Today -100: May 4, 1923: Of reparations, sacred struggles, long flights, and censorship

In the least surprising news ever, France and Belgium reject Germany’s reparations offer. They insist that Germany must give up the passive resistance campaign and agree to continued occupation. And pay much more money, of course.

The French will try by court-martial 2 Germans in Castrop (in the Ruhr) for cutting off the hair of women who fraternized with French soldiers.

The All-Russian Church Council unfrocks Orthodox Patriarch Tikhon (who is in prison awaiting trial), lifts his excommunication of the Soviet government, calls him a traitor, and abolishes the office of patriarch. The Council explains that Russia is the only government fighting capitalism, which is one of the 7 deadly sins, so “its struggle is a sacred struggle.”

Britain says that when Iraq joins the League of Nations, it will be given its independence (this will indeed happen, though not until 1932).

Two Navy lieutenants fly a monoplane 2,700 miles from Long Island to San Diego in only 27 hours. And an Army dirigible flies 800 miles non-stop.

The bill to repeal NY’s movie censorship fails narrowly in the NY Assembly.

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