FRENCH CRISIS..
RESIGNATION OF HERRIOT GOVERNMENT.
A DIFFICULT SITUATION.
(THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.)..
[RETTER'S AMERICAN SERVICE.1
IN AMERIÇA, «
THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, FRIDAY, JULY 23RD
New Yoxx, July-lat A sensational rumour that the Banque de-France might be forced-te-suspend payments to-morrow on account of the Note circulation having reached its legal maximum, caused a sharp break in the Stock Market. Towards the close scores of prices broke from two to eight points. French frane lost half its earlier gain of 20 points.
(THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.]
"AN EMERGENCY "COMMITTEES"
Paris, July and
BRITISH LOSSES.
GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS CLAIMS AGAINST THE SOVIET.
[BRITISH-WIRELESS-BARVICK}
1926
LABOUR VICTORY.
MISS MARGARET BONDFIELD -WINS-BYE-ELECTION.
THROUGH REUTER'S AGENCY.]
LONDON, July 9nd." The bye-election due to the resignation In the House of Commons, Sir Auster of Sir Patrick Hastings, resulted as
follows:
BUGAY, July 21st.
H. Poineare's Government will most likely be-in-the-nature of ad Emergency Committee, composed of only half-a-dozen Ministers. The "aight sitting of the Chamber adopted the Bill authorising the Finance Minister to arrange an agree-Chamberlain stated that British subjects Pania. July 21st.
ment with the Banque, under which thu had lodged claims for arrest by the Excitement in the lobbies of the cham-The
Minister will return to the Banque the Soviet Government subsequent to the currencies held by the Treasury, and also anding at Vladivostock, Ormanak or Eer is more intense even than yesterday. The feature of the situation has been the The rumour persisted for the whole authorising an increase in the limit of Archangel of British naval or military tendency for a further splitting of the afternoon and was supported-by-faring-the-note-issue by n sum corresponding to forces, and the British Government was parties, A Tueeting of the Radical-headlines in some of the evening papers. the sale currencies which will be carried supporting these claims when the settle- ment of outstanding questions was being Socialista" to-day formed an inter-party Finally a press despatch from Faris ex-
negotiated with the Soviet Government. group to promote the idea of a Ministry plained that the report was due to the of National Union. The Socialists have mis-interpretation of M. Demonzie's not yet, decided to support M. Herriat announcement. and it is even suggested that the Govern." ment may be unable to appear in Parlia ment because it is unable to count on all the support of which it was assured.
WALL STREET PLUNGING.
EW YORK, July 21st. Remembering the debacle of the German mark, speculators on Wall Street were uneasy in the morning and continued plunging in the frane although In the presence of a packed Chamber the latter soon rallied on streng buying
NEW MINISTRY'S DECLARATION.
PARIS, July 21st
M. Herriot read a Ministerial-declara-supporti tion stating that the Government had
Cables from Paris say that Frenchmen immediately concentrated its attention are eagerly changing francs into Amori
can securities. A further unsettling element was the "result of the stock market, which has been strong for some weeks, becoming hesitant, as traders adopted a watching attitude to see who French administration ther the new would be able to improve the situation.
on the financial problem. Immense difficulties were looming ahead and the Government would consider it accessary to meet these difficulties, even the most pressing, in close conjunction with Par. liament. "France intends paying the debts she contracted in defence of liberty and, we absolutely refused to resort to any increase in the limit of our Note circulation and we reserve to ourselves absolute independence. Our object is to stabilise the franc."
The declaration had a very cold recep-
tion.
out
-THE-FRANC.
LONDON, July 31st. French franca closed at 219 and Belgian" at 213..
PARIS, July 2nd.
The Senate has adopted the Bill sub mitted by M Demonzie.
Parliament rogs at 3.10 this morning. The remainder of the Morgan Loan, which the Finance "Ministry will band
over to the Banque de France amounts to $23,000,000, and it is now possible that the Treasury will meet the obligations of the current month without resort to
infetion.
FRANC LATEST. QUOTATION.
LATER.
"
DISARMAMENT.
POSITION IN GERMANY NOT CON- SIDERED SATISFACTORY
RUGBY, July 21st-
In the House of Commons, Mr. Rennie Smith (Labour) asked what was the nature of the Note which had been re- cently addressed by General Walsh, Head of the Inter-Allied Military Control.Com. mission to Germany, on the subject of German armaments.
