Mr. Chamberlain in the House of Commons on Wednesday withdrew
the proposal to exempt all members from the payment of Income Tax on their salaries, recommending them individually to seek relief in respect of expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. He made a strong plea for the payment of first- class railway fares to members travelling to and from their constituencies or their homes, and he was supported by Mr. Clynes, for the Labour Party. But when the House, left free to vote, divided, it rejected the motion by 197 votes to 171. We congratulate the majority on its good sense in defeating a proposal that should never have been made. Nothing of late excited greater publics indignation than the suggestion that members should vote themselves a large increase of salary at such a time as this. The House is expected to insist on a reduc- tion of the Government's excessive expenditure. It would have stultified itself by increasing that expenditure for the personal benefit of members.
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