§ Mr. NEWMANasked whether the Foreign Secretary's attention has been drawn to a speech delivered by the President of the United States of America at a banquet of the Associated Press at Washington on the 27th ultimo, when the President described the policy of Imperial Preference as a Chinese Wall; and whether, in view of the recent arbitration proposals between the United States and the Empire, he will cause representation to be made in the proper quarter with a view to obviate the friction likely to be caused by this remark and the consequent danger to the policy of arbitration?
§ Mr. NORTON-GRIFFITHSasked the Prime Minister if his attention has been drawn to the speech at a banquet given to the Associated Press and American Newspaper Publishing Assocaition, in which President Taft appealed to his audience, the principal representatives of the American Press, to advocate reciprocity with Canada before it was too late and before a system of preferential tariffs could he adopted binding the British Empire together; and if he will request His Majesty's Ambassador at Washington to cable a verbatim report of President Taft's speech and lay the same upon the Table of the House?
Mr. McKINNON WOODI will reply to these questions together, the second for the Prime Minister. I have observed in the Press a report of the speech in question. I do not see in that speech any grounds for making a representation to the United States Government.
§ Mr. NEWMANMay I ask if, in the opinion of the Foreign Office, those words represent an expression of opinion by the President of the United States, or are they something in the nature of a blazing indiscretion?
Mr. McKINNON WOODNo, Sir. I say nothing of the kind, and I should think a remark of that kind extremely improper.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTIn view of the fact that the vast majority of the people of this country hold the same view as the American President, is it not likely rather to cause harmony than friction?
§ Mr. NORTON-GRIFFITHS (subsequently)On a point of Order, Mr. Speaker, may I ask your ruling as to whether an answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Enfield was an answer given to the last part, in which I ask for cabled information?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI am afraid I cannot answer that. I do not bear all the answers in my head.
§ Mr. NORTON-GRIFFITHSMay I ask the Prime Minister to answer the last three lines of my question.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member should have asked that question when the answer was given. We cannot go back now.