News of the Week
1VIR. CHURCHILL, having recognized that discretion required the withdrawal of the kerosene duty, abolished it on Tuesday with an air of valour and with a completeness which were overwhelming. We are sure that he was thoroughly well advised, but it has probably never happened before that a tax was withdrawn so rapidly before opposition had dangerously developed in debate. The revolt of some two hundred Unionist private members had made Mr. Churchill aware that this unfor- tunate tax might imperil the whole of his Budget. Only a few years ago it was being said with the emphasis of finality that the power of a private member had departed for ever. He had become a mere delegate whose duty was to vote as he was told by a caucus and for the rest to keep silence. Now we can see that a large enough number of private members in agreement can successfully hold a pistol to the head of a very powerful Minister.
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