THE WEEK IN PARLIAMENT
THE debate on Singapore was a hollow affair. Mr. Ramsay MacDonald was most ineffective, and failed to convince the House that the construction of the base would .jeopardize our foreign relations in the Far East. His speech might well have been compressed into the space of ten minutes, but he rambled on and repeated himself over and over again. The only relevant issue of any importance—whether the base is likely to be of any strategical value ten years hence—was never discussed. It is to be hoped that the Government will of its own accord consider carefully the possibility of developing Singapore as a commercial base in the first instance. For this purpose a graving dock capable of holding large ships would be essential, and we should then be in a position to take further stock of the whole situation in about five years' time, and convert the base into a fortified naval station at short notice if necessary. It is impossible to visualize the foreign situation—or indeed any situation—five years hence ; nor is it possible to foresee the course of naval development. The general impression amongst members was that there was a good deal of fuss about nothing.
The Protocol debate was much more exciting. Mr. Austen Chamberlain was in the enviable position of lr...ving, for once, something to say. He told the House why he had rejected the Protocol, and he explained the German offer, in an excellent speech, which nevertheless left one with the impression (probably a correct one) that he was not quite sure where he was going. Those Unionist back-benchers who are anxious to see us freed from all European commitments wisely deemed it prudent to hold their hand. Mr. MacDonald indulged in a sort of academic defence of the Protocol, but otherwise contributed little of value. The speech of the evening came from Mr. Lloyd George : this was an astounding performance, both mischievous and amusing. It con- sisted of a slashing attack on the Treaty of Versailles, in the course of which France, Poland, Rumania, Czecho- Slovakia and other European States came in for a severe slating. I understand that the Paris newspapers simply did not print the speech, and I am not surprised. The fact that almost every assertion was true rendered the criticism of the Treaty more ruthlessly destructive, and thus made matters worse. Mr. Chamberlain, pale with anger, made a futile attempt to stop the flow, and having failed, left the House, hat in hand. The audacity of the thing took one's breath away. Only Mr. J. H. Thomas and Lord Hugh Cecil seemed to be really enjoying themselves. As for the Liberals, when one looked at their stricken faces one felt sorry for them. The third debate last week (and these three debates are the most important held in this Parliament) on unemployment proved once more the apparent inability of politicians to deal with this desperate problem. Mr. Snowden had some sound remarks to make on the currency question, and the back-benchers were earnest if incoherent. But nothing tangible emerged except Sir Alfred Mond's scheme which is generally regarded as impracticable. Members on both sides seemed to be searching in vain for a formula which would achieve industrial reconstruction and co-operation. The debate closed with a rhetorical question from Mr. Lan.thury. " How much better off are the unemployed after these eight hours of talk? " There could only be one answer.
At the moment Mr. Lloyd George is winning in his struggle with Mr. MacDonald. It is to be remembered also that he is a Man of Crisis. If " pasts " counted in politics he could be counted out. But they do not.
Previous page
