"In enemy countries there is the liveliest interest in our proceedings, T flatter myself that high hopes are entertained that all will not go well, with His Majesty's present advisers at the present time, The only way in which these doubts can be removed or these hopes discouraged is for such a vote to be decisive.
"I should be the last to reject even unfair criticism, or fair erilicism which is so much more searching. but there is one kind of criticism which fsa ttle irritating.
"When a bystander secs a team of horses dragging a very heavy wagon uphill and cuts a switch from a hedge he may have a benevolent purpose and benefit may result from his efforts to get the wagon tothe top more quickly. But it would be a pity if the debate consisted wholly of critical and condemnatory speeches. because that would give a distorted impression to important interested foreign observers who are not well t.cquainted with our parliamentary or political affairs, therefore I ask fof a vote of confidence.
This is 'a free Parliament and a free country. We have succeeded in maintaining under unprecedented difficulties and dangers which in some cases might be morial, the whole process and reality of' our parlinmentary institutions, I am proud of that, and it is one of the things we are fighting for. I cannot believe any. man would bear the kind of burden which falls upon she Govern ment today unless he was sustained the strong convinced support of the, House of "Commons "and the nation.
"The only relict 1 fect is that everything in human power was done by us and that our honour as a nation is clear. As far as the German invasion of the Balkans is concerned, we had long and ample forewarning of what was in prospect.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.