A Triumph of Philistinism Unless Parliament intervenes once again—and the
energy of Parliamentarians is scarcely equal to that— the ten years' struggle over Waterloo Bridge ends in a triumph for the demolishers which will cost London rate-payers the useless expenditure of £600,000. In refusing to assist in the demolition of the old bridge (which could be re-conditioned for £685,000) and the construction of a new six-line bridge at a cost of £1,295,000, the House of Commons was not actuated, as Mr. Morrison suggests, by political bias. It was confirming the decision of a former House of Commons based upon the report of a Royal Commission. The Labour County Council has decided to throw away a fine bridge which could be made capable of bearing all the traffic that can use that route ; to throw away Government co-operation and a Government grant ; and to throw away the opportunity to build the bridge that is really needed at Charing Cross. It is a triumph of sheer obstinacy won in utter disregard of the traffic needs of London, the rate-payers, or the amenities.
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