussolini was over-busy during
the past few months.
With angry shouts from the Opposition ringing in his ears, with the stench of political
dissatisfaction offending his nostrils and with sympathy paraded for Matteotti torturing his
vision, II Duce set to work to clear up the situation in his own terse way. He made the following
speeches:
To the Cabinet: At a Council of Ministers, he referred to his decision to remain in office and
added: "I believe that in that way I will best serve the interests of Italy, which must 'be preserved
from the shock and unrest which would certainly accompany a Cabinet crisis at this moment."
To the Senate: Mussolini's speech was to the effect that he saw no reason why the Fascist
Government should resign because it had suffered from the regrettable Matteotti affair.
Referring to the Fascist militia, Benito said: "The militia has been most useful to us in the
present crisis. These soldiers of ours remained solid and faithful and ready to defend the
Government if anyone had accepted the proposals of the subversive parties. The militia will
remain. This is a matter on which I will not compromise.
"As, however, many insinuations have been made because it does not swear faithfulness to the
King, though standing guard over the King's palace and participating in parades in honor of the
Sovereigns, in future it shall swear faithfulness to the King."
To the Chamber: In his speech, Mussolini declared: "The Opposition is meeting in several cities
of Italy, whence they advance their demands. These demands include resignation of the
Government, dissolution of the Fascist militia and of Parliament and immediate general
elections. They even push their impudence so far as to specify that the elections shall be held
with the system of proportional representation.
"I submit to your earnest consideration the situation in which Parliament now finds itself. The
Opposition parties have withdrawn from Parliament. The question is whether this withdrawal is
permanent or purely temporary, and therein lies the difficulty of the situation . . . This much is
certain, however, that we will not allow ourselves to be black mailed in this way by the
Opposition. Withdrawal of the Opposition does not necessarily mean that Parliament must be
closed.
"You, who have witnessed my Government's efforts - you, who know the program which the
Government wishes to follow, can rest easy with the clear consciousness that if the crisis grows
worse instead of better, public opinion and history cannot throw the blame on us."
Opposition: The parties of the Opposition were not to be quieted by Mussolini's promises of
reform. They met in plenary session to damn Fascismo, to lay the blame for the Matteotti affair
at the door of the Government, to demand the abolition of the Fascist militia, to ask in veiled
language for Benito's resignation, to state that they would not attend Parliament again "as long as
the present conditions prevail."
The resolutions made only two main demands: abolition of the Fascist militia; repression of
violence and application of the law. With regard to Resolution No. 1, Mussolini had agreed to
incorporate the Fascist militia with the Army, to make it swear fealty to the King and to open
membership to all Parties. He had, in his speeches to the Senate and Chamber, himself proposed
to carry out Resolution No. 2.
It was felt, therefore, that II Duce may weather the storm. If newspaper dispatches were
uncensored, as it was stated they were, Mussolini's popularity was returning. Still, no one knows
what the full reaction will be when Matteotti's body is finally found.
BATTLE OF LAVRIO
The Turkish plan to destroy the Greek fleet and naval yard at Athens didn't materialize like the
Turks had hoped. The foremost problem was that they lost their advantage because of Greek air
and sea patrols that had spotted them. The Greek navy had plenty of time to muster themselves
out and prepare to meet the Turks off of Lavrio. Why the Turkish navy continued despite
knowing that they had been spotted remains unknown. The Greeks had the advantage of air
support from Keratea.
The battle was the largest naval battle since the Great War, and ranked as a genuine full-scale
clash of battleships. It was the fourth major fleet action between steel battleships, following the
battles of the Yellow Sea and Tsushima during the Russo-Japanese War and the Battle of Jutland
in the Great War. It occurred on July 20, 1924.
