COMMONS -REBATE

Hokitika Guardian, 6 December 1940, Page 6

COMMONS -REBATE

backbenchers complaints.

(Per British unieial Wireless.)

RUGBY, December 4

Tlie House or Commons, resuming: thy Atldress-i 11-itep! y debate, heard a series ol : speecnes irum baeitlieneheis, almost all uevoted to urging tile Govtinment to taiu: more cuasuc action in mooilismg tne entire resources of tim country lor victory. iioru W uitertou expressed disappointment in what he considered the failure ut tlie Government spokesman, to gire a convincing answer to the criticisms voiced earlier m the debate. There was a general desire, he said, to see isiitaii) take tne offensive in the field, but the real offensive must first take place in the factories and shipyards, Lord YVinterton urged also the vital, importance of harnessing the resources of supplies for the Middle East campaigns. At Home, he advocated compulsory measures for the control of resources and the transference and training of man-power. Mr Seymour Hicks (Labour) agreed that on the Home front they must strip to the waist for victory. He echoed the demand frequently heard in the course of the debate, for a constant and vigorous attack against Italy.

Mr Buchanan expressed the view that a military victory bv Germany was impossible. and one by Britain was also impossible. He said that the soonei there was a negotiated peace, the happier lie, as a pacifist, would be. Mr Vernon Bartlett, said that there had never been a war since the Crusades in which the moral factors were so much on one hand, and the material factors on the other. He stressed tlio importance of—having this moral claim to world sympathy—making sure that they secured the support to which they were entitled, by a dear declaration of war aims.

M r Milne (Conservative) said h e was not satisfied that the full industry of the country was yet being thrown into the struggle. He asked for drastic taxation on private incomes Tor the war effort.

Sir John Anderson (Lord President of the Council), warned Members against seeking immediate results, at the expense of tlie systematic development ol productive capacity. The full weight of Britain’s effort would in due time be brought to bear crushingly on the enemy. ... Taking up Lord Winterton’s point, lie called attention to the recent successful conference at Delhi, the recommendations of which had just- become available in Britain, which would come to a decision with the least possible delay. . Dealing with the defence of shipping and overseas communications, specially on the western approaches, he said, that rM Churchill himself, ’with his unrivalled experience, was giving his constant attention, as Chairman of the Defence Committee, to these problems, and the Government and its technical advisers were doing everything possible to find an early and effective solution.

BRITAIN’S EXPENDITURE. .+ RUGBY, December 4. Last night’s Exchequer returns revealed that Britain’s war expenditure touched a new reeprd in the week ended on Saturday last, of £93,133,950.