BEER AND THE COMMONS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19971, 4 July 1930, Page 4

BEER AND THE COMMONS.

A HUMOROUS DEBATE. MR CHURCHILL AND LADY ASTOR. (FBOI4 OTO OWW COBMaPOITOBSTT.) LONDON, May 30. Beer was discussed in the House of Commons on Tuesday. Sir Ernest Shepperson led A last Conservative hope against the increased excise on beer. Why, Sir Ernest wanted to know, should the manual worker, whom the Government must believe, on the authority of Karl Marx, to produce all the wealth of the country, have to pay a tax of no less than 2.58 pence on every pint of beer he drinks? Is beer a necessity, or is it a luxury!

There are certain members whom such a topic draws magnetically. Two are Lady Astor and Mr Jack Jones, who represent opposite schools of thought. Both spoke, and irritated each other profoundly. The Chancellor's case was that while it would be impossible to pass on to the consumer the small decrease demanded by -the amendment, it would cost the Exchequer twenty millions. The Chancellor found a loyal supporter in Mr Jack Jones. "I am a beer drinker," said Mr Jones (great caeers), "because beer's the best drink —when it's good. But we beer drinkers see the brewers prosperous when almost every other big industry is supposed to be down and out, and if taxation has to be heavy, we are willing to bear our burden. We're not going to be led up the garden. "As for the gentlemen on the other side, I don't care what they drink, so long as they drink it quiet." As usual, Lady Astor followed immediately. Mr Snowden, like all the other Chancellors of the Exchequer she had ever heard of, was afraid of the drink trade, although one of the stalwarts of the temperance movement. He actually declined to reduce the beer duty because of what it would cost, not because it would lead to more beer being drunk. After that, could anyone be surprised at hearing the Bpeech of Mr Jack Jones? Wants Better Beer.

She was tired of all the nonsense talked about beer. If they wanted to see how boer should be treated, let thorn watch what the rest of the Em-pire-was doing. "Bootleggingl" rejoined a member of the noblo lady's own party. Mr Jones rose. "Has the noble lady got a special permission to insult me every time she speaks t" he asked politely. "I'm as sober as she is. &he refers to me all the time."

"The hon. member for Bilvertown," rojoined Lady Astor, "is not the only member of this House who drinks beer. But what he wants to see is & bigger consumption—" Mr Jones: "Not at all. I want a better quality." Lady Astor, having closed with the declaration that the women of the nation, irrespective of party, want to see less beer drunk, Mr Winston Churchill entered the engagement like a battle cruiser among destroyers.

He declared that what astonished him was that Lady Astor should hold to her opinions with unabashed confidence, in view of the ghastly muddle made over the drink question in her own country (the United States). Hot a Prohibitionist,

This brought excited protests from the lady. She flatly denied that she is a prohibitionist. ' Mr Churchill apologised for misrepresenting her, but pointed out that she was "as wrong as the difference between night and day" when she alleged that the brewers had taken the profit of every drop in the beer duty. Anyway, she would surely agree that it was better for brewers to reap profits than bootleggers.

He confessed himself not'at all sure about the women's view of cheaper beer. Women were sometimes glad to see their menfolk gratified in small ways. The sooner Lady Astor disabused her mind of the idea that the women are always against the men, the sooner would she be able to take not only an engaging bat also a useful and well-informed part in debate. (This with a gallant bow and smile.) "I want just to point out," shrilled Lady Astor, with what used to be called feminine inconsequence, "that I was right over the betting tax and he was wrong." The House exploded in laughter. Next Mr Churchill demanded cheap beer for the workers, whose sinews are the assets of the State, and here he could not forbear bringing in Mr Lansbury's dictum that manual labour is something to be shunned. "At any rate, he nover did a day's work in his life," growled Mr Lansbury. For several minntes the two right honourable gentlemen entertained the House by boDbing np and down om opposite sides of the table, arguing with one another. Mr Lansbury was angry; Mr Churchill grinning and coolly pugnacious.

Mr Churchill—whose exploits as a bricklayer are within the memory of the public—said he had earned his living all his life, and never shirked manual or physical labour. To which Mr Lansbury retorted that he (Mr Churchill) had never worked with his hands to earn his daily bread, whereas he (Mr lansbury) had, and worked very hard, too. » In the end, the amendment to lower the beer duty was defeated by 281 to 175.