We are attempting to make a success of democratic planning, and, save for emergency measures such as were necessitated by the war, or may be necessitated by Some Urgent Economic Crisis, we have decided, in accordance with what, I am certain, is the wish of the country, not to employ, as a normal matter, methods of direction or compulsion of manpower outside the necessities of defence.

I suggest that it is much better and fairer to the Americans that we should say that now than have to say it in the midst of Some Economic Crisis about 12 months hence.

Ever since the end of the war in 1945 this country has gone through Some Economic Crisis nearly every year.

The only point I am trying to make is this: once a great road scheme is financed by that method, it is removed from the danger of Some Economic Crisis causing the tap to be turned off and no more revenue to be made available; a step which, when it happens, means that we are once more deprived of the progress which all hon. Members on both sides of the House want to see.

I cannot recall a single period when we were not in the midst of, approaching or just leaving Some Economic Crisis.

Let us suppose that during the period that this House is dissolved there were to be Some Major Economic Crisis.

Yet he comes before the House today seeking to argue alongside that that the fall that has since taken place, although well short of his prescription, is nevertheless the signal for Some Economic Crisis, which justifies his motion.