PRESS LENIENT

Stratford Evening Post, Volume IV, Issue 156, 13 June 1936, Page 6

PRESS LENIENT

COMMCh: :jd THOMAS.

NO VINDICTIVENESS.

Most Humane Assembly la World. ADHESION TO THE CODE. Press Association —Copyright. London, June 11

The Press throughout the country deals sympathetically with Mr. J. H, Thomas. I It believes the inquiry will have a good j result and pays a tribute to the dignity end humanity of the House of Commons in its. painful duty. The Times says the House of Commons is the least vindictive assembly in the world. It requires expiation when standards of public conduct are' violated but when expiation is made it tolerates no attempt to exacerbate the wound. Mr. Thomas, repeated his denial that he consciously betrayed a Budget secret. The House was free to accept and did accep' the disclaimer, since the tribunal refrained from any such, imputation, and the country v/ill be satisfied with the word of so well known and trusted a public servant. On the other hand Mr. Thomas in his loyalty to the House and its tribunal accepted the. findings, which the House also accepted, i Mr. Thomas remains therefore under the imputation of betraying a secret, even inadvertently, and the Parliamentary code requires immolation, even for so venial a transgression. Mr. Thomas in resigning a seat gives adhesion to the code. The Daily Herald commends the Labour Party for its effort to turn the situation Ito public advantage. It says where the cleaning is wanted is in the City. The Manchester Guardian says the public will feel the greatest sympathy for Mr. Thomas, but to most people the really 1 disturbing thing is the revelation of the ! length to which the gambling spirit will go and the Cjty’s facilities for it.