Sir Austen Chamberlain said that in view of recent reports which had appear. ed in the press on this subject, he had taken the opportunity of making en- Francs opened at 909 and now are quiries as to the facts of the case. The result had been what he had anticipated--- 913).
that no Note. of a special character had PARIS, July 2nd.been sent by the Military Control Com-
mission.
TOURISTS HIS8ZD,
The temper of the crowd surging round the Chamber of Depaties last night was
AMERICAN UNEASINESS.
New Yoak, July 21st. In view of the fall of the frane and the prominence given in the press to war debt controversies the eyes of the Ameri-indicated by the fact that when the down- can public are focussed on Europe, espe- fall of the Herriott Government was known shouts were raised "To the cially France. Uneasiness is increasing
shambles," Off with their heads, and with regard to the outcome of France's
other insulting cries.. difficulties while the newspapers give pro- minence to reports of anti-American demonstrations in France and anti- American feeling in England.
The Ministerial Declaration says that the Government's programmé is based on
On the contrary cheers were raised for the conviction that the country ought to resources.
Polacare, Maginot and Franklin Bouillon, itself with its Own
while, two Communist" deputies were France intends to pay the debts the con-
The American press hitherto has been greeted with howls of execration tracted for the defence of liberty to the extent and in the form in which she will remarkably moderate in tone armpathis-One-had-his-hat-barbed in and bia
walking stick taken.. be certain to be able to keep the undering with Europe's difficulties but the takings she makes. Foreign Securitier held outside France by Frenchmen must be repatriated. The Government intends to prepare a foal return to freedom of capital by the fresh offer of an amnesty, refusal of which will be punished with severe penalties. Taxation will be re arranged in a more equitable manner and expenditure.be reduced.
"POINCARE COMBINATION POSSIBLE
man in the street is of opinion that France does not want to pay.
Mr. Rennie Smith: May we take it that the conditions of disarmament in Germany are satisfactory ↑
COAL FOR BRITAIN.
HUGE QUANTITY IMPORTED
FROM ABROAD,
- Ruan, July 21st. Colonel Lane Fox, Secretary for Mines, stated in the House of Commons that 1,345,000 tons of imported coal arrived There was another storm when --r- charabane full of tourists appeared Theat British ports between July 1st and visitors were greeted with boos and hisses. A man leaped on to the running- board, and was only prevented from an Mr, apparent attempt at violence by the
police.
The Treasury has issued a statement amounting to a fiat contradiction of Mr. Churchill's figures of British expendi fure in the United States during the war. Some politicians accuse Mellon of excessive generosity in debt settlements, particularly the Italian debt.
RIVAL AMERICAN VIEWE
LONDON, Jaly 21st.
Europe naked and shivering in a barrel Despite talk of dictatorships and re- while Mellon is cosily wrapped in clothes volutions and evidences of rising anti-consisting of War Debt settlements and American and in a lesser degree anti-
banknotes, blandly remarking "You may British feeling among Parisians, autho- ritative French circles in London do not consider sensational developments likely in France. They believe the Herriot Cabinet cannot last and that a Poincare
17th..
(THROUGH REUTER'S, AGENCY.] WUCHOW BLOCKADE. LABOUR QUESTIONS IN THE
COMMONS.
M. Herriot was. booted and catcalled by a large party assembled in the neigh-
LONDON, July 21st.. bourhood of the Elysee as he motored
Sir Austen Chamberlain, replying in there, to hand in his resignation to the House of Commons to a question by Doumergue.
Mise Margaret Bondfeld (Labour), 18,968 Howard (Conservative), 9,839;
Curry (Liberal), 4,000,
FINANCE BILL.
THIRD READING PASSES THE COMMONS.
LONDON, July 1st.
GENERAL IGNORANCE.
-AN-AMERIQAN UNIVERSITY TEST.
The general knowledge craze has spread to America, writes L. E. Emery in the Wertminster Gazette--At-the-Instigation of the New Republic a well-known New York weekly, a questionnaire was set to a hundred students, drawn from various years, of a large University. Seven of these were foreigners, two of whom ware at the bead of the list in the answaring. Here are a few samples of the type of question set- -Why was Plato-great-What-was-bis
nationality In what century did he. livet Is he alive or dead?
Only five students answered correctly. Fifteen wroto nothing and eighty gave wrong answers. It was averred that In the House of Commons, the Finan-Plato was Greek mathematician and cial Bill was road a third time and passed. A Labour amendment for its rejection was defeated by 394 votes to 117.
