He was all for
reducing our Navy as a proof of our good faith, and then sending
Germany an ultimatum telling her to do the same or we would
knock her into a cocked hat. He said that, but for the Tories,
Germany and Britain would be fellow-workers in peace and reform.
I thought of the little black book in my pocket! A giddy lot Scudder's
friends cared for peace and reform.
Yet in a queer way I liked the speech. You could see the niceness
of the chap shining out behind the muck with which he had been
spoon-fed. Also it took a load off my mind. I mightn't be much of
an orator, but I was a thousand per cent better than Sir Harry.
I didn't get on so badly when it came to my turn. I simply told
them all I could remember about Australia, praying there should be
no Australian there--all about its labour party and emigration and
universal service. I doubt if I remembered to mention Free Trade,
but I said there were no Tories in Australia, only Labour and
Liberals. That fetched a cheer, and I woke them up a bit when I
started in to tell them the kind of glorious business I thought could
be made out of the Empire if we really put our backs into it.
Altogether I fancy I was rather a success. The minister didn't like
me, though, and when he proposed a vote of thanks, spoke of Sir
Harry's speech as 'statesmanlike' and mine as having 'the eloquence
of an emigration agent'.
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