IRON CHANCELLOR

Hokitika Guardian, 21 November 1931, Page 6

IRON CHANCELLOR

A GREAT TRIBUTE. HOUSE OF COMMONS CHEERS MR SNOWDEN. - LONDON, September 11. Wonders will never cease in this wonderful world, stated the Parliamentary correspondent of the “Daity Expiess j to-day. Last night in the House of Commons we looked down upon Protectionist Tories rising and waving their applause of a' Free Trade Chancellor who had just announced an increase of income tax, of beer tax, and of tobacco tax. ' \ That no doubt, is the measure of the national crisis. It is also the measure of Mr ' Snowden’s enormous personal, ascendency,.No one could resist the, Iron Chancellor even as the iron was entering their souls. Mr Snowden, in an hour and a-half’s speech bore himself as the pillar oi the world. Undoubtedly he had the eyes of the world focussed on him. He stood-there braced against the Clerk’s Table, a sheaf of typewritten pages on the box before him, strong, precise, strident in tone but weakening visibly towards the end making a slip or two, fumbling with his words at last until he tumbled back into Mr Ramsay MacDonald’s arms. BLUNTNESS AND HARSHNESS. At such a moment who could forbear to cjieer the man who was an invalid a few months ago? He spoke with unmitigated severity. Nothing of his “drastic and disagreeable” Btidget was too milch for him to announce with bluntness and harshness.

At his last words the cheap barracking of the Socialists, his old paity whom he now faced with stern and inflexible features, became so disconcerting that it would have disconcerted anyone else. “The House of Commons will accept these proposals,” he said. “Ha, ha!” said the Socialists. 1

“The country will accept them!’ The Socialists shouted “No!”

“They will show an example of the indomitable British spirit.” Socialist jeers brought- the Conservatives and Liberals cheering to his side.

Then came the peroration in the words of Swinburne. Two lines were almost inaudible , amid the Socialist hubbub: —

“All o.ur past proclaims the future; Shakespeare’s voice and Nelson’s hand, Milton’s faith and Wordsworth’s trust in this our chosen and chainless land. Bear us witness - . .1’

Mr Snowden paused, summed up some hidden reserve of energy for - a ,final effort, and in tones that rang clear above all the discordant noises, he ..cried:

“Come, the world against her, England yet shall stand!”

Exhausted by his task he sank hackweakly to the Treasury Bench. Mr R,am say MacDonald put his arm about him and helped him tenderly to the place;beside him. Mr Snowden pressed his forehead, bowed his- head for a moment, and then look up to smile with unconquerable assurance at what proved to be a demonstration without recent parallel. ■ A SPONTANEOUS TRIBUTE. Chancellors are, not popular people. They receive, as a rule, a modicum tpfdignified applause, a mere testimony that they have stayedivthe race. But now the whole of the Government side rose to their feet. Sedate Conservatives waved handkerchiefs and orderpapers. Mr Baldwin vied with Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister in leading the applause from the Front Bench.