The speech itself was a somewhat uneven performance. As Colonel
Moore-Brabazon pointed out, the preliminary review of the past year's receipts has seldom been made more interesting. Later on Sir John exhibited all the skill of a great advocate in explaining the methods usually adopted by the tax-dodger and in outlining his plans for tightening the net. His reasons for rejecting the expedient of further borrowing in favour of immediate increases in taxation were powerfully presented. But as on so many other occa- sions he was less happy when he struck a more emotional note. The House listened with some impatience when he protested how well he understood that even an extra halfpenny per week was a material and appreciable addition to the expenses of those with the smallest incomes, and his final peroration on the "dogged determination and dauntless courage of the British race" somehow failed of its effect. * * * *
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