The Prime Minister received the seven London Labour mayors at
his holiday retreat at Gairloch on Thursday, Sep- tember 22nd, to discuss unemployment. As we anticipated, he could only repeat his assurances that the Government were doing their best, and his warning that in any case the Treasury could not relieve the local authorities and the industries of the whole burden. He said that he would make a full statement when Parliament met on October 18th. Meanwhile, those Boards of Guardians which were hard pressed would be assisted to raise -loans. The -Prime Minister emphasized the difficulty
of granting further subsidies when taxation was so burdensome. The mayors had said that they were afraid of a ratepayers' strike. Mr. Lloyd George said the same about the taxpayers. " The one thing I am afraid of is exactly what you said, that Can't ' will one day be converted into Won't.' If that happens you are just where Russia is to-day, and that will not help you."
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