If this is a true account, as we expect it
is, the supporters of the Government on the Committee have, with the exception of the chairman, Sir Albert Spicer, acted on strictly party lines. Liberals will no doubt retort that the Unionist members did the same. If that is so, then what the nation at large will do is to judge for itself on the evidence. We dwell elsewhere on the very unfortunate fact that the greater number of the Ministerial members of the Committee have not thought it right or necessary to make any statement of the kind made, we believe, by all the Unionist members, i.e., that they have not at any time had any dealings in any Marconi companies in any part of the world—a declaration similar, though less heated in language, to that made by Mr. Winston Churchill, and similar also to that made by all the witnesses. The man in the street is saying that this omission by the majority of the majority is due to the fact that some of the Ministerial members of the Committee are not in a position to make a declaration similar to that made by Mr. Winston Churchill and the Unionist members. Whether that is a true inference we are not in a position to say, and we therefore pronounce no opinion upon it. Considering, however, how important the matter is, and how easy it would be to put it right and leave no doubt whatever on the question, we feel bound to record our profound regret that the declaration was not made before the publication of the report, for we have no doubt that in the end the strong expression of public opinion, which is sure to arise, will force such a declaration from every member of the Committee.
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