CHURCHILL, Winston S.

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Autograph letter signed, to the editor of The Times. Churchill writes to George Earle Buckle, the editor of The Times, "Perhaps the enclosed correspondence may be of interest to your readers. I have Mr. Balfour's permission to make it public." Churchill, a young MP already championing reform, wished to publish the letters between himself and Arthur James Balfour to promote his campaign of a parliamentary body to scrutinize and reduce public expenditure.Balfour (who became prime minister two months later) was leader of the House of Commons. Churchill was Conservative MP for Oldham, yet to have a place in government. "Churchill continued to make a name for himself attacking the mismanagement, or what he regarded as the misapplication, of funds voted in the estimates. At the same time he felt disturbed at the lack of Parliamentary control over Government expenditure" (Churchill, p. 39).In a letter to Balfour, 8 May 1902, Churchill wrote that the assessment of expenditure was beyond the capabilities of the Cabinet and pushed for the creation of an independent parliamentary committee to scrutinize spending. Balfour wrote back on 15 May 1902, opposing the idea - such a committee would also need to scrutinize government policy in all areas, and would be an obstruction to proper governance. Ministerial responsibility was the best method to check spending, and dividing responsibility would impede, rather than further, the aim. While not opposed to an efficiency review body, he felt th

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