THE HOUSING QUESTION 
109 
spirit as well as in the letter the promises made to them by the 
late Minister of Health with regard to their financial commit 
ments ? 
Mr. Chamberlain : " Undertakings given by the Government 
are not affected by changes of individual Ministers and the 
Government have no intention of departing from any pledges 
given to local authorities with respect to financial commitments 
entered into by them with the approval of the Ministry of Health.” 
Mr. Thomson : “ If local authorities are anxious to extend 
their health services, will the Right Hon. Gentleman see that 
they are not restricted and curtailed by the Government’s econo 
mical policy ? ” 
Mr Chamberlain : " No pledge will be dishonoured because 
there has been a change of Ministers. That does not mean that 
the policy of the Government as explained in the circular issued 
in the Autumn will be altered. In view of the present financial 
situation the economical restrictions imposed by the Government 
must continue.” 
The form of the reply is significant. It is clearly 
an intimation that housing was to be curtailed by the 
economic policy of restrictions put forward by the 
Government in the Autumn of 1920. Mr. Chamberlain 
overlooked the fact that he had told Mr. Billing that 
Housing Schemes would not be affected by the new 
policy. 
The reader has perhaps had his fill of the sonorous 
insincerities emitted by the Coalition Government 
from 1918 to 1921 when they wished the electors to 
believe in their good faith. Let us contrast with these 
a few of their later utterances, which probably represent 
more faithfully their true souls : 
Hear first Sir Alfred Mond. He is speaking to a