The Week in Parliament Our Parliamentary Correspondent writes : No
fewer than fifteen supplementary questions were fired at the Prime Minister following his answers on the bombing of British ships and the barrage was only brought to an end by Mr. Attlee's announcement that an early opportunity would be taken to raise a debate on this matter. Captain Arthur Evans and Sir Henry Page Croft revealed the attitude of the right wing of the Conservative Party, the former asking whether shipowners could not be discouraged from engaging in this trade for the sake of abnormal profits, and the latter being anxious that persons so engaged should pay Excess Profits Duty. This ultra-pacific view is by no means shared by all their colleagues on the Government benches. Mr. Sandys in particular seized the opportunity to point out that even if belligerent rights had been granted and even if these ships had been carrying munitions of war such attacks by aircraft on neautral merchantmen would constitute a direct violation of international law. It almost looks as if General Franco is doing what the Opposition have failed to accomplish in seven years, namely, driving a wedge into the ranks of the Govern- ment supporters.
* * * *
Previous page