The Turkish Admiral Selimi Namak Hasan encountered the Greek force long before he had
expected, which eliminated a good deal of submarine influence. In a running battle, The Greeks
successfully drew the Turkish vanguard into the path of their fleet. By the time vanguard
commander, Admiral Kenan Gul, sighted the larger force and turned back towards the Turkish
main fleet, he had lost three light cruisers and four destroyers. The Turkish battleships were the
last to turn and formed a protective shield as Gul withdrew, drawing the Greek fleet in pursuit
towards the main Turkish positions. Between 18:30 hrs, when the sun was lowering on the
western horizon, backlighting the Greek forces, and nightfall at about 20:30, the two huge fleets totaling 150 ships between them - were twice heavily engaged.
On the first day, twenty-one Turkish and sixteen Greek ships were sunk, with great loss of life.
After sunset, and throughout the night, Hasan maneuvered to cut the Greeks off from their base,
in hopes of continuing the battle next morning. But, under cover of darkness, Greek Admiral
Constantine Hatza crossed the wake of the Turkish fleet and took a defensive position with its
back to Athens.
A second exchange in the morning, led to the sinking of the Turkish battleship Gaziantep, as well
as the loss of a dozen more warships on both sides. It was obvious that this was a battle of
attrition, but Admiral Hasan wouldn't break off. The third round in the afternoon was disastrous
with the loss of two Greek battleships and the Turkish battleship Istanbul. It was only after
Admiral Hasan was killed in the late afternoon that both sides disengaged and the battle ended.
Losses: 45 Turkish warships; 35 Greek warships.
(Turkish unit losses: 41st and 43rd battleship, 33rd and 47th Destroyers, 38th and 39th Light
Cruisers, 34th and 35th submarines and 31st transports)
(Greek unit losses: 2 battleship, 1 medium cruiser, 2 destroyers and 2 submarines)
US BANKS TO PULL OUT OF ARGENTINA
Wells Fargo, Bank of the Manhattan Company, Goldman Sachs, First Chicago Bank, Chase
National Bank, Texas Commerce Bank, Washington Mutual Savings Bank and First National
Bank of Cincinnati announced that they will no longer do business in Argentina. In a statement
released, they felt that US investments were no longer safe in Argentina given the "AntiAmerican" nature of the current government.
INVESTMENT MONEY FLEES SOUTHERN CHINA
A series of assassinations of American businessmen in Canton appears to be sponsored by Sun
Yat-sen's secret police. This has caused a flight of capital out of Southern China causing the
Bank of Canton to fail on August 6, 1924.
The U.S. Bankers Association has agreed not to do business in Southern China anymore. J.P.
Morgan has asked the Bank of England to stop doing business in South China as well.
AIR CRAFT FACTORY DESTROYED IN GREECE
The destruction of Greece's aircraft factory is being blamed on Italy. This has provoked a stern
message from Germany. "The Third Reich is tired of the Balkans being destabilized by outside
forces. The Balkan states are valuable trading partners of Germany; therefore, we expect that this
war will end." The message was sent to Greece, Italy and Turkey.
SELECT IMMIGRATION REPORTS
First Half of 1924 (Including previous reports this year)
South Africa, 44,200: Mostly Dutch, Poles and French. Immigration out of South Africa was
5,400, mostly Hindus returning to India to fight for Bose.
Argentina, 72,000: Mostly Spaniards, Catalans and Italians. Immigration out Argentina was
3,700.
Brazil, 101,000: Mostly Portuguese and Italians looking for political freedom. The Immigration
out of Brazil was 23,500 - 13,500 Brazilians of German ethnicity moved to the Third Reich.
United States, 150,000: Mostly European nations - many British, Irish, Dutch and Italians. The
immigration out of the United States was 15,610 - 11,900 Americans of German ethnicity moved
to the Third Reich.
Germany, 92,801: 13,500 Brazilians; 11,900 Americans; 11,100 Swedes; 10,011 Danes; 10,789
Norwegians; 9,800 Estonians; 9,792 Latvians, 6,819; Italians; 5,900 Rumanians; Others 3,190.
Immigration out of the Third Reich was 250,000 Poles for Russia.
Italy, 125,580: 31,240 Portuguese; 20,600 Catalans; 16,300 Greeks; 10,160 Hungarians; 10,100
French; 9,790 Albanians; 8,990 Montenegrins; 6,300 Serbians; 6,200 Libyans; 5,900 Egyptians.
