No to the Naval Act

After parliament had rejected the new naval act on 26 October 1923, the Dutch cabinet of Ruys de Beerenbrouck resigned. The demonstrations prior to the rejection had been fierce. More than a million signatures were collected in protest against the act, and about 80,000 people participated in the demonstrations. At the final debate in parliament the political parties did their best to ensure that all their members were present to vote. Only one member of the Protestant Party was too ill, and this proved the downfall of the government. This mask of the sculptor John Raedecker (known for his Monument on the Dam in Amsterdam) was carried on a cart at the demonstration.