On the wider aspects of the Ministry neither Mr. Hicks
nor Mr. Greenwood added anything to the carefpl statement made by Lord Reith in the House of Lords. Incidentally it is worth mentioning that Lord Reith sat through the whole Commons debate listening from the gallery. Mr. Greenwood wound up the debate sympathetically, but told us nothing of his own plans except in the most general language. But the House made its own position quite clear and Government will sooner or later be forced to make some decisions. Mr. Lawson, Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Lindsay, Sir Percy Harris, Mr. Silkin, Mr. Bossom and Mr. Beaumont were agreed on one main point. The House of Commons will not tolerate perpetual frustration of Town and Country Planning. This will mean a different approach to the problem of land, different areas of administration and a concentration in one central authority or department of all the necessary powers. There is no escape from this position. Mr. Greenwood is obviously sympathetic and the House will insist on a statement at some not too distant date. The Barlow Report has become the guide for many members through a complicated administrative and social field. But more and more they are turning to the Minority Report, which strongly advocated the setting up of a new Ministry. It is well that public opinion should be educated in these matters, because there will be many vested interests to overcome and planning must be broadly based on popular acceptance. This is the first and skirmishing round on post- war problems. Mr. Lawson was right in stating that we must seize and hold the present mood ,of the country, if we are to make any impression on post-war problems.
Previous page