THE INDIAN RIOT.
POLICE AGAIN FIRE ON THE CROWDS.
CALCUTTA, July 91st. After the lull due to the severe storm, the disorders broke out afresh this morn ing, rapidly spreading until the police were obliged to are at the crowds in a number of places:
Eventually the situation was got under control, but up to the time this message was sent six persons had been killed and thirty-three seriously wounded.
THE EARTH'S CONQUERORS. NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS.
At the anniversary banquet of the
that he was a philosopher of the cigh- teenth century. Only one student admit- ted to having read Plato's Republic.
The same questions in relation to Napoleon were productive of a hundred per cent. correct answering. Kant fared badly seventy-three students having not even heard of his existence. Fifty-six knew something about Martin Luther. but the remainder provided such replies as A dead politician. "A peacher," The Founder of the English Church."
THE UNKNOWN RUSSIANS. The questionnaire made little attempt The to discover profound learning. questions were such as required-only a superficial, acquaintance with matters that make up the cultural equipment of the average' educated man. For example, it was demanded of the students to men- tion several Russian writers. This would. seem an easy task, yet only forty of the bundred could attempt an answer. Twenty-eight gave only one name- Tolstoy, whilst the rest put down as Russians Nietzsche, Balzac, Maupassant, and Joseph Conrad.
The American undergraduate is similar- ly deficient in geography. The Vatican, for example, is treasported to Yersailles and to Florence, and some vandals have shifted the Parthenon to Paris and In another category only Jerusalem. seven out of the hundred knew the mean- ing of the word "mausoleum."
The inferente, of course, to be drawn. is that the standard of University education in America is extraordinarly low. Similar experiments here have been confined to elementäry and secondary schools. It is conceivable, however, that the answering of our own undergraduates on questions outside English affairs might startle some of us.
WHO WAS MARCONI (
A
"Sir Austen Chamberlain: I am sorry Royal Geographical Society, at the Con- naught Rooms, Londen, at which Dr. to say "No."
D. G. Hogarth, presided, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Sir Austen Chamberlain) was the principal guest.
Mr. H. AL Fisher, proposing the toast of The Society," said there was no human motive which the Royal Geo graphical Society did not successfully harness to its chariot.. Even politicians were not altogether exempt from its gentle allurements, and diplomats had contributed their quote to the erection of the great temple of geographical
It is dificult to imagine that Univer. science. Their achievements were in- and if Mount Everest ever yielded, he the answer books. It is startling to find that twenty-nine out of the hundred scribed on every quarter of the globe,sity undergraduates were responsible for ventured to predict it would be to a Fel- low of the Royal Geographical Society. examined either did not know who Cleo
patra was or described her as
"The The President responded. Referring to three expeditions in which the society Queu of Italy A famous vamp,'
A bad woman," "A princess," and was interested at the moment, he said the oldest was headed by Major Fawcett, Roman lady Marconi is written down from whom nothing had been heard since "A wise man of ancient times,"" March, 1925, when he was just on the French general," Jewish king,"
The inventor of the aeroplane." One. point of striking off into the forests of
auswer declares that he invented wireless Brazil. They could not altogether forget that he was going into a region which telegraphy, but there is some doubt as had never previously been penetrated, to whether he lived in the sixteenth or and which was known to be inhabited seventeenth century. All the students be by cannibals of a peculiarly low type and lieved Alarcon to be dead. Ninety out treacherous habits, and one could not of the hundred had never heard of Con- help feeling a certain amount of anxiety tucius and ninety-two were in a like state as to the ultimate end of that expedition. about Spinoza. Solon, confused in a The second expedition was just about to delicious howler with Salome, was de scribed as a "Jewish dancer." Faraday was an unknown quantity to eighty; depart to explore again the Eastern Coast of Greenland, a region first ex-
Isaac Newton appears as a rich plored by Englishmen 100 years ago, for
The American student has no clear ideaa even on such outstanding contemporary which the University of Cambridge was making itself responsible. The third ex- pedition being undertaken by Major Mason on behalf of the Indian Govern ment was being sent to a practically un- known part of the Himalayas. To all those expeditioners they wished, the best of luck and a safe return. (Cheers.)
