Hopes of a relaxation of the passport restrictions were a little dashed
by Mr. HARMSWORTH'S announcement that the fees received for British
visas amounted to some fifty per cent. more than the cost of the staff
employed. The Government will naturally be loth to scrap a Department
which actually earns its keep.
The WAR MINISTER was again badgered about the hundred Rolls-Royces
that he had ordered for Mesopotamia. Now that we were contemplating
withdrawal was it necessary to have them? To this Mr. CHURCHILL replied
that the new Arab State would still require our assistance. A mental
picture of the sheikhs taking joy-rides in automobiles _de luxe_
presented itself to Mr. HOGGE, who gave notice that he should "reduce"
the Army Estimates by the price of the chassis. A little later Mr.
CHURCHILL came down heavily on an innocent Coalitionist who had
proffered suggestions as to the better safeguarding of the troops in
Ireland. "Odd as it may seem," he told him, "this aspect of the question
has engaged the attention of the military authorities."
In the course of debate on the Agricultural Bill, Mr. ACLAND hinted that
Sir F. BANBURY, one of its severest critics, was out of touch with rural
affairs. Whereupon Mr. PRETYMAN came to the rescue with the surprising
revelation that the junior Member for the City of London, in addition
to his vocations as banker, stockbroker and railway director, had on one
occasion carried out the functions of "shepherd to a lambing flock."
The right hon. Baronet, who is known to his intimates as "Peckham,"
will have Mr. PRETYMAN to thank if his _sobriquet_ in future is "Little
Bo-Peep."
_Wednesday, November 17th._--The Lords, having welcomed the Bishop of
DURHAM--a notable addition to the oratorical strength of the Episcopal
Bench--proceeded to show that even the lay peers had not much to learn
in the matter of polite invective. Lord GAINFORD invited them to declare
that the Government should forthwith reduce its swollen Departmental
staffs and incidentally relieve our open spaces from the eyesores that
now disfigure them. Perhaps he laid