BRITISH EMPIRE: Parliament's Week: Dec. 16, 1929

The Lords

¶Placed the Labor Government in a technical minority by passing 42 to 21 (with 674 absences and abstentions) a resolution which deplored Prime Minister James Ramsay MacDonald's recognition of Soviet Russia (TIME, Nov. 18). The vote came after a sneering, sarcastic harang by the Earl of Birkenhead, bitter Moscow-phobe. "I am almost convinced by the Government's orators," said the bitter Earl, "that Soviet propaganda is either wholly innocuous or positively beneficial to Great Britain. Perhaps we ought to subsidize it!"

Paradox of the debate: Anglo-Soviet rapprochement was vigorously though un successfully...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!