Preferential Tariffs in the House of Commons
In the House of Commons on November 27th Mr. Baldwin moved a vote of censure on the Government for their attitude to Mr. Bennett's proposal for reciprocal Imperial Preferences. It was not a very happy debate for the Protectionists, as Mr. Baldwin himself, after his first ecstatic delight at Mr. Bennett's offer, had notori- ously changed his position and decided that the Quota ought to be considered before food taxes. His words seemed to be weighed upon by his consciousness that he had lost a tactical advantage. The Government came out of the debate better than they probably expected, but considerable harm was done to them by Mr. Thomas's tactlessness in talking about the " humbug " of Mr. Bennett. He tried to explain that the humbug was in the proposal not in Mr. Bennett's character ; but, of course, it was a most unfortunate word which ought to have been withdrawn at once.
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