The Government narrowly escaped defeat in the House of Commons
on Tuesday, .when a Unionist revolt against the terms of compensation to the loyalists in Ireland developed alarmingly. Mr. Amery moved a Supplemen- tary Estimate to pay the sums awarded as compensation by the Wood-Renton Committee. The trouble was that the Government proposed to pay only 60 per 'cent. on claims over L1,000. He justified this economy by explain- ing that the original sum of £400,000 earmarked for compensation in 1926 had risen- by last year to £1,000,000. Hence their present -proposal in the interests of economy. This confusion of economy with justice—for the Govern- ment had acknowledged the 'debt of honour over and over again—was more than the rebellious UnionistS could stand. Lord Hugh Cecil'S speech was -scathing.. Mr. Churchill was, for once, :quite -unable to tide 'the whirlwind. If the matter had gone -to a division the Government would have been defeated, but at the critical moment the Prime Minister came into the House, wiped the slate clean, and promised a reconsideration of the whole subject. *- *
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