In the debate, on Wednesday, May 5th, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald
proved by his speech the agony of mind into which the general strike had plunged him. He had spoken and written against the policy of a general strike for years, yet he found himself the leader in Parliament of a party which was committed to it. It was impossible not to sympathise with a man in such a position, what- ever may have been the weaknesses of management or character that brought him there. The whole point of his speech was an appeal to the House "to do something." He declared that he could not withdraw a word of the books and speeches in which he had condemned the general strike. They had freely been quoted against him—yet he stood as solidly by the miners as any of his colleagues. His desire was that the " something " which he appealed to the House to do would stop the " evil sands " running out.
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