FRANK, FREE TALK

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 45, 21 August 1931, Page 7

FRANK, FREE TALK

SURVEY OF SITUATION

SIR SAMUEL HOARE SPEAKS

(British Official Wireless.) "(Boceiyed 21st- August, 11 a.m.)

: ,j RUGBY, 20th August. Referring to this morning 's interparty conference, Sir Samuel Hoare,. Ih an interview, stated that they-had had a preliminary interchange of opinions in a frank, free, informal talk. They had before them figures submitted by the Government, and, although they surveyed ;a very wide field, the survey had not-yet been, comprehensive. The solution: qf the crisis demanded economy which presupposed sacrifices by ail classes. ;

Sir Samuel Hoare added that since the conference he .and Mr. Chamberlain had beefa. "in communication with the party leader, .Mr. Stanley Baldwin, who is at'Aix-les-Baius, and they ha 4m-

suited other colleagues. The Conservatives were most anxious to co-operate |iv the national emergency. There is a, further inter-party conference to-morrow.

WHAT DECISIONS?

PRESS ANTICIPATIONS

REVENUE TARIFF NOT YET

(United Press Association—By Electric Tele

graph—Copyright.)

LONDON, 20th August. After a protracted of the Economy Committee's proposals for a scaiing-down of expenditure in Britain and increased revenue, Cabinet rose at 10.35 o'clock last evening. It is understood that the Ministers have reached, a provisional agreement regarding the method of balancing the Budget, but no decision as to tariffs../ The ','Daily Herald" says the following are believed to be among the Cabinet's'decisions:— The: Empire Marketing Board is to be retained. '! ■ There is to be no reduction in the scale of unemployment benefits. The salaries, of the' higher-paid Ministers are to be reduced- by 20 per cent., and the ' others correspondingly. -■-.- : ■ , ■ The salaries of Judges, senior Civil Servants, and teachers: are to be reduced; also the. pay, of the police. A series of departmental economies is to be effected. , • ■ Stiff increases are' to be: made in direct..taxation, with a possible tax on fixed interestrbearing securities. The- debate on a temporary tariff for revenue purposes has been adjourned.. DOMINANT TOPIC* The surprising development outlined m the "Daily Herald" was the dominant topic in political'circles all day long. ~.-.■: There was much comment oil the irony, of the mere suggestion that the Labourites might, introduce a tariff instead of the Conservatives, and the report was sufficient.to cause a rally in securities,- especially certain industrials, though the city is. firmly convinced that the present most urgent need is economy,,not taxation. ■ Well-informed people state that, the tariff proposal was. not submitted to the with the recommendation of the Economy .Committee, but merely was one of several, plans, prepared by the Treasury experts as alternatives to others. ■'-■"■- ■ •■■ "•- :.'.' ■ •" -. '-. ■ Mr. -■.'■ PhUip Sii owdon 's' attitude is frigidly unsympathetic.. _"The Times" says the proposals indicate that they are almost exclusively concerned with' fresh, taxation. There is no suggestion of any sweeping plans to reduce expenditure, and a Budget balanced otherwise than by economy will not really be- balanced at all.