REVIEW OF THE . EVENTS0F1924 ' ? f w .; Chief Happenings of the Past Twelve Months at Home and in Other Lands. DAWES PLAN IN EFFECT Europe on the Way to Economic Ro? covery? Brltieh Labor Govern mont Overthrown?Republicans Win Groat Victory In Ameri can Eloction?Flight of Army > , Planes Around World. By EDWARD W. PICKARD Many events of great moment marked the year 1924. First of these In importance undoubtedly was the formulation, adoption and putting into operation of the Dawes plan for the , payment of German reparations and Indirectly the financial and economic regeneration of that country and Eu rope generally. The success of this scheme means much for the entire civ ilized world. Having been devised mainly by Americans, It adds to the prestige of America. Wars were few and not especially Important internationally. The out standing ones were the civil war for the control of the government of China, tbe attempt of Spain to con quer the rebellious tribesmen of Mo rocco, the suppression of a rebellion in Mexico and a long drawn-out revo / lutlonary movement lb Brazil. There were also several of the alway?-to-be expected internecine conflicts in Cen tral America. On the whole Mars bad rather an idle year. For a time the alarmists talked of war between the United States and Japan over the Japanese exclusion clause in tbe new American immigration law, but the crisis was passed safely, for the time at least. Great Britain experienced the nov elty of being under a Labor govern ment which was fairly successful until ' It got tangled up with tbe Russian Soviets, whereupon it was ousted, the Conservatives winning the parliamen tary elections by large majorities. Stanley Baldwin again became prime minister. During the first quarter of the year the soviet government of Russia won recognition from almost every important country except the United States, but the soviet leaders continued to recede from their Bol shevik principles. Socialists captured the government of France and Herriot became premier. President Mustapha Kemal of Turkey and Dictator Musso lini of Italy were subjected to severe attacks from political opponents and were forced to more liberal attitudes. In the United States the biggest event of the year was the national election, together with the sensational Democratic convention which resulted In the nomination of John W. Davis and Cbarles \V. Bryan, and ?!?? inder pendent candidacy of P?w.ior LaFol lette and Senator Wbeeler on a radi cal platform. Despite the oil reserve scandal that had laid the Republican administration open to attack, the voters of the land, by a plurality of about 10,000,000, decided that Calvin Coolidge should continue in tbe presi dential office, with Charles Gates Dawes as vice president. During the lobg months of the campnign business In the United States had languished, but immediately after the election it revived rapidly, and at the same time there began a considerable boom In securities on the stock exchanges. INTERNATIONAL AF FAIRS When the year began the matter of German reparations was still foremost among the problems awaiting settle ment. The commission of experts ap pointed by the reparations commission and headed by Gen. Charles G. Dawes of America began Its work January 14 with the examination of Germany's ca pacity to pay. It functioned rapidly and with precision, formulated what has been known as the Dawes plan, and submitted Its report on April 9. Two days later this was accepted by tbe reparations commission, and on April 15 It was approved by the Ger man and British governments. Bel gium, Italy and Japan accepted it on April 26, but France, mainly for po litical. reasons, withheld approval for the time being. On July 15. Owen D. Young of Sun Francisco ac cepted the position of fiscal agent of the Dawes plan, and the same day the allied premiers met In London to dis cuss the operation of the scheme Later they Invited Germany to send a delegation, and the conference result ed in complete agreement. France promised to evacuate the Ruhr within a year, and almost immediately began , to get her military and civil forces out of the region. The London agreement wqs ratified by the parliaments, the German reichstag passed the hills nec essary for the operation of the plan and the pact mis formally signed on August 30. It was the only scheme vet put forward upon which tbe various nations could agree, and Its adoption was hailed-the world over as the be ginning of the recuperation of Europe from the disastrous effects of the war. Germany began making payments under the Ihiwes plan on September 2. Next da.V Seymour I'arker Gilbert, a young American financial expert, was appointed ugent general of repa rations. and on October 10 the big loan to Germany was offared to the J*orld. It was ptoinpily heavily over subscribed in moat countrle*. German industry responded instantly and the smooth and efficient operation of the Dawes plan seemed assured. Several attempts were made during the year to forward the further reduc tion of armaments by agreement, but nothing definite was accomplished un til September, when Prime Minister MacDonald of Great Britain submit .ted tor the League of Nation# his plan for an international agreement for se curity, arbitration and disarmament. The discussion was heated, and Japan refused to adhere because the plan prohibited wars based on internal poli