Mr. Chamberlain, who, like Mr. Lyttelton, complimented Mr. Winston Churchill
on the ability of his speech, took the line that the debate was gratuitous and useless. It was wasting time to put his views before the House of Commons until be had converted the country. He criticised the form of the Motion, and attributed the insertion of the word " Protective " to a desire to increase the spread of the net; indeed, there was nothing in the Resolution which would logically prevent him (Mr. Chamberlain) from voting for it But the Resolution was not only a challenge to his policy, but to the policy of the Government. That policy, which was perfectly intelligible, insisted that the Conference should be absolutely open, and the effect of this Resolution would be to muzzle it. He personally regretted the Government's decision not to discuss the question during the present Parliament, but he assented to; and was bound by it, and held their attitude to be perfectly consistent. In conclusion, Mr. Chamberlain reiterated his old contention that his policy was the only means of consolidating the Empire, and that if we did not draw closer, we should drift apart.
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