Immigration out of Italy: 34,630 to Argentina; 32,908 to Brazil, 26,100 to the United States;
12,800 to Great Britain; 6,819 to Germany.
Canada, 70,200: 46,500 French, 23,700 British. 21,500 Canadians immigrated to the USA.
U.S. FOREIGN AID
Secretary of State Charles E. Hughes told the press that the United States has approved foreign
aid for the following countries for fiscal 1924: Cuba ($450 million), Dominican Republic ($250
million), Guatemala ($250 million), El Salvador ($250 million), Nicaragua ($300 million), Costa
Rica ($250 million), Honduras ($250 million), Panama ($400 million), Siam ($500 million),
Colombia ($500 million), Peru($500 million), Bolivia($500 million), Chile($500 million),
Paraguay ($600 million), and Ecuador ($600 million).
CIVIL WAR IN FRANCE
The summer was full of battles between the Republican and Socialist forces. Neither side seemed
to gain the upper hand. Rebels were defeated once again trying to take Orleans and Tours in July
and August. Fighting along the Seine River in July and August was very heavy, but the
government prevailed and swept the rebels out preserving both Paris and Rouen.
In late July, Socialist troops defeated the Republicans at Angouleme gaining control of a good
portion of Poitou-Charentes province and cutting Paris off from Bordeaux. The French navy kept
Bordeaux well supplied so the rebel siege of the city was ineffective.
Rebel forces solidified the positions in Limousin, Auvergne and Rhone Alps, taking the last of
the governmental held cities and forts.
In September, a major battle was fought at Macon as 150,000 government troops moved south
into the mountains to capture Lyon, the unofficial capital of Socialist France. The Socialists use
heavy artillery and a huge number of machine guns to badly bloody the Republicans and force
them to flee back to Nevers.
The Republicans lost 120,600 soldiers this quarter; the rebels took 141,300 losses.
DUTCH COLONIAL EMPIRE
German marines took control of the Dutch East Indies, Surinam and the Dutch Antilles.
German Envoy Viktor Von Huff opened up peace negotiations with the PKI. The occupation
process is still going on.
ARRESTS IN BRAZIL
Brazilian police shut down some organizations in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro actively
recruiting Brazilians of German ethnicity "to return home to the Fatherland". These organizations
appear to be homegrown.
WAR IN RUSSIA
Russian forces, led by General Vasily Gurko, launched a full scale attack on the Japanese
positions in Siberia at the beginning of July. As usual, the attack began with a full scale
bombardment that lasted a few hours; General Gurko decided to curtail a real lengthy
bombardment worried that battlefield would be chewed up too much for his troops to move
across; a common Great War mistake.
Both sides had committed acts of great sabotage on one another. The Trans-Siberian railroad
wasn't working most of the summer causing a 50% loss in supplies. The Japanese were
hampered by destruction even on the wharves of Vladivostok. However, the Japanese were much
closer to their main bases and had better overall conditions to send supplies across the Amur
River, losing only 25% of supplies.
Gurko's overall offense was geared toward preoccupying the entire Japanese army while a
reserve force targeted a weak point in the Japanese defenses and attempted to break through. The
Russians had learned from the Revolution that an indirect attack had the best chance of success.
The Japanese were not unprepared; their earthen fortification and barbed wire was most
effective. Japanese machine guns mowed down row after row of Russian soldiers. The Japanese
commander, Prince Kan'in Kotohito, had decided to use artillery to chew up the battlefield that
the Russians attempted to preserve, something that bewildered General Gurko.
One of the biggest problems facing the Japanese was that fact that their army was only half the
size as the Russians. The Japanese compensated for that having chosen the Stanovoy Mountain
Range to defend from, The Russians were motorized for the most part that allowed them to find a
gap and exploit it quicker.
The Russians with a super human effort did causing breakthroughs at three different locations
over the course of three weeks, but Japanese reserves plugged the holes. The front didn't remain
static, the Russians pushed the Japanese out of their fortifications, but the Japanese morale didn't
break. The front ended up in early August, 25 miles to the east. The Japanese fortifications were
no more.
