The Week in Parliament Our Parliamentary Correspondent writes ; There
was a resounding echo of M. Barthou's visit to London in the House of Commons on Friday. Sir John Simon had at last a sympathetic audience for a hopeful speech, in which he explained that we liked M. Barthou's proposed pact and would canvass for it, but were not called upon to be parties to it. A good many members who had conic to curse remained to bless, and Sir Austen Chamberlain expressed the general opinion that here was a chance for Germany to prove her good faith by accepting participa- tion in the pact. Sir Herbert Samuel, who spoke before Sir John Simon, concentrated upon criticism of antici- pated rearmament here, and made a telling list of new commitments undertaken by a Government elected to economize. A full answer to this point will have to await the announcement of air policy promised before the recess, but meanwhile Sir John Simon made it clear enough that the emergence of a good idea from M. Barthou did not warrant further postponement of an increase in the defence services.
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