2 MARCH 1934, Page 3

The Week in Parliament Our Parliamentary Correspondent writes : The

House of Commons was both astonished and annoyed on Tuesday at Sir Herbert Samuel's support of the attack upon the Government's refusal to receive a deputation from the " hunger marchers." The Labour Party have to meet such strong competition from Mr. Maxton's group that their seizure of any stick to beat the Govern- ment with was expected, but the general feeling was that an ex-Home Secretary ought to have known the true character of the body which has organized the march, and ought not to have confused it with the character of the marchers. Moreover, whatever may be said against the British nation, " shameful complacency " in the face of unemployment is an unjustifiable charge, and the present House of Commons has been far from showing complacency even during the recent debates on the Unemployment Bill. This debate, however, gave the Prime Minister a chance to restore his Parlia- mentary standing, and he took it by delivering what was admitted to be a really effective speech.

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