WORTHINGTON-EVANS pointed out that, if their demands were acceded to, the
Bill, instead of costing some two millions a year, would involve three or
four times that amount.
_Wednesday, June 30th._--The Lords discussed, in whispers suitable to the
occasion, the Official Secrets Bill. As originally drawn it provided that
any person retaining without lawful authority any official document should
be guilty of a misdemeanour. But, thanks to the vigilance of Lords BURNHAM
and RIDDELL, this clause, under which every editor in Fleet Street might
have found himself in Holloway, was appreciably softened. Even so, the
pursuit of "stunts" and "scoops" will be a decidedly hazardous occupation.
The Press Lords were again on the alert when the Rents Bill came on, and
objected to a clause giving the LORD CHANCELLOR power to order proceedings
under the measure to be held in private. This time the LORD CHANCELLOR was
less pliant, and plainly suggested that the newspapers were actuated in
this matter by regard for their circulations. Does he really suppose that
the disputes of landlords and tenants will supply such popular "copy" as to
crowd out the confessions of Cabinet Ministers?
[Illustration: HALF MEASURES.
SIR ROBERT HORNE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE, AND SIR ERIC GEDDES,
MINISTER OF TRANSPORT (_speaking together_). "That's a rummy get-up. But
perhaps he couldn't afford anything better."]
Constant cross-examination on the Amritsar affair, involving the necessity
of framing polite replies to thinly-veiled suggestions that MONTAGU rhymes
with O'DWYER, is making the SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA a little restive.
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