en came one night when the
Board of Trade Minister had to speak in the House of Commons as a
defender of the Government policy against a motion put forth by the
Opposition in favor of tariff reform. After speakers on both sides had
debated the topic for some hours it was Lloyd George's duty to wind up
the discussion for the Government. When he rose there was much
excitement on both sides and a good deal of shouting and
counter-shouting. Remarks were thrown across from the Opposition
benches indicating that Lloyd George's speeches about the evil of
tariff reform on the Continent had been exaggerated. "I have been
challenged," he said, "with regard to statements as to the food of the
poorer people in Germany, and I am going to give now, not my opinion,
but some hard facts." He held up a blue book. "This volume is the
last annual report of the Consul-General in Germany. The facts which I
shall quote are his facts, not mine. If you will not take my word, you
will at any rate be able to take his word." He turned to a marked
page. "Let us see what he says about a typical center, the city of
Chemnitz. Here are some interesting figures as to what the poorer
class eat in this tariff-reform paradise of Chemnitz." He proceeded to
read extracts. I cannot recall the extra figures, but Lloyd George's
phrases ran something like this: "This report states that in Chemnitz
last year there were sold in the shops two thousand tons of
horse-flesh. These are not my figures, mind, but those of the
Consul-General. I commend the figures to excited members opposite.
But horse-flesh is not the only thing the people through the pressure
of tariff reform are compelled to eat in Chemnitz. They even eat
dog-meat." (Cheers from the Liberals and derisive shouts from the
Conservatives.) "The Consul-General states that one thousand tons of
dog-meat were consumed in Chemnitz last year." (More shouting from
both sides.) "But there is even worse to come." Lloyd George's voice
took on a note of gravity, and the House hushed itself to listen. "Not
only horse-flesh, not only dog-meat, but five hundred tons of
donkey-flesh were sold in Chemnitz last year." He swung his finger
along the line of Opposition leaders and paused. "The fact has a
tragic significance for right honorable gentlemen who want to introduce
tariff reform into this country."

Then his speech had to be suspended for a full minute.

At this time the cause of tariff ref