Using the Roads eet he Canmore of Pate wae SE te Series, Maia ich age ce tage feat ey Se Pca Sadhana ae vane a Bnd cheetahs Gana cee ae sac sey Soa ihe Frere gga Soe fave ahaa a eat arties te Ca che Biota te eat fee Incas wie ate EL, Gade ears oth eae awaiting the time when the Japanese tel that statement of accounts regarding national me come and expenditure. These accounts became known as the national budget and smee then. they have constituted the principal Indication of the country's finances and, to the taxpayer, fa favourable or unfavourable reminder of his ability to pay. Next month, Sir John Simon, Chancellor of the Exchequer, will introduce budget of unprecedented size for peace time, It will total about £1,250,000,000 and as he la authorized to raise £390,000,000 under the Defence Loans Aet, the amount the taxpayer will Ihave to meet is' about £900,000,000. Neverthe-Ness, the country has to shoulder the burden which has been made heavier by. defence necessities created by world-wide rearmament As a matter of fact, defence estimates including expenditure on the navy, army, air force and civil defence will amount. to £580,000,000, which greatly exceeds civil expenditure but In these difficult times peace is at a discount and the taxpayer must furnish the funds to meet the new tempo of armaments. 'The Increase in Britain's budgetary requirements since the be: ginning of this century has been extraordinary, The bud rot for 1908-4 was £154,000,000.. By 1914-18, the outbreak of the Great War, it was £200,000,000 which showed a handsome' surplus fof revenue over expenditure but with supplementary estimates connected with the war the total estimated expenditure was £609,000,000. The war tested British financial resources and the record expenditure was during 1918-19 when the ordinary budget stood at £042,000,000 but with supplementary estimates reached the colossal {otal of £2,077,000,000. Even In the [year 1919-20 when the war was over but {ablishments had to be maintained and com= mitments met the budget and supplementary estimates totalled £1,073,000,000 and in 1920-21 the figure was £1,271,000,000, This latter figure, however, was £75,000,000 less than estimated. Sir John Simon's new budget is six times the size of the 1914 total but as the well-known movie newsreel slogan goes: "Time marches The Olive Branch?
The debate in the House of Commons on the subject of the British recognition of General Franco's regime in Spain is remarkable for two things. One is the bitter personal attack which was made upon the Prime Minister by Mz. C.R. JAitice, Leader of the Opposition, and the other the fact that Mr, Anthony Eden spoke in favour of Mr. Chamberlain's action. Mr. At. flee's outburst was such as to call for a protest from Mx. Chamberlain, and on the face of the reports seems to have been entirely unwarranted fed, and something in the nature of a departure from the custom of the House. Mr. Eden's sup. port of the Government action is all the more Interesting in view of the rumours which have been current during recent weeks that there may. be a rapprochement between himself, and the Prime Minister, and that the time may not be for distant when he will be invited again to join the Cabinet, At all times the difference Between the two men has not been as to the fends. towards which the British Government should work, but the method of procedure. The nealing of the breach between the two would reinforce' Mr. Chamberlain's position in the event of a General Election being held this year, for My. Eden undoubtedly commands a Very fair amount of support, especially amongst [the younger members of the Government ranks. Were he at variance with the Prime Minister the event of an appeal to the country, there might be a very considerable split in the votes which should ordinarily be given to the National Government, and a chance offered for the Opposition to make greater headway than would be possible in face of united opponents. If Mr. Eden does return to the Cabinet it is not likely that he would regain the Foreign. OMiec. There are, however, other ministries in which his undoubted ability would be of infinite service to the country, and despite the fact that in some countries he is regarded as a war-monger. Sivhich is entirely incorrecty—his return 10 joflee would very considerably strengthen the Government. The only important "question Which arises from his action on Tuesday was Whether or not he was holding out the olive branch.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.