The Week in Parliament Our Parliamentary Correspondent writes :—The week
in Parliament has been mainly occupied with discussion of the Defence Estimates and their relation to dis- armament. The general uneasiness of the House of Commons is reflected in the fact that criticism of the estimates for inadequacy has been much more persistent than criticism of their expansion. Another interesting feature is that the Navy estimates were more sharply criticized from the Right than the Air estimates, a fact which shows how strong is the tradition that talk of defence means talk of the Navy. The Air estimates, however, provided the better debate. Sir Philip Sassoon took his chance of being spokesman for the Government with careful efficiency—no Minister works harder. at his job. Captain Guest gave the Right-wing critics their line, though his best point-the over-concentration of everything in London—was not taken up as it should have been. Mr. Churchill followed with what haS become his usual barrage, though it was less like drum-fire than -usual, and Mr. Bar..Iwin was agreeably surprised at its moderation. Nevertheless, the tone of the debate was acrid until Mr. Baldwin spoke himself. He said no more than that if the Disarmament Conference failed we should insist upon parity in the air with any Power within striking distance, and he even qualified this assurance in time by suggesting that a further effort would be made to secure a convention limited to some Powers if a general convention proved impossible ; but his influence over the House is such that this was enough.
Previous page
