§ 54. Mr. Marloweasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that a reprint of Oscar Wilde's "The Picture of Dorian Gray," published and printed by The World Publishing Company, of 2231 West 110th Street, Cleveland, Ohio, is on sale in this country; and why Treasury permission has been given in respect of the dollars involved in this import.
§ Mr. Glenvil HallOpen individual licences for the import of books of fiction in English published and printed in any country, including the U.S.A., are issued for the most part to pre-war importers of such books, provided that an undertaking is given that no less than 50 per cent. by value of the total imports will be re-exported. It would be impracticable to distinguish between original works and reprints.
§ Mr. MarloweCan the right hon. Gentleman justify the use of dollars for a publication which the English publishers both can and do supply themselves without the use of any dollars?
§ Mr. Glenvil HallI have tried to explain that we cannot prevent the import of these books if they comply with the licence issued. On the other hand, if we began to discriminate in this way it is quite likely that the United States would take action against books exported from this country which earn a considerable amount of dollars.
§ Mr. W. J. BrownIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the theme of this book, the point and pith of the book, consists in sudden revelations as a consequence of a long period of anterior delay? Since this has an important moral for the Conservative Party, will he give us an assurance that he will do nothing to impede its circulation?
§ Mr. Glenvil HallSo far as I know it was written just when the Whig Party was in its decline.