Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, JULY 25, 1940. NEW BRITISH BUDGET.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 246, 25 July 1940, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, JULY 25, 1940. NEW BRITISH BUDGET.

Hitler has received a double reply to his offer of peace, the alternative to which, he says, is the destruction of the British Empire. Viscount Halifax has shown the utter impossibility of any thought of peace while the forces of evil are unchecked, and now the Chancellor of the Exchequer has translated into terms of figures the strength of the determination of the nation to defend to the utmost all those privileges that are the birthright of Britishborn people. The expenditure for which Sir Kingsley Wood has to make provision is staggering, and the end is not yet, as he was careful to explain to the Commons. The nation was prepared for additional demands adding to the already heavy burden imposed on it, and there is no question about the manner in which taxpayers will respond. When the ex-Chancellor, Sir John Simon, presented his Budget in March, the weekly cost of the fighting services was put down at £28,000,000, the total war expenditure being £38,500,000 or £2,000,000,000 for the year. By July 9, when Sir Kingsley Wood asked for credits totalling £1,000,000,000 the services absorbed £45,500,000 a week, making the whole expenditure on the war £52,500,000. The Minister then stated that the gap between revenue and expenditure was widening, and the rate of difference has been greatly accelerated since then. With a weekly expenditure of £57,000,000 during the last' four weeks, an enormous increase in taxation was inevitable. Every class in the community is called upon to contribute according to its means. And there is a vital difference between the British and German methods of finance. In Germany the issue of a decree at the command of the Fuhrer makes on the resources of the people inroads criticism of which would mean death or imprisonment. In Britain the necessary funds are voluntarily voted by the elected representatives of the people, possessing the right to criticise freely. With his abyssmal ignorance of British character Hitler will not realise it, but the fact that the nation has readily accepted the additional burden is proof of the spirit in which it will continue the war, on the outcome of which depends treasures valued far above material wealth.