bstitute was provided. Somebody suggested
"Economy," and Sir F. Banbury proved to his own satisfaction that the
present estimates could be reduced by a hundred-and-fifty millions. But
unexpected support for the Government came from Mr. Asquith, who as the
original sponsor of the tax felt it his duty to support it.
[Illustration: SIR FREDERICK BANBURY SHOWS HOW IT'S DONE. "To produce a
saving of one hundred-and-fifty millions you merely have to hold the hat
firmly in the left hand--thus."]
There was a perfect E.P.D.mic of criticism, but it was brilliantly
countered by Mr. Baldwin, who declared that the Chancellor, far from
leading the country down the rapids, "was the one man who had seized a
rock in mid-stream and was hanging on to it with hands and feet." The
Amendment was rejected by 289 to 117, and the clause as a whole was
passed by 202 to 16.
[Illustration: THE LIMPET OF THE EXCHEQUER. Mr. Baldwin portrays his
chief "hanging to a rock with hands and feet."]
_Tuesday, July 13th._--Lord O'Hagan was one of the Peers who helped
to outvote the Government a few days ago on a motion excusing them
of extravagance. Yet that did not prevent him to-day from saying that
the War Office should be more generous in their financial treatment
of the Territorial Force, and particularly of the Cadet Corps.
Naturally Lord Peel did not refrain from calling attention to this
inconsistency--common to most of the financial critics of the
Administration--but nevertheless he made a reply indicating that the
grants for the Territorial Force were being revised, presumably in an
upward direction, since Lord O'Hagan expressed himself grateful.
The Commons, like the Lords, are all for economy collectively, if not
individually. General cheers greeted Mr. Bonar Law's announcement that
all war-subsidies--save that on wheat--were to be brought to an end as
soon as possible, but then there were similar cheers for those Members
who urged the substitution of ex-service men for the less highly-paid
women in various Public Departments.
The House enjoyed the unusual experience of hearing from
Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy an apology--and a very handsome one too--for
something that he had said in debate about Colonel Croft. It was
accompanied by a tribute to his military efficiency which made that
gallant warrior blush. It only now remains for the Leader of the
National Party to reciprocate by rescuing from the Naval archives some
equally complime
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