HONOUR VINDICATED

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 106, 29 January 1935, Page 9

HONOUR VINDICATED

Success of Sir J. Simon’s Slander Action PRESS WELCOMES RESULT (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, January 26. Sir John Simon's successful action for slander against a speaker who had alleged that he had. a pecuniary interest in munitions which affected tlie Government’s policy is welcomed, irrespective of party, as a vindication of British political morality. Tlie “Daily Herald” (Labour) to-day says: “Sir John’s vindication in the court of his personal integrity will give a 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 It 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. It was essential to rebut it. And we, who have on occasion criticised his policies unsparingly, are glad that his honour, which should never have been impugned, has been publicly vindicated.’ Tlie “Daily Telegraph” (Conservative) says: “British public life is- mer cifully free from corruption of the kind so wilfully suggested by the defendant in tills 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 armament Anns 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 had been sincerely misled should note that the Foreign Secretary deliberately sold investments made when he was out of office at a loss rather than incur the suggestion that he was benefiting, even in a minor degree, by tlie sale of explosives.”