Not even a sympathetic cheer was given to the Chancellor
of the Exchequer as he made his way to the Treasury Box on Wednesday afternoon. Although the House has been strangely unspeculative as to the Chancellor's proposals it feared the worst. Realisation, however, must have exceeded the most gloomy expectations. Sir John Simon wisely refrained from coating the pill, or offering condolences to those whom he dealt with so drastically. His speech, as always, was a model of lucidity, finely delivered, though he read every word of it, and though it began slowly, and a little dully, its thread and rhythm were maintained throughout. Incredibly, the loudest laughs came when the blows were heaviest, though the House was indebted to Mr. Andrew Maclaren, Parliament's inveterate but not always successful wit, for its best joke. Many a Member felt, with him, that the income-tax proposals might well be reflected in an increased number of fatal heart attacks. More serious comment, when the Budget speech was over, concentrated on the terrific burden which industry will now have to bear. While everyone was agreed that the Chancellor had done the right thing in budgeting on a three years' plan, many regretted that he could not have included in his survey of the financial resources of the country the intentions of the Government for the maintenance of our economic strength, and, in particular, the expansion of our export trade.
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