Mr. R. Dennison, the Labour candidate for King's Norton, has
accused Sir Herbert Austin of intimidation for saying that if the McKenna duties were repealed the Austin Motor Works might have to " close down." Surely if Sir Herbert Austin believes that the repeal of the . duties would have that result he is entitled to say so. We do not share his. fear—the duties were removed in 1924 without causing disaster—but it is a tall order to accuse him of intimidation because he holds and expresses an opinion. Judged by such a standard most political argument becomes intimidation. The revolt of the Insurance Workers, for instance, was intimidation. Mr. Denison went on to say that he could give an assurance on behalf of the Labour Party that if a Labour Government were returned and Sir Herbert Austin's firm, or any other firm, ceased work, the Government would take over the works in the interests of wage-earners. When he was questioned on this assurance Mr. Dennison replied that he had not consulted the Labour Party but that it was obvious that a Labour Government would have to act as he had said. Sir Herbert Austin, being informed of this speech, made the perfectly proper answer that lie would not let his works go under " without a most desPerate struggle," but that he would hold him- self much at-fault now if he said nothing about the duties. Later might be too late. He regarded the statement as to a Labour Government taking over the works after the business had been ruined as utter nonsense, * * * *
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