Speech notes for WSC's statement for the 2nd reading of the Gold Standard Bill, on the proposed Labour amendment, the timing of the return to the Gold Standard, the view of John Maynard Keynes, reasons for the return, the role of the United States, and the effect on interest rates.Typescript speaking notes laid out in "psalm style" annotated in manuscript by WSC. Filing envelope present.

Copy of a letter from WSC (Home Office) to David [Lloyd George] marked "secret" requesting additional finances to reduce the large numbers of deaths in mining accidents. He points out that the miners' leaders are willing to co-operate with the government and that public opinion would approve of a "bold and sweeping policy" which he would propose to fund largely through charges on the mining industry. Typescript.

Letter from WSC (House of Commons) to King Edward VII describing events in the House of Commons including: the announcement of the Prime Minister [Herbert Asquith] regarding the Government's intentions on the reform of the relations between the two Houses of Parliament and the [1909] Budget; and [John] Redmond's "menacing" speech on the position of the Irish [National] Party.

Letter from "Bob" [Robert Boothby] (The French House, Lympne, Kent) to WSC, explaining the Treasury case against [international currency] stabilisation, as "the dollar is hopelessly undervalued and the franc is hopelessly overvalued", and the position of the United States and France; the opinion of [Sir Frederick] Leith-Ross [Chief Economic Adviser to the Government] on the proper dollar-sterling rate. Manuscript.

Copy of a minute from WSC to Sir Otto Niemeyer [Controller of Finance] on war reparations and the payment of war debts to the United States. WSC feels that there is a good prospect of obtaining reparations from Europe, including 25 million pounds a year from Germany, and that they should wait for proposals from France and Italy. He advocates an open statement that all previous offers have lapsed.

Unsigned memorandum [from WSC] to [James] Grigg [Principal Private Secretary to the Chancellor of the Exchequer] and Sir Otto Niemeyer [Controller of Finance, Treasury] asking for their opinions about spreading debt "more broadly over the shoulders of posterity" by converting to lower interest rates and long securities instead of reducing the sinking fund.Carbon typescript.

Memorandum from Frederick Leith-Ross [British representative on Finance Board of the Reparation Commission] to WSC responding to his queries. He explains the delay between the collection of reparations and payment into the Exchequer and £6 million interest earned from investment of German funds; discusses reasons to avoid specific public mention of this and the basis for lower estimates this year.Typescript.

Copy of a memorandum from WSC to Sir Otto Niemeyer [Controller of Finance, Treasury] asking him about the impact of the return to the Gold Standard on the United States "Shall we not be relieving them from the consequences of their selfish and extortionate policy?" and suggesting that [Ralph] Hawtrey [Director of Financial Enquiries, Treasury] should draft a paper about the subject.Carbon typescript. Unsigned.

Copy of a minute from WSC to James Grigg [Principal Private Secretary to the Chancellor of the Exchequer] informing him that he will not circulate the "gold papers" [about the return to the Gold Standard] to the Cabinet and will explain them verbally, because of information obtained by the press about the contributory insurance policy.Carbon typescript. Unsigned.

Copy of a minute from WSC to Sir Richard Hopkins [Chairman of the Board of Inland Revenue] asking his "Committee of Five" to consider a revolutionary scheme to separate coprporate and investment income, treat earned income more favourably, and levy income and super tax on investment income by means of a national register. He ends by summarising the advantages of this scheme and discussing the establishment of the register.Carbon typescript.

Copy of a minute from WSC to Sir Richard Hopkins [Chairman of the Board of Inland Revenue] marked "absolutely secret" asking for Hopkins' scheme to spend £8-£10 million on giving relief to the reserves of companies, and discussing measures to give relief to the employers of labour.Unsigned typescript.

Carbon copy of WSC's proposal for the betting tax.

Memorandum from Sir Otto Niemeyer [Controller of Finance, Treasury] to WSC enclosing newspaper cuttings and an extract from the Cunliffe Committee report as background information about [Reginald] McKenna's Federal Reserve theory and summarising the reasons for his opposition to the proposals.Typescript signed with initials