The Week in Parliament A N interesting debate on Empire trade
last Wednesday week received less attention than it deserved. Mr. Barclay-Harvey moved, and Captain Eden seconded, a motion urging a vigorous policy of Empire develop- ment. These two speeches were brief, lucid, admirably delivered, and highly informative. Mr. Wheatley, who followed, spoke better than I have yet heard him do' in this Parliament, and suggested the institution of an Imperial Industrial Parliament. His proposal, although in itself fantastic, deserves examination. There can be no doubt that the Imperial Economic Committee, the Empire Marketing Board, and possibly the Food Council might be merged into a really effective and authoritative body, with adequate Dominion representation and statutory powers. At the present time these three councils are for all practical purposes very nearly useless : they are cumbrous and unwieldy, their terms' of reference are hopelessly vague, they overlap, and they have no power. A strong economic central authority to direct and to co-ordinate Empire development is one of the most pressing requirements of the day.
As usual, Mr. Johnston made a first-rate speech on this his pet subject, and Mr. Amery replied to the debate with evident enjoyment and enthusiasm. It was a most satisfactory afternoon.
On Friday Major Glyn obtained a second reading for his Totalisator Bill. He would probably not have succeeded had not Mr. Churchill intervened on his behalf. And even now it is doubtful whether, with so small a majority, the measure will pass this session. The most effective speech of the day was that of Major Hills, who, finding himself with seven minutes to say what would ordinarily have taken him seventy, rose to the occasion magnificently, and succeeded in- inipressing a somewhat critical House.
The great Zinovieff letter debate opened with some- thing of a flourish. Mr. MacDonald made a good speech,' in the course of which he explained to an amused House that probably no matter had ever been handled so expeditiously by a Secretary of State in the whole of the annals of the Foreign Office as this one. Mr. MacDonald's vanity is sometimes a little overwhelming because no limit to it is ever discernible, but it is one of his most engaging—and most human—traits. He sat down with' the air of a man who has achieved a great personal victory, after many trials, faithfully and uncomplainingly borne..
The Prime Minister seemed' to be making a careful and reasonable defence of 'the Government'S position, when suddenly the House became aware that he was reading a document of immense significance. This was Mr. im Thurn's letter, and it had a boomerang effect. The Oppo- sition was punctured, and the debate collapsed. Mr.' Thomas attempted in vain to restore it, but the game was up.
It was not really necessary for the Attorney-General to speak, but his unmerciful castigation of Mr. Maxton was well deserved and, in the circumstances, desirable.: Mr. Maxton's conduct during this debate was quite': inexplicable and wholly unworthy of him. He formu-. lated a series of disgraceful charges against Mr. Gregory by means of innuendo and insinuation, unsupported by a shred of evidence. Worse still, under subsequent cross-' examination by Sir. Douglas Hogg, he failed either to stand his ground, to substantiate his charges, or to with- draw them, but prevaricated in a manner which caused genuine regret amongst his many friends on both sides of the House.
The Labour Party can hardly dare to open up the subject of the Zinovieff letter again, but if they do the" Prime Minister will be well advised to afford them every, facility for 'debate. A few more days like last Monday and the Unionist majority at the next Election will be even larger than it is to-day.
WATCHMAN.
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