Colonel Howard-Bury, leader of the 1921 Mount Everest Expedition, propós ed the toast of "The Medallists"Sir Edgeworth David (Patron's Medal), Colonel Norton (Founders Medal), and My Trevelyan asked if there was any Dr. John Ball. (Victoria Medal). When precedent for British Naval Officers using they regarded the achievements of Bir Edgeworth David as the first man to their discretion in their relations with climb Mount Erebus and to reach the dinerent parts of the United States, gave foreign Powers without reference to the magnetic pole in the Shackleton Expedi compulsory audiences in his prison cell tion, and those of Colonel Norton in in Philadelphia recently to several of his Home Government, and Sir Austen re- the Mount Everest Expedition, they need victims. His manner towards them was WASHINGTON, July 22nd.plied that happily for the British Em-have no fear for the future of the Em-ironical: One widow, Mrs. Burken, whose pire in the matter of brave deeds.jewels he had secured before the wedding pire and the peace of the world there was (Cheers.)
ceremony, was eo disconcerted by his The toast was acknowledged by the audacity that she pearly swooped. three medallists. plenty of precedent.
ONE FALSE STEP.
PARIS, July 2nd.
Mr. C. P. Trevelyan (Labour), in re gard to the closing of the port of Wuchow for ten hours on June 24th, by the British Senior Naval Officer, after reciting the facts of the caso said that His Majesty's Government still awaited fur-
keep the barrel" is the s bject of a car- The majority of the papers favour the toon in the New York World, which, information of s ministry of the National an accompanying leader, says that Chur-Union, or national safety, thereby en chill's rebuke, contained in his Commons dorsing the manifesto signed by 30ther and detailed information, but, in combination is probable later. That speech of July 19th, is humiliating and deputies, presented to M Doumergue
to
may, politically, be undesirable Britain but it is emphasised that the French Government will have enough to do to stabilise the frame without going back on Locaruq.
AN ADVERSE VOTE.
PARIS, July 1st- The Chamber has rejected a vote of con-
Adence by 290 votes to 237.
The vote followed a statement by M. Demonzie that the 38 milliard of francs which was the maximum which, the Banque de France could legally advance to the State was exhausted within sixty
millions.
LATER.
M. Demonzie subsequently announced that the figure of sixty millions as the Treasury's credit balance had now in creased to 150 millions, though it was not explained how the increase had arisen.
COLLAPSE CHEERED.
PARIS, July 21st. After the yote all the Ministers walked out, except M. Demonsie who asked the Chamber to vote immediately on the Bill Authorising the Boaque to use part of the Morgan credits to enable the State to meet its obligations.
%
1
The sitting was suspended while the Finance Committes discussed "the Bill.
Huge crowds in front of the Chamber cheered and yelled when M. Herriot's collapse was announced."
*WE FOUGHT WELL.”
LATER.
"We fought well," remarked M. Herriot late in the evening on the ter mination of his visit to the President, to whom he handed the Cabinet's resigna-
fundamentally unanswerable. The paper! adds that "Mellon with the finesse of a wild elephant" signed a public letter written probably by some bureaucrat in the Treasury, which was wrong-in facts. and nauseating in its pretensions at the generosity of the world. It concludes
yesterday.
The effect of such a Government alone would, save the country, it is asserted.
view of the instructions issued by the Canton Government that facilities should be provided, the Foreign Office was in clined to the view, that the responsibility
M. Poineare is endeavouring to enlist for the incident rested with the local the ministerial services of Briand, Sar-Chinese-authorities raut and Paul Boncour.
The Ere Nouvelle warns that whatever
Government arises, that with an empty treasury and rising public indignation, one false stop will be fatal.
NO LOANS FROM AMERICA.
that President Coolidge's debt policy is merely timid evasion to satisfy Congress. The Herald Tribune takes the other side of the Inter-Allied debt question, protesting that the transactions with the Allies were above board and carried no There is much sympathy among officials legal or moral pledge of cancellation. It declares that Britain refunded some debt regarding France's financial difficulties, as a matter of sound national policy tempered by impatience over the upsets whereby the £'s restoration, to parity bas been greatly helped and Britain's posi tion as a grea. commercial creditor nation strengthened.
FEVERISH EXCITEMENT.
LATEE.
of the Cabinet.
There is every indication that France will be informed that no loans will be forthcoming from America, with Govern- ment-sanction, until the Cabinet has a Public interest in the debate was unconfidence vote, and the Franco-American precedented in the history of the Re: Debt agreement har been retifed public Tremendous crowds gathered out, side the Palais Bourbon, shouted Dis solution!" and booed M. Herriot. There was a burst of cheers when the result of the division was announced. Police were
DUTCH TRADE.
