POLITICAL MORALITY

Taranaki Daily News, 29 January 1935, Page 7

POLITICAL MORALITY

PUBLIC LIFE IN BRITAIN SIR JOHN SIMON’S CASE VINDICATION WELCOMED EVEN CRITICS PLEASED British Wireless. Rugby, Jan. 26. Sir John Simon’s successful action for slander against the Rev. Whitaker Bond, Methodist Minister, who alleged that Sir John had a pecuniary interest in munitions which affected the Government’s policy, is welcome, irrespective of party, as a vindication of British political morality

The Daily Herald (Labour) says: “Sir John’s vindication in court of his personal integrity will give genuine satisfaction to everyone who has any care for morality in public life. The charge made was the most terrible that could be brought against a man in his position. No one who knows Sir John could for a moment suspect him of being influenced in his politics by any pecuniary motive; but the accusation was made and it was essential to rebut it. And we who have on occasion criticised his policies unsp’aringly are glad that his honour, which should never have been impugned, has been publicly vindicated.” The Daily Telegraph (Conservative) says: “British public life is mercifully free from corruption of the kind so wilfully suggested by the defendant in this case, but statements have been made both in Britain and abroad in the past few years to the effect that members of the British Cabinet have large holdings in armaments firms and are moulding British policy to their own ends. Unfortunately it is less easy to take action when such statements are made outside this country, but those who have been sincerely misled should note that the Foreign Secretary deliberately sold investments made out of office at a loss rather than incur the suggestion that he was benefiting even in a minor degree by the sale of explosives.”