At the beginning of August, General Gurko called off the offensive despite the heavy causalities
inflicted on the Japanese because he was very low on ammunition. The Russians would have to
keep the Trans-Siberian Railroad open for a sustained offense. Still, the Russians proved that
they could beat the Japanese. Japan would need a lot more reinforcements. By the end of
September, the Russians were sufficiently supplied for round two.
The air war was inconclusive with both sides losing planes but not eliminating any wings.
The Japanese occupied Kamchatka in a separate action.
Losses: 110,000 Russians; 150,000 Japanese.
Unit losses: Japanese: 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th and 22nd infantries. Russian: 2nd and 48th
motorized, 51st infantry.
VENEZUELA DENOUNCES GERMANY
Venezuelan President Juan V. Gomez called for the League of Nations to pressure Germany to
leave Surinam and the Dutch Antilles. He placed Venezuelan military units on alert readying
them for action in Surinam, Aruba and the Dutch Antilles.
"Normally, the military would not make such moves public, but in this case, it is hope that our
public position will help resolve the situation." President Gomez told the media, "Germany has
conquered both the Netherlands and the Czech Republic within the past three months, and they
also landed soldiers in
Dutch possessions, including Surinam and Dutch possessions in the Caribbean basin, an area of
particular interest to Venezuela.
"The timing of these events seems timed to allow no one else to react to the German conquest.
They planned this entire affair out, possibly three to six months before it happened. We don't
want to fight Germany, however, if it comes to that, we will fight, and we will call upon our
neighbors and friends to join us."
The German Foreign Ministry had no response.
CHIEF HEALTH OFFICIAL CHOSEN
President Juan Gomez today announced the selection of Dr. Roberto Eubanks to the post of
Minister of Health and Mental Services. President Gomez said that Dr. Eubanks will be
responsible to bring better sanitary conditions and health services to Venezuela.
The government has not unveiled or funded any new initiatives in this area. It's expected that
President Gomez will do so in the 1925 budget.
The biggest obstacle facing Venezuela is the lack of trained personnel to provide health services
to the people. There is a great shortage in physicians and nurses coupled with the lack of
hospitals. With a 1% university graduation rate, it's not likely that this shortage will clear up any
time in the future.
GOMEZ CONDEMNS USA
President Juan Gomez released the following state regarding the U.S. occupation of Honduras.
"General Tiburcio Carias Andino was brought to power by the guns of the United States military
seeking to protect the stranglehold that United Fruit Company has over the nation. President
Coolidge seeks to preserve American hegemony over Central America in order to exploit its
natural resources. I call upon the United States to withdraw its troops out of Honduras and allow
the Honduran people to decide their future."
UP THE ORINOCO
The Roman Catholic Church is gradually regaining that position of eminent domain in
Venezuela, which it enjoyed before Simon Bolivar drove Spain down the Orinoco and cast her
out upon the Atlantic.
Hundreds of miles from the delta of the Orinoco and far inland from the sunny town of Caracas,
are innumerable Indians who have staunchly resisted all white ingress. Under Spanish rule,
Catholic missions were to be found along the river for nearly 1,000 miles, but they were
abandoned.
Recently the Vatican appointed a Papal nuncio to Venezuela, one Felipe Cortesi, a brilliant
young Italian. He was given ambassadorial rank. He became, forthwith, dean of the diplomatic
corps at Caracas. He recently opened a Jesuit College, the first to be permitted since Bolivar
revolted. Working in accord with Government, he is rapidly reestablishing the ancient missions.
Last month, it was determined that the Government should furnish most of the requisite cash,
and the Church would furnish Franciscan friars to regenerate the wilderness. The Franciscans
will teach agriculture as well as religion in their attempt to civilize the Indians neglected by the
State.
Venezuela nominally guarantees freedom of worship, but accepts Roman Catholicism as its
official religion and contributes to its support. Protestant work is inconspicuous.
