PRAISE AND BLAME

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 108, 10 May 1933, Page 9

PRAISE AND BLAME

COMMENT IN COMMONS

INFORMATION SOUGHT

(Received May 10, 1 p.m.) , LONDON, May 9. In the House of Commons, following the Prime Minister, Mr. Lansbury (Labour) complained that Mr. MacDonald had submitted no concrete proposals which the Government intended to advocate at the World Conference. The House had bAcn told nothing definite about the war debts question. "We ought noV he said, "to be mealy mouthed oa the subject, seeing that we caneelledvone thousand millions of Italy's and France's debts to us, and allowed many more millions to go by default." He wanted to:-know

exactly what was meant by raising the world wholesale prices. The poor would have to pay them. Thus they were another form of reducing wages. The world's troubles were caused by the huge pile of debts. Instead of the Governments facing this, they were renewing loans and increasing the difficulties. Sir Herbert Samuel (Liberal) said that Mr. Mac Donald was entitled to the country's thanks for his talks with President Roosevelt, for economic and political Anglo-American co-operation ought to be the keystone of our international policy. The world depression emanated from America, and when prosperity returned there it would return to the world. The House, not desiring to embarrass the Government, had been reticent on the war debts question, but the opinion should now be voiced that the United States should show an accommodating spirit. Sir Herbert Samuel continued:— "We are practically the only country which, is fulfilling the war's financial obligations." He said that the Government would be impotent to lead the World Conferenco owing to the contradications of its own tariff policies. While seeking world tariff reductions they were busy imposing new duties and quotas. Sir Austen Chamberlain (C.) said that the best news from America for many years was the decision that if a satisfactory Disarmament Convention were reached, the United States would participate in consultative pacts for the greater security of nations. For this alone, which would deeply affect the peace of the world, Mr. MacDonald 's trip had rendered a great national and international service: