Evening star., 1924-12-31
Foreign Affairs

With the aid OF the Liberals IN
Parliament, the Labor government or
Great Britain functioned through
most of the year 1t took office on
January % with Ramsay Macdonald
as prime minister. Its policies were
fairly moderate, but several of its
bills were beaten, notably those for
the aid of the poor ana for the ma
tionalization of mines. 1t did not re-
sign because no party then had
majority in Parliament. However,
the people rebelled against the
treaties with Soviet Russia, which
Macdonald negotiated, and on Oc-
tober s the House of Commons refused
him q vote of confidence. Parliament
was at once prorogued and the gen.
eral election set for october 70. AT
the polls the Conservatives won an
overwhelming victory, getting Alb of
the els seats in the House. The
Liberal party seemed almost wiped
out and the Laborites suffered heavy
losses Stanley Baldwin was selected
to be prime minister again and on
November his government took
office.
Choice of Foreign
Minister Pleases Paris.
To the great relief of France.
Austen Chamberlain was made for
eign secretary instead of Lord Cur
zon. Winston Churchill, a free trader
and determined foe of socialism, was
named chancellor of the exchequer
A sensational episode of the campaign
was the publishing of the 'Zinovieff
letter" purporting to be directions
from the head of the Third Inter
rationale to English communists. to
prepare for revolution. 1t was re-
pudiated by the Soviet government as
an "impudent forgery" and an apol-
ogy was demanded. Macdonald said
he believed it authentic and 80 did
the Baldwin government. But little
later some monarchists were arrested
in Berlin on the charge of forging
and sending out this and other similar
documents for the purpose of stirring
up trouble.
England's most serious trouble in
ternally continued to be unemploy-
ment. This increased through the
year, and so, unfortunately, did the
cost of living. In February there
was a great dockers' strike which
threatened to cut off most of the
countrys food supplies. But, through
the efforts of Macdonald and his col
leagues, it was soon settled.
French Change
Government Twice.
EdHCt HeT government
twice. Premier Poincare was not in
sympathy with the movement to re-
store friendly relations with Ger
many, and on June / he resigned.
Francois Marsal formed ministry
which lasted only a few days, and
then President Millerand also gave up
his office. The radical Socialists
who are not SO radical there as in
some countries-took charge and
made Edouard Herriot premier, after
Castor Domergue had been elected
President. On September 80 France
turned out a balanced budget for the
first time in 10 years.
Austria in November lost the inyal-
uable services of her chancellor, Mgr.
Seipel, who resigned because of a
general railway strike for higher
wages and other unsatisfactory con-
ditions due largely to the greedy
profiteers of Vienna. He was sue
ceeded by Rudolph Ramek. At one
time or another during the year the
governments of Japan, Belgium, AL
bania, South Africa, Jugoslavia, Fin
land and Portugal also changed
hands.
Greece went further than that
VeniZelos formed a ministry in Jan
uary, was succeeded by Karfandaris
in February, and he was followed by
Papanastasion in March. y On March
% the assembly, ignoring the pro-
tests of Great Britain, voted to de-
pose the Glucksbourg dynasty and
established a republic, subject to d
plebiscite. The people voted in favor
of the republic on April l3 and the
royal family went into exile.
Lenin's Death
Occurs January Fl.
Nikolai Lenin, the master mind Of
Soviet Russia, who had been inca
pacitated for a long time, died on
January 81 and Alexis 1. Rykov was
chosen to succeed him as premier.
The funeral or Leain WAS an ex-