WHO IS JUAN V. GOMEZ
Juan Vicente Gómez was born in the mountain state of Tachira and had virtually no formal
education. He started to work as a cowboy, and within a few years, he was the owner of a
substantial landed property in his native state. He had also become involved in the turbulent local
politics of his region.
In politics Gómez associated himself with another Tachira native, Cipriano Castro, who led
contingents in several civil wars of the last decades of the 19th century. When Castro organized,
from exile in Colombia, an invasion of his homeland, Gómez accompanied him in the effort, and
when it was successful and Castro became president of Venezuela, Gómez was rewarded with
the vice presidency.
Although Gómez had already acquired an extensive reputation as a plotter and schemer, Castro
was injudicious enough to go to Europe for medical attention in 1908. Gómez promptly seized
power and told the President not to return. From then until his death, Gómez completely
dominated the government, although he served as president only part of the time.
During Gómez's regime oil was discovered and began to be exploited on a large scale. The first
oil well was brought in 1914, and during the next decade and a half there was a frantic scramble
for concessions by the big international oil companies. Gómez bargained astutely with these
firms, perhaps more to his own advantage than to that of Venezuela. By the 1920s the country
had become one of the world's major oil producers, and the finances of the Venezuelan
government were expanding.
A man of marked native shrewdness and utter ruthlessness, Gómez took advantage of this
change to build up what was said at the time to be the largest fortune in South America, while
treating Venezuela largely as his personal plantation.
With the increased government revenues Gómez paid off the whole foreign debt of the republic;
he mounted an appreciable road-building program in the interior; and he modernized the
armament of the military, upon whom he largely depended for his continuance in power. In the
meantime, his regime was so arbitrary that Gómez became widely known as the "tyrant of the
Andes." Opponents were ruthlessly eliminated by being put in jail, where they were frequently
tortured or killed. Thousands of people fled into exile to avoid the wrath of the regime.
Power remained essentially in the hands of the rude mountain folk who had descended upon the
capital at the turn of the century. The Venezuelan army was top-heavy with generals who had
won their rank by loyalty to Gómez and shared with him the proceeds from the exploitation of
the country. They were allowed to seize land and other goods so long as they did not challenge
the dictator. Gómez himself acquired plantations all over the country and was reported to have
actually assigned various army units to cultivate a number of these on his behalf. He
munificently endowed many of the scores of children whom he was reported to have sired during
his long bachelor life.
There have been numerous plots against the Gómez regime. On several occasions, invasions
were mounted by oppositionists from such offshore islands as Trinidad and Curaçao. In May
1924 university students in Caracas revolted and stormed the presidential palace - where Gómez
seldom stayed - but were finally suppressed. However, none of these attempts to oust the dictator
have been successful.
Gomez has undoubtedly given Venezuela a prolonged period of economic growth and relative
political stability, but the price has been freedom.
SUN PUTS DOWN REBELLIONS
With the loss of 30,000 troops, but no divisions, Sun Yat-sen restored order in South China. The
rebels were crushed in a sweeping campaign through central China by troops led by Chiang Kaishek. Many of the rebels were killed, but others fled to Northern China to escape Chiang. 90,000
rebels were killed.
BOSE TAKES RAJPUTANA
Warlord Bose led three Nationalist divisions in Rajputana to overthrow the Maharajah of
Rajputania. His task was made easy by a popular uprising amongst the Rajput clans that wished
to throw in with Hindustan. Each of the major cities fell without any real opposition and the
Rajput army of four divisions pledged their loyalty to the Hindustan.
The Maharajah and his family fled south to the safety of British held India. Prime Minister
Austen Chamberlain told the House of Commons, "This shall not stand".
NEHRU JOINS BOSE GOVERNMENT
Jawaharlal Nehru, leader of the Congress Party, had joined the Bose government in Calcutta as
its foreign minister. This symbolized that a alliance had been formed between the Bose's
Nationalists and the more peaceful Congress Party, thereby unifying all of North India in
common purpose to defeat the British.
Bose has called for an All-India Congress to be convened in Calcutta in October to decide the
new nation's future. It's unclear how the make-up of this Congress would be determined.