cies of nations. Her delegates did not conceal the fact that they were re ferring especially to the Japanese ex clusion clause of the American Immi gration law, which already had caused protests from Tokyo and boycotts and threats against Americans In Japan. They insisted the agreement must pro vide that any nation might ask the league to arbitrate Internal affairs of anv other nation, and the league as sembly yielded to them and adopted the protocol with snch amendment. Assent of the legislative bodies of all member nations of course was requi site, rind as time went on it became evident this could not be obtained. The British parliament, It was be lieved, wns almost certain not to agree since Canada, Australia and New Zea land were bitterly opposed. In October Great Britain and Tur key were at swords' points over the old Mosul oil fields dispute, but they submitted the matter to the League of Nations council, which ordered the status quo be maintained for the pres ent. 1 Sir Lee Stack, sirdar of the Egyp tian army and governor general of the Sudan* was murdered by Egyptian na tionalists in November. The British government, swiftly moving warships and troops to strategic positions, de manded an apology. Indemnity of $2, 300,000, punishment of the assassins, and, most Important, concessions con cerning the Sudan and the great irri gation project there. Premier Zagloul Pasha resigned and Zlwar, his suc cessor yielded to all the demands. The root of the trouble was the control of the Sudan, which was claimed by both nations. ? , Great Britain's war debt to the Unit ed States was funded on a basis gen erally satisfactory, and late In the year France began negotiations to fund her debt to us. The British government at once announced that If France or any other nation that was In debt to Brit ain paid the United States, she would expect to receive payment from them in proportion. This checked the pro ceeedings for the time. Poland already had arranged for the funding of her American debt. 1 The Irish Free State registered with the League of Nations the treaty wit^ England by which it was granted its measure of Independence, but in De cember the British government pro tested against this action, asserting that the league had nothing to do with arrangements between sections of the British empire. I FOREIGN AFFAIRS > With the aid of the Liberals in par liament, the Labor government of Great Britain functioned through most rtf the year. It took office on January 22 with Ramsay MacDonald as prime minister. Its policies were fairly mod erate, but several of Its bills were beaten, notably those for the aid of the poor and for the nationalization of mines. It did not resign because no party then had a majority In parlia ment. However, the people rebelled against the treaties with soviet Rus sia which MacDonald negotiated, and on October 8 the house of commons refused him a vote of confidence. Par liament was at once prorogued and the general election set for October 29. At the polls the Conservatives won an overwhelming victory, getting 413 of the 015 seats'In the house. The Liberal party seemed almost wiped out and the Laborltes suffered heavy Iossi's. Stanley Baldwin was selected to be prime minister again and on No vember C his government took office. To the great relief of France, Austen Chamberlain was made foreign secre tary Instead of I^ord Curzon. Winston Churchill, a free trader and deter mined foe of socialism, was namt-il chancellor of tlie exchequer. $?. 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 threat ened to cut off most of the country's food supplies. But through the efforts of MacDonald and his colleagues It was soon settled. France changed her government twice. Premier Poincare was not in sympathy with the movement to re store friendly relations with Germany, and on June 1 he resigned. Francois Marsal formed a ministry which lasted only a few days, and then President Mlllerand also gave up his office. The radical Socialists?who are not so radical there as In some countries took charge and made Edouard Her riot premier, after Gaston Domergue had been elected President. On Sep tember 30 France turned out a bal anced budget for the first time In ten years. > ... Austria in November lost the Inval uable services of h?r chancellor. Mgr. Selpel, who resigned because of a gen eral railway strike for higher wages and other unsatisfactory conditions due largely to the greedy profiteers of Vienna. He was succeeded by Ru dolph Ramek. At one time or another during the year the governments of Japan. Belgium. Albania. South Africa. Xjugo-Slavia. Finland and Portugal also changed hands. Greece went further than that.' Venlzelos formed a minis try In January, was succeeded by Far ? v- , '? \ ? fandaria In February, and be was fol lowed by Papanastaslon In March. On March 25 the assembly, Ignoring the protests of Great ^itata, voted t0 de* pose the Glnckaboorg dynasty and es tablish a republic, subject ta a plebis cite. The people voted In favor of the republic on April 13 and the royal family went Into exile. Nlcolal Leoln. the master mind of soviet,Russia, who badIncapacitate for a ' hmg time, died on January 21 and Alexis I. Rykov was chosen to succeed him as prenfler. The funeral of Lenin was an extraordinary demonstration and his tomb has become the national shrine. The Turkish assembly voted on March 3 