On Thursday afternoon the Speaker informed the House that he
had received the report of the Committee, but that it was not for him to take any action unless so directed by a Resolution of the House. On this Mr. Asquith, as Leader of the House, did just what one would expect from so able a Parliamentarian and so sound a lawyer. He refused to involve the House of Commons in a controversy with a representative of the press in which the Commons were on thoroughly unsafe ground, and would certainly have suffered defeat and humiliation. Though Mr. Asquith saved the face of the Com- mittee as far as be could, by talking about "adjournment" and " deliberate consideration" and so forth, it was impossible to conceal the fact that his action was a severe snub. The Committee asked for support against a witness whom they had tried to intimidate and did not receive it.
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