FURTHER DISCUSSION

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 133, 2 December 1915, Page 7

FURTHER DISCUSSION

UNEASY FEELING CREATED IN

FRANCE

IF THE MAIL WERE CLOSED DOWN FOR A FEW DAYS."

(Received December 2, 10 a.m.)

LONDON, Ist December. In the House of Commons Mr. Ronald M'Neill (Unionist), discussing Sir John Simon's statement, said that they had heard no allusion to an article in the Nation saying that it would be better to lose the war than lose voluntary service.

Mr. Hodge (Labour) said that, while he did not think Lord Northcliffe was wicked enough to belittle the country, it was unfortunate that The Times and the Daily Mail articles had created a very uneasy feeling in France. Sir A. B. Markham (Liberal) said that the journalists at the Homo Office had singled out the Daily Mail and The Times for unfair treatment, while the Daily Chroniclo had been allowed to go scot free.

Lord Robert Cecil, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Forcing Affairs, said it was a delusion to imagine, that this was a case worked up by gentlemen connected with another paper in order to injure The Times. " Articles such as those referred to have a discouraging effect on our friends in the Balkans, tending to produce the impression that we arc done for, that we are not in earnest, and that our workmen are idlers and drunkards."

Sir John Simon added: "Wo in England know the true value of these jaundiced sheets, but they are a constant disappointment to our Allies and of distrust to neutrals, while the Germans have found in them their principal consolation. The Foreign Office has constantly brought these influences under the Home Office's notice. Several members have taunted the Government with being afraid to suppress The Times and the Daily Mail because they are owned by a wealthy man.

Mr. John Dillon (Nationalist) charged the Northcliffe press with trying to embroil Britain and America at the most critical period of the war. If the Daily Mail were shut down for a ~few week's it would cool Lord Northcliffe considerably.