It was in the subsequent supplementary estimates for the expenditure
incurred by the Defence Forces, as a result of the Sanctions policy, that the House came to life. Mr. Alexander, who led the attack front the Labour benches, attempted to prove with much rhetoric and many false points that though the estimates did contain items of expenditure necessarily incurred as a result of sanet ions, the bulk of the money had been spent. on general and unjustifiable rearmament. " Look at. it how pal will," he declared, " we are being asked to approve in 1111661)a- tion an expansion in the armaments programme costing more and more money. We are, in other Nr(Irds. leading the armaments race from tonight." This absurdity drew Mr. Churchill to his feet, and in his best lighting form he made mince-meat. of the Opposition ease. " No one," he contended, " had more urged the use of our defence forces in pursuit of sanctions than the Labour Party, and when the bill was presented for the necessary emer- gency expenditure in order to bring, from a state of lamentable peace-time relaxation, the Fleet into the thorough condition of preparedness in which I have every reason to believe it now is, the right hon. gentleman (Mr. Alexander), who has been First. Lord of the Admiralty, gets up and employs a whole catalogue of stale arguments which we have heard any time in the last I went v-live years when the Opposition has had to oppose I he Navy estimates."
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