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100 Years Ago | 20 July 1918

On this day a century ago, these were some of the news items The Statesman readers got to read about India and the world

100 Years Ago | 20 July 1918

OCCASIONAL NOTE

The fact that a General Election is prophesied for so long ahead as November suggests that the report may be accurate, although it may be supposed that an immense amount still remains to be done before an election under the new Act is possible.

The new voters alone number some eight millions, of whom some six millions are women. The constituencies are being remodelled. All members of his Majesty’s combatant and auxiliary forces are to exercise the vote wherever they are.

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A General Election according to the old style was a sufficient upheaval. All that will be involved in a General Election according to the new style remains to be seen. It is difficult to see what political principle can come into play and the voting will therefore probably resolve itself into a referendum on whether the war is to continue – a point on which 95 per cent of the population, male and female, are known to favour the affirmative.

The only argument in favour of a General Election is that the present House of Commons is nearly nine years old. But in circumstances such as these the House of Commons is of less importance than the executive, to whom the nation gladly entrusts a good deal more authority than any executive can be induced to exercise.

The danger is lest a majority snatched at a “khaki” election may, after the peace, be wrested to political uses. Most people will consider that this disadvantage of a war time election far outweighs any conceivable advantage which can flow from it.

NATIONAL LIBERAL LEAGUE

The National Liberal League have employed a number of agents for the purpose of explaining to the people in the mofussil of Bengal the main proposals and recommendations formulated by the Viceroy and the Secretary of State for India in connection with constitutional reforms.

These agents have also been authorised to lend a helping hand to people in the mofussil for the establishment of a number of union committees and co-operative credit banks in important centres of rural population where they have not been yet established.

The League have also issued a circular letter to all members of the Bengal Council and Chairmen of all District Boards and Municipalities, requesting them to press for the inclusion of a provision in the Primary Education Bill making it obligatory upon all local bodies to ear-mark a definite and large proportion of their expenditure on education for the education of girls.

GENERAL GOURAUD S CLEVER DEFENCE

Yesterday’s accounts show that the battle-front is shrinking and is now twenty-five as compared with fifty miles at the outset. Correspondents are most enthusiastic over General Gouraud’s methods east of Rheims in lightly holding the Moronvillers massif with scattered machine-gunners, who discharged their task very heroically, often paying the supreme sacrifice.

Some of these posts were skillfully hidden in deep dugouts surrounded by barbed wire and were able to accommodate six men with provisions and ammunition for a week.

The machine-gun was raised and lowered by a lever, the gunner sitting on a platform on the top with only his head and the gun barrel protruding. There were numerous concrete blockhouses on the crests of the hills.

Thus a handful of machine-gunners were able to hold up waves of assault for hours and inflict most terrible losses. Many were surrounded and resisted to the last. Others cut their way back at the point of the bayonet.

SILVER FROM AMERICA

The Pioneer understands that since the commencement of the present month three steamers have arrived in India, each bringing a large amount of American silver, the total aggregating to well over thirty million ounces, or enough to coin upwards of ten crores of rupees.

These form only the initial instalments of the amount secured, which will all arrive in due course, enabling the mints to keep up a continuous coinage programme.

Though the mints have been handicapped in the last two or three weeks by the influenza epidemic which broke out first at Bombay and then at Calcutta the stocks of rupees actually coined in the Paper Currency Reserve continue to show steady improvement.

BLOW ELSEWHERE POSSIBLE

Authoritative quarters in London advise caution in predicting the course of events on the Western front.

Undoubtedly the German attack on the 15th was intended to bring off a great strategic success, but as this has not materialised it is not improbable that they will utilise the large number of divisions still in reserve to deliver an even more powerful blow elsewhere.

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