to depose the caliph and abol ish the caliphate and next day the caliph left for Swltxerland. President Mustapha Kemal worked hard for the prosperity of his country, bnt his dic tatorial methods brought about a pow erful combination of his opponents that gave him much trouble. In No vember this group forced the resigna tion of Premier Ismet Pasha, the Pres ident's right-hand man; he was suc ceeded by Fethl Bey. Arabia's radical religionists, the Wahabls, under Ibn Saud r^rolted against the rule of King Hussein of the Hedjaz and that monarch abdi cated on October 3 at the demand of the citizens of Mecca and Jeddah. Emir All, his son, was put on the throne, but had no better success than his father, for In the middle of Octo ber Wahabls occupied Mecca. Germany's relchstag was dissolved March 13 and a hot campaign ensued, the Nationalists planning to restore the monarchy. In the elections the Social Democrats easily won. The cabinet of Chancellor Marx resigned May 27, but he was retained In office. Again In October the relchstag was dissolved, Marx having failed to re organize the ministry satisfactorily. Thereupon hk cut loose entirely from the Nationalise.' New elections were held December 7. On November 7 the German budget was balanced for the first time since the war. The relchs tag elections came on December 7 and the three parties supporting the repub lic and the Dawes plan won the most seats. -''However, Chancellor Marx found It so difficult to form a new cabi net that he nnd his ministers resigned on December 15, carrying on until their successors could be chosen. The FasclstI won the Italian elec tions on April 6, but the tide against Fascism rose steadily. Slg. Matteottl. a Socialist deputy, was kidnaped and! murdered by FasclstI In June and Pre mier Mussolini faced a crisis which he survived only by the most energetic action. He dissolved the national ml lltla nnd reorganized his government, and Some of his prominent supporters were ousted. His opponents were kepi fairly quiet until November when, confronted by another attack In par liament. Mussolini frankly admitted the faults of the Fascists and prom ised to punish their excesses and to , ? In August: George Shlras. formei Justice of United States Suprem court; Joseph Conrad, author. In En* land; ex-Senator C. E. Townsend ol Michigan; Mary Stuart Cutting, dot ellst; Mrs. Joseph JefTerson, widow of the actor; Dr. Richard Green Moulton, educator; Senator LeBaron B. Colt of Rhode Island; Mrs. Lucy Page Gas ton, anti-cigarette crusader: Charles B. Lewis ("M. Quad"), humorist; Adoiph Seeman, pioneer circus man; Julia Relnhardt, actress. In September: Edward F. Geers noted harness driver; Darlo Rest* automobile racer; Maria T. Dar/ess, author; Frank Chance, noted baseball player and mnnager; Charles Zeublin, educator; ex-Gov. W. L. Douglas of Massachusetts; J. W. Schaeberie, as tronomer; James Carruthers, "wheat king" of Canada; ex-Senator R. J. Gamble of South Dakota; Congress man W. R. Greene of Massachusetts; Brig. Gen. C. E. Sawyer, President Harding's physician; Estrada Cabrera, ex-President of Guatemala; Charlotte Crabtree (Lotta), veteran actress; E L. Bridgeman, New York publisher. In October: Sir William Price, C? nadian capitalist; ex-Gov. Warren Garst of Iowa; Dr. W. A Shanklln, educator; Charles L. Hutchinson, Chi cago hanker and art patron; Anatole France, dean of French letters; E. L Larkln, astronomer; Dr. L. C. Seelye first ^president of Smith college; Sens tor Frank Brandegee of Connecticut H. H. Kolhsaat, former Chicago new* paper publisher; Admiral Sir Percj Scott. British gunnery expert; K Wight Neumann, impressarlo; ex-Gor. H. A. Buchtel of Colorado; John E Wright, Journalist; Secretary of Api culture Henry C. Wallace; Laura Jm? Llbbey, novelist; Lew Dockstuder, minstrel; Percy D. Haughton, t?ot' ball authority; Gen. W. B. HaMem^ commander of United Confederate Veterans; James B. Forgan, Chicago banker; Edward Bell, American diplo mat ; W. E. Lewis, publisher Ne* York Telegraph; T. C. Harbaugh. au thor of Nick Carter stories; France* Hodgson Burnett, author. In November: Kal Neilson, Danlsf sculptor; T. E. Cornish, first president of Bell Telephone company; ex-Sena tor Cornelius ^ Cole of California. Ferdinand Peck, pioneer Chicago. Gabriel Faure, French composer; Gen. Alison Mills; Senator Henry CaW Lodge of Massachusetts; ex-Gov. ?? K. Kltohln of North Carolina ; IW* dent- Samuel Plantz of Lawrence col lege, Appleton, Wis.; E. S. Montagu English Statesman; E. E. Ri?. ,tie" atrical producer; Mrs. J. P. Morgan. Sr.; A. N. McKay, editor Salt L*" Tribune; Cardinal Logue of Ireland Thomas H. Ince, moving picture ducer; Gen. Sir Lee Stack, Sirdar & Egyptian army; Mrs. Warren G. ing; C. S. Falrchild, former secrets* of the treasury; Duke of Beauf*"1, Glacomo Puccini, Itallap '?omp<-ser. * In December: Clpriano Castro, f* mer dictator of Venezuela; Mrs. Strattotf Porter, novelist; W. C. I*1"0"* former president New York Cen,nl Bishop H. J. Alerdlng of Fort Wa?* Ind.; William C. Relck, journalist Chief Grand Rabbi Isaac Friedman ' Vienna, In New York; Mahlon Pi,Dt\ former justice of the U. S. Sup'*'"' court; August Belmont, financier sportsman ; Edward Holslpg, Auiej"'0, artist; Samuel Compere, preside0 American Federation of Labor; gressman T. F. Appleby of N?xV J , sey; Martin F. Glynn, former gover?' Vpw York. 1326. Western Newapaper Un?f 1