ENGLAND WILL WIN

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 460, 18 February 1933, Page 5

ENGLAND WILL WIN

(Press. Assn.

confidence needed MacDONALD BELIEVES POSTERITY WILL • applaud HOPES FOR THE FUTURE

— By Telegraph — Copyright).

Rec. Feb. 17, 5.5 p.m. London, February 16. In the House of Commons, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, speaking in the unemployment debate, alluded to the mal-adjustment which had resulted in world wide unemployment. He questioned whether this could be conquered so rapidly and completely that a reduetion in unemployment to a comparatively small total would be made in 10 years. The Prime Minister, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, summing up, criticised Mr. Lloyd George's speech as reminiscent of his endeavours to be an international negotiator. He wandered along until he came to scores of notes which seemed to be. from a ten year old speech. Referring to the suggestions that relief works should be provided for the unemployed, Mr. MacDonald pointed out that 3,000,000 people put on work which was unproductive and unnecessary meant that they would be working on the incomes created by the mass of their fellow workers. As soon as the House of Commons told the unemployed that it was prepared to spend capital uneconomieally upon them, it was deluding them. The Government's policy included the restoration of national and international trade. Concluding, Mr. MacDonald begged the House to renew confidence in the Government. The speeches of the opposition, he said had been full of misrepresentation and misunderstanding. The work dohe last year was a magnificent achievement. William Pitt, in 1805, declared that England would savc herself by her exertions and would save Europe by her example. Mr. MacDonald said he believed the Government would win the. same high praise from this generation. The censure motion was defeated by°414 votes to 49 votes. Restored Confidence Mr. Chamberlain said that the Government had concluded that expediture on public works as a remedy for unemployment had failed lamentably. Between April, 1924 and December 1931, £700,000,000, had been spent thereon, and that only touched the fringe of the problem. Nevertheless the Government would not deter municipalities from ohtaining loans for useful work. The * Chancellor claimed that the Government's financial policy for the past year had restored confidence. Import duties could, he said, enable us to regain control of the home market. Continuing, Mr. Chamberlain said that the excess of imports over exports had been reduced by £120,000,000. The success of the Ottawa Conference and the cheapening of money following conversion, all helped, but the world was still experiencing checks and disappointment. He was disappointed and surprised that America had not agreed to a postponement of the December debt payment, but he saw no reason for despair. "We are making progress with other nations on the subjects to be discussed at the World Conference. The Government's steps were justified by the fact that other countries were worse than Great Britain, whose exports in 1932 were. slightly bettter than in 1931, while. American, German and French exports had dropped. Panicky and hysterical changes in policy would not restore trade." Mr. Winston Churchill declared it was a hopeless prospect offered by Mr. Chamberlain, of simply allowing world events to take their course. Sir H. Samuel said that other countries were worse in their fortune. The fact was no consolation to us. Tho Government must overcome its inertia and attempt at least partial alleviation of unemployment even though it was admittedly largely due to international causes.