_Monday, April 14th_.--The Criminal Injuries (Ireland) Bill furnished
the LORD CHANCELLOR with the text for a rather gloomy sermon on the
present state of the sister-country. The King's Writ still runs there,
but in many counties is outstripped by the rival _fiat_ of Sinn Fein.
A tribute to the impeccable behaviour of "law-abiding" Ulster appeared
to stir in the breast of Lord CREWE memories of the pre-war prancings
of a certain "Galloper," for he remarked that the noble lord's
information seemed to be "partial and recent."
Exception has recently been taken to the cab-shelter in Palace Yard,
some Members objecting that its architectural design was out of
harmony with that of the Houses of Parliament, and others complaining
that its internal attractions were so great as to seduce the taxi-men
from paying any attention to prospective fares. Sir ALFRED MOND, after
long consideration, has decided to abolish the offending edifice
and to give the drivers a shelter in the Vaults, where the police
will discourage them from exceeding in the matter of "rest and
refreshment."
Members were naturally eager to hear what Mr. BONAR LAW, freshly
flown from Paris, had to tell them about the Peace Conference, the
prospects of hanging the EX-KAISER, and so forth, but received little
information, save that the Government shared the popular desire that
no legal quibble should prevent the arch-criminal being brought to
justice. Members were a little comforted, however, by the announcement
that a Committee of the Cabinet is already considering the whole
question of Peace-celebrations. While Mr. LLOYD GEORGE is engaged (if
the image is permitted) in fighting beasts at Ephesus it is pleasant
to think of his colleagues deciding upon the relative merits of
crackers and Catherine-wheels, flares and bonfires, church-bells and
steam-sirens, as means for the expression of the national joy.
[Illustration: SIR A. MOND AND AN EFFICIENT CAB SERVICE FOR MEMBERS.
At a blast on whistle the cab-drivers will down tea-cups, cake,
kippers or what-not, and double smartly on to parade.]
After the loud orgy of headline which followed upon his remarkable
victory at Central Hull, Commander KENWORTHY might reasonably
have expected that his entry into the House would have produced an
uproarious scene of demonstration and counter-demonstration. But there
was nothing of the kind. The jubilant "Wee Frees," of course, cheered
as one man, but the volume of sound produced was not appreciably
greater than if one man had cheered; and the crowded Coalitionists
sat gloomily silent, though no doubt they thought a lot. The gallant
Commander has already introduced one pleasing innovation into the
procedure of the House, for, before signing the Roll, he nodded
cheerfully to the ladies in the Gallery, as if to say, "But for you
I shouldn't be here!"
Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWEN, who at Question-time had regretfully
admitted that the Government were withdrawing soldiers from
agriculture at a moment when they were particularly required, now
moved the Second Reading of the Bill which is intended to give them
the chance of going back to the land in perpetuity. In spite of his
warning that the cost of the land to be acquired was a comparatively
minor part of the expense, Members vied with one another in
denouncing the iniquity of allowing the land-owner to get the present
market-value of his property; and the landlords' representatives
themselves hastened to declare that such a preposterous notion
never entered their heads. The Bill was read a second time without
a division. I don't suppose it will provide land for anything
approaching the eight hundred thousand soldiers who are said to
be pining for it; but it ought to satisfy the relatively small
proportion who, after hearing about the trials and hardships of
a small-holder--no forty-eight hours' week for him!--retain their
agricultural aspirations.
_Tuesday, April 15th_.--In a couple of hours the Lords disposed of
several Bills, enjoyed a scientific debate on neurasthenia--described
by a correspondent of Lord KNUTSFORD as "a gas escaping from
people"--discussed the prices of milk and cheese, and still found time
for the consideration of their own procedure. Lord CURZON said the
suggestion that the House should sit on more days in the week had not
been favourably received. Friday would not do, as their Lordships went
out of town on that day, and Monday was equally inconvenient, as they
could not contrive to get back by then. To earlier sittings the LORD
CHANCELLOR objected on behalf of his legal colleagues. So it looks as
if there would be no change, and since, _teste_ Lord SALISBURY, the
House does its work admirably, why should there be?
Remembering a famous speech on the presumption of certain organs
of the Press, the Commons were not surprised to learn from Mr.
CHAMBERLAIN, _à propos_ of the beer-tax, that he is not responsible
for what may appear in _The Times_.
There is still something of "the eternal boy" in Major WEDGWOOD
BENN. It was with an air of "Now I've got him" that he propounded the
question, "Is paper a raw material or a manufactured article?" But
Mr. BRIDGEMAN can always solve these Cobdenite conundrums, and quietly
replied, "Both." Whereupon Major BENN, with an engaging blush, retired
from the fray.
In moving the second reading of the Aliens Restriction Bill the
HOME SECRETARY said that, while national safety must be the first
consideration, no unnecessary hardship should be inflicted on our
foreign immigrants. But his proposal that the Government should rest
contented with its present powers for another two years met with
little favour from Members whose knowledge of history seems to date
from 1914. In the opinion of Mr. BOTTOMLEY, who led the Opposition,
every alien was _prima facie_ undesirable; Sir ERNEST WILD, from
his experience in the criminal courts, took the same view, and
patriotically demanded the exclusion from our shores of persons whose
principal occupation, we gathered, was to furnish him with briefs
for the defence; and Mr. JOYNSON HICKS, Mr. BILLING and Sir R. COOPER
urged that the SHORTT way with aliens should be made considerably
shorter. Before this massed attack the HOME SECRETARY gave way and
agreed to reduce the operation of the Bill to one year.
The temperature of the House rose so appreciably during the debate as
to upset the nerves of some of the ladies in the Strangers' Gallery.
At least that is the charitable explanation of the behaviour of Miss
SYLVIA PANKHURST and her friends, who interrupted a discussion on
soldiers' pensions by shouting out, "You are a gang of murderers!"
_Wednesday, April 16th_.--A crowded House, the Peers' Gallery full to
overflowing, the HEIR-APPARENT over the Clock, and the new Editor of
_The Times_ among the representatives of the Press--the PRIME MINISTER
could have desired no better setting for his speech upon the labours
of the Peace Conference. His original intention was to hold his forces
in reserve and invite his critics to "fire first," but, as none of
these gentlemen seemed to be particularly anxious to go "over the
top," Mr. LLOYD GEOEGE obligingly altered his battle-plan and himself
delivered the opening fusillade.
That he was in no apologetic mood was shown in almost his first
sentence. His declaration that indemnities were a difficult
problem, "not to be settled by telegram," evoked resounding cheers.
Thenceforward he held the sympathy of the House, whether he was
describing the difficulties of the Peace Conference, or reconciling
the apparent inconsistencies of its Russian policy, or inveighing
against the attempts of certain newspapers to sow dissension among the
Allies. "I would rather have a good Peace than a good Press" was one
of his most telling phrases, and it was followed by a character-sketch
of his principal newspaper-critic which in pungency left nothing to be
desired. "What a journalist I could have made of him!" the recluse of
Fontainebleau will doubtless remark when he reads the passage.
The PRIME MINISTER'S object, I imagine, was less to impart information
than to create an atmosphere; and he was so far successful that
the House showed little inclination to listen to other speakers.
Nevertheless several of them devoted some hours to saying nothing
in particular before the House mercifully adjourned for the Easter
Recess.
* * * * *
"The Postmaster-General, in a written answer, states that
arrangements are now in hand for the improvement, where
circumstances permit, of postal services which have been
curtained as a result of war conditions."--_Scots Paper_.
As for the telephone service, we can well believe that he would prefer
the veil to be kept over that.
* * * * *