_Monday, March 24th_.--The Archbishop of CANTERBURY sought from the
Government a clear statement of policy regarding the repatriation of
enemy aliens, and incidentally paid a high tribute to the British
Press, which, we were glad to hear, contains "nobody who desires to
fabricate baseless statements."
He was supported by Lord LAMBOURNE, who as a member of the Advisory
Committee knows all about aliens, and declared that "Repatriate them
all" was a foolish cry, if it meant that we were expected to present
Germany with the British wives and children of the dear deported.
Lord JERSEY, for the Government, desired to treat even Germans justly,
but could not see why anyone should wish in these times to increase
our alien population. His speech did not please a batch of noble
sentimentalists, drawn from both sides, but seemed to give great
satisfaction to Lord LINCOLNSHIRE, who quoted with approval the brave
words on the subject uttered by the LORD CHANCELLOR at the General
Election, before his style had been mollified by the Woolsack.
In the Commons Mr. BONAR LAW regretfully explained that it was
impossible for the Government to do anything to reduce the high prices
now being charged for furniture in the East End. His own experience as
a Cabinet-maker has been entirely confined to the West End.
Nor could the Government take any direct steps to ameliorate the
overcrowding on the Underground railways. But, as it was stated that
large quantities of leather are still being purchased on Government
account, there are hopes that more accommodation for strap-hangers may
shortly be available.
_Tuesday, March 25th_.--The Lords spent three hours of almost
unrelieved gloom in discussing the financial condition of the country.
On that old problem of the economists, "What is a pound?" Lord
D'ABERNON delivered an erudite discourse, from which I gathered that
it was at present about ten shillings and still shrinking. The only
comfort is that at that rate the National Debt has already been
halved.
Lord MILNER made a fairly cheerful speech in the circumstances; but
I hope that potential strikers will not take too literally his
observation that the one thing most needed at the present moment was
"economy of national energy."
Mr. CHURCHILL came down heavily upon Sir DONALD MACLEAN'S attempt to
delay the adoption of compulsion in the new Military Service Bill.
When rather more than half of Europe was seething with unrest, which
might require military intervention, it would be fatal to let our army
disappear; yet the right hon. gentleman seemed to think that everyone
ought to be disarmed except LENIN and TROTSKY.
For the first time since 1914 private Members had an evening to
themselves. They utilised it in endeavouring to obtain from the
Government a direct statement of its future fiscal policy. On Imperial
Preference Mr. BONAR LAW was quite explicit; the CHANCELLOR OF THE
EXCHEQUER was already considering how to incorporate it in the next
Budget. As to the Government's fiscal policy generally it had already
been outlined in the PRIME MINISTER'S letter to himself, and would be
definitely declared as soon as the time was ripe--a cautious statement
which, as was perhaps intended, left Free Traders and Protectionists
still guessing.
[Illustration: THE BONAR LAW ORACLE WILL SPEAK ON FISCAL POLICY "AS
SOON AS THE TIME IS RIPE."]
_Wednesday, March 26th_.--After Lord DESBOROUGH'S vivacious attack
upon the Cippenham Motor Depot, it is doubtful whether anyone could
have enabled the Government to wriggle out of the demand for an
independent inquiry. At any rate Lord INVERFORTH was insufficiently
agile. The innumerable type-written sheets which he read out
laboriously may have contained a complete reply to Lord DESBOROUGH'S
main allegations, even if they included no refutation of the stones of
the bricks imported by the hundred thousand into a district containing
some of the best brick-earth in the country, or of the four pounds a
week paid for the services of a railway pensioner aged ninety-two. But
as hardly anyone could hear the recital it created little impression.
The Ministry are evidently unwilling to stake their political lives on
Mr. CHURCHILL'S approval of the project, for Mr. BONAR LAW announced
that the Government Whips would not be put on for the forthcoming
division on the subject.
Mr. G. ROBERTS furnished an interesting analysis of the nine shillings
now charged for a bottle of whisky. Three-and-sixpence represents the
cost of the spirit plus pre-war taxation. The other five-and-sixpence
is made up of interest to manufacturers, insurance and rent; increased
price of bottles and corks; margins of profit to blenders and
bottlers, merchants and other traders; and increase of taxation. By
some oversight nothing appears to have been charged for the extra
water, but no doubt this will be remedied in the next Budget.
_Thursday, March 27th._--To those who remember the debates on the
Parliament Act, _circa_ 1911, it was amusing to hear Lords CREWE and
BUCKMASTER complaining of the unceremonious manner in which the Lords'
amendments to the Rents Bill had been treated in "another place;"
and being entreated not to pick a quarrel with the Commons by those
ancient champions of the Upper Chamber, Lord CURZON and the LORD
CHANCELLOR.
The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER announced the names of the Royal
Commissioners who are to consider how the income-tax can be improved.
Several Members complained that there is only one woman among them,
and that, pending their report (expected some time next year), the
glaring anomaly by which husband and wife are regarded for taxable
purposes as a single entity is apparently to be continued. The idea of
presenting Mr. CHAMBERLAIN with a box for _The Purse Strings,_ in the
hope that it would convert him, has unfortunately been frustrated by
the withdrawal of the play.
Mr. BONAR LAW'S determination to leave the Cippenham question to the
free judgment of the House led (as possibly he anticipated) to its
expressing no judgment at all. Sir DONALD MACLEAN and others served up
a rather insipid _réchauffé_ of Lord DESBOROUGH'S indictment, and Mr.
CHURCHILL repeated Lord INVERFORTH'S defence, but put a little more
ginger into it. Incidentally he mentioned that a prolonged search for
the nonagenarian pensioner had produced nobody more venerable than
a comparative youngster of sixty-five. Deprived of this prop the
Opposition felt unequal to walking through the Lobbies.
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