The first full-dress debate in the resumed session of Parliament
was on Mr. MacDonald's motion opposing the Safeguarding of Industries policy as outlined in the recent White Paper. The .debate was not a very import. ant one, though Mr. MacDonald and Mr. Lloyd George both made effective Free Trade speeches. For our part, we have no more belief in this piecemeal Protection than we have ever had in that nostrum ; but the scheme has so many ifs and ans and so many safeguards, and requires so much investigation and so little action, that we do not in the least fear that it will do any -harm. Mr. Lloyd George produced some figures to show ' that there was no need for Protection at this moment. Imports of manufactured goods • last year, he said, were 98. millions larger than in ,3913, but the exports were no:less- than 201 millions' larger. That did not look like dumping. Mr. MacDonald's motion was lost by 189 votes.
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