CHURCHILL QUESTIONS NEED

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24932, 20 July 1946, Page 7

CHURCHILL QUESTIONS NEED

When the House met this afternoon, four Conserve tive members, amid m any interjections from LaboUr members, presented eight petitions against bread rationing. Labour members objected to the time of the House being wasted by "frivolous repetitive Petitions,” upon which Mr Speaker (Colonel D Clifton Brown) declared that he intended to protect members’ historical fights. % , Mr Churchill said he uriderstorid that there would be no difficulty in importing 150.000 tons or more in September, and that sny itnmipent danger would have passed by August 31. ffhy, then, was there any need for rationing on July 21? He could not believe that the “petty saving” of 71 per cent, was the true reason for the Government’s decision, which was like using a steam hammer to crack a nut with nothing in it.. Mr Churchill added that it would be better if the Government in the next few weeks prepared a rationing scheme in consultation with the bakers, but did not enforce it until the necessity was proved. • Mr Churchill advised the bakers to

do their best to make whatever scheme was thrust upon them work and to let it break down by its own defects. Poster Ruled Breach of Privilege Major J. Freeman (Labour) drew attention to a poster published, according to its imprint, by the “Face the Facts Association,” saying: “The names of members of Parliament voting for bread rationing in the House of Commbns to-day will be published here as public enemies and dictators. —Face the Facts Association, 6 Lriwfef Sloane street.” Major Freeman moved that the poster was a breach of the privileges of the House. Mr Speaker said he must declare this a prirna facie breech of privilege, whereupon the Lord President of the Council (Mr Herbert Morrison) moved that the Committee on Privileges inquire into the authors, printers, and dispersers of the poster. The House agreed to the motion. There was uproar when Mr Churchill said that the inatter was trivial and that Labour members were “frightened out of their wits.”