NY PRECEDENT
British Naval Officers bad, always shown themselves most capable of using their discretion(Ministerial cheers.)
[BRITISH WIRELESS SERVICE.] THE FACTS
The facts known to the Foreign Office,
WOMAN AS MOZART.
YVONNE PRINTEMPS IN SACHA GUITRY'S PLAY.
"We used to be three, Said Sacha as related by Sir Austen Chamberlain, Guitry, Father, Yvonne and L. Now
were that after the murder of a British we are only two.” subject (Mr. J. M. Philips of the APC), three British ships were pro- ceeding, at the request of the British
requisitioned to keep order and the SOUTH AFRICA AND EAST INDIES Acting Consul General, to visit the atmosphere was one of feverish excite
ment.
SUGGESTION.
JOHANNESBURG, July 220d./
Prior to the adjournment, M. De monzie asserted that if the Chamber did not pass the bill dealing with the Morgan credita he would personally takeIt is stated that General Hertzog and the responsibility of authorising the the Finance Minister, Havenga, favour Bank to sell part of the loan in order
to save the Bank suspending payments ably view the proposals of business rela- on the Treasury's account, even if he were tons between South Africa and the afterwards arraigned by the High Court. Dutch East Indies.
M Poincare is at present a warm favourite for the Premiership.
There is every likelihood of the Union Government adopting the suggestion to At 1.30 this morning, M. Poincare cad a deputation to the East Indies to accepted the President's invitation to report the possibilities of trade, and also
shipping facilities.
· POINCARE' CONSENTS.
form a Cabinet.
LATER.
neighbourhood to investigate the cir qumstance of the crime,
new
Lucien's death, the great actor of the So, realising that the tho had lost, three, he determined to devise musical playlets in which the great sing ing abilities of his wife, Yvonne Pris temps, could be exploited.
Mozart," "brought to the Gaiety Theatre, London, is the second of these. It gives an exquisite comedy actress the chance of impersonating the voting com- poser when he was nineteen, and at his The story is most mischievous age. slight enough, that of Mozart conquering all the ladies' hearts and then being sent
The Canton Government said that they had ordered the local authorities to afford the British ships all facilities at Wuchow
However, an anti-foreign organisation which, the local Government appeared at away, first to have been unwilling or unable to Mile. Printemps, however, justified all control, caused obstruction regarding the that Paris and of her performance. A After several brilliant house admired her charming engagement of pilots. days fruitless negotiations, the Senior clothes and listened, almost with rapture, Naval Officer was obliged to rekort toto several songs, one of which, particu other measures and he took steps to close iarly, she sang with a superb artistry. the port. It proved unnecessary, said Sacha Guitry seconded his wife with Sir Austen, to stop shipping as pilots his usual skill. The curtains were most were furnished and the ships proceeded. enthusiastic.
figures as Bernard Shaw and H. G. Wells. The former is described as an
"American author" by forty-two, and the latter by twenty students as "American historian."
an
BOGUS BARON'S £200,000. CONFRONTED BY DUPED WIVES:"
The man who had included "Baron
"married" scores of wealthy women in.
Engel" among his hogus titles and had
As she was ushered into his cell the “nobleman“ zmiled, and, bowing courte ously, said, "How do you do, Mrs. Burken The woman gasped and ex- claimed, "How dare you speak to me after what you did with my jewels 1""
A New York woman, describing the prisoner's methods of courtship, said:
I was out walking when man's voice behind me said Hallo, Elsie," When I turned he appeared to be greatly confused, lifted his hat and remarked, I aan Erightfully sorry, but I thought you were Elsie Janis Will *you forgive me?" We chatted for a moment and he asked me to direct him toward the boulevard. I assumed He meant Riverside Drive and agreed to do so. He offered me 50 dollars for my service, refused, with the comment that I had money of my own
A whirlwind courtship follows, in which the fascinating foreigner. sent, the woman daily ardent notes and flowers. Later he' deserted her, but not before he had ob tained from her jewellery sufficient to compensate him for his time and outlay
Hairdressere, messenger boys, and florists all testified to the lavish expendi ture of the inan during his courtship. His tips were frequently as high as 4 Altogether he is alleged to have swindled his "wives" and fiancees out of £200,000, Yet now he is almost penniless through gambling