The change of feeling in the House over Defence is
remarkable. Sir Kingsley Wood comes in for the loudest praise. There is no doubt that Mr. Lloyd George's esti- mate of him as the Government's ablest administrator is justified. If the Navy's state of preparedness is taken for granted, their traditional reluctance to advertise is partly to blame. Lord Chatfield's prestige alone silences any would-be critics. The Army has had the worst of the criticism for some time. Mr. Hore-Belisha has, personally, suffered set-backs. The Aldershot demonstration, however, impressed Members a good deal. The A.R.P. debates last week revealed plans far more in advance than the House had supposed. The Board of Trade, too, has played very suc- cessfully though inconspicuously its important part. Details of A.R.P. continue to worry ; but recent debates and state- ments, quite apart from information given at private gather- ings, have been decidedly encouraging.
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