News of the Week T HE new Cabinet in its first
appearance before the new Parliament gave evidence of approaching its task on sound and unspectacular lines. The King's Speech; apart from a significant reference to the coming Disarmameht Conference and its importance, contained nothing it had not been expected to contain, and the Prime Minister, rising on Tuesday after an inauspicious debut by Mr. Lansbury as Leader of the Opposition, said less than the right wing of the composite majority behind him had hoped to hear him say. His declaration, in regard both to tariffs generally and possible anti- dumping measures in particular, that the Government must not produce the cure till it has diagnosed the diseas, is as rational a summary of the situation as either a rational Free Trader or a rational Protectionist could desire. Mr. MacDonald made it clear that he by no means accepted at their face value the allegations of wholesale dumping to which sections of the Press have committed themselves. So far from that, he observed that the facts would be investigated and if the allegations were proved to be groundless the House would be so. If, on the other hand, special measures were called for, 'they would be announced before the adjournment.
