Members were in their cuszomary masochistic mood on Budget Day.
They had come prepared for the worst, which most people envisaged as another 6d. on the income tax. But there was hardly any criticism of the Chancellor's pro- posals. Only the motor-tax increase startled his hearers. There is no sympathy, or none is apparent, for the rich these days, and it seems unlikely that in the coming debates anyone will raise a voice on their behalf. The Chancellor's speech was a businesslike affair, with one joke at the expense of Mr. Gladstone, and one bonne-bouche for Mr. A. P. Herbert in the shape of the Entertainment Duties rebate, which, surprisingly, passed unacknowledged, though later Mr. Herbert, at his best, expressed his gratitude. On the whole, the Budget was considered to be in the best Liberal tradi- tion. No one imagines, however, that Sir John Simon will have no more financial proposals for the year. Within a few hours of the Budget statement strong rumours began to circulate that Conscription was to be introduced immediately, and Members commented that Tuesday's statement will be out of date by next week.
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