18 NOVEMBER 1938, Page 3

The Week in Parliament Our Parliamentary Correspondent writes : At

no time since the summer of 1931 has the immediate political outlook been so uncertain. The volume of discontent among sup- porters of the Government is greater than it has ever been during its whole life-time. The amendment to the Address tabled by Mr. Amery, Mr. Churchill, and other prominent Conservatives, is couched in moderate terms, but is none the less significant. Notwithstanding the promotion of Sir John Anderson Members are still unconvinced of the adequacy of our defence preparations. On the wider issue of foreign affairs, no one doubts that Mr. Chamberlain's policy of appeasement has been gravely jeopardised by the news from Germany. As regards the Nazi persecution of the Jews there is, of course, only one opinion, and the stoutest die-hards are as indignant as the most rabid Socialists. Nor have the latter attempted to make any party capital out of the sufferings of German Jewry. But the present Ministers are necessarily regarded by the public as men who are trying to make friends with the dictators and who are prepared to trust their assurances. Since the Munich Agreement was signed Herr Hitler has done everything in his power to strengthen the hands of the Government's critics.

* * * *