In the House of Commons on Tuesday Mr. Robson attacked
the changes'in the Tobacco-duties as unmistakably and almost avowedly Protectionist,—a pronouncement with which we entirely disagree. There may be a slightly Protectionist flavour about the new Tobacco-duties, as there was about the old, but we unreservedly accept Mr. Austen Chamberlain's assurances that this Protectionist flavour was not intentional but accidental, and that his only object was revenue. Mr. McKenna, who spoke later in the debate, drew attention to the immensely increased imports of unstripped tobacco in March. While strongly repudiating the notion that he was making any accusation against the Chancellor of the Exchequer, he suggested that the figures showed that there had been a leakage of information. While we regret that Mr. McKenna should have urged his plea in the way ho did, we must once more protest against the raising of the punclonor the moment any criticism of a Minister is made in the House. It was absolutely clear that no dishonouring insinuation was made by Mr. McKenna against Mr. Austen Chamberlain—to do so would be absurd, for a man more universally admitted to be above the suspicion of a suspicion is not to be found in our public life—but the impossibility of any complicity in the• case of Mr. Austen Chamberlain ought not to be used to prevent Mr. McKenna from drawing attention to a case of leakage if he thinks he has found one.
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