The report of the Marconi Committee will not be published
till Friday afternoon, that is, not till after these pages have gone to press. This makes it necessary for us to hold over all criticism till next week. Even a delay in our publication could only allow us to give a perfunotory summary of the report, and the subject is obviously one which requires not hasty but well-considered comment. We may, however, mention as "news," and for what it is worth, some of the
forecasts published in Friday's newspapers. The Daily Telegraph, for example, makes the following specific state- meats:— It is generally believed that at the close of the evidence Sir Albert Spicer presented a draft report, suggesting that the con- duct of Ministers had been indiscreet, though not corrupt. The idea was that this draft would form the basis of the Committee's report. But Mr. Falconer drew up a rival draft, which was adopted in preference to the chairman's by eight to six, it being customary for the chairman to abstain from voting except in the case of a tie. With certain amendments, this report embodies the views of a majority of the Committee, who decline to regard themselves as a court of honour, and state that they find nothing to condemn in the conduct of Ministers. Lord Robert Cecil pre- pared a draft report on behalf of his Unionist colleagues, but it was rejected by eight to six. It strongly denounced the action of the members of the Government."
