It might be suppoSed that when a duty has been
mistaketity levied the duty could be recovered, but Mr. Baldwin declared that he had no power to refund any payment. Mr. Asquith
dealt particular with the trade in fabric gloves, which we discussed nine weeks ago. Here the uncertainty is disastrous. The Board of Trade Committee has announeed no decision. The result of protecting the British trade in fabric gloves, which is still se, small industry and apparently smaller than it was, would be that the German manufacturers of fabric gloves would cease to bay the yarn spun in the Bolton mills. Thus an old- established British industry would be hard hit to 'help a small industry. Perhaps the beet thing we can hope is that the mad- ness of the Safeguarding of Industries Act will go on just long enough to sicken everybody of Protection and to prove that it was not in this way that British industry was built up and that it will not be in this way that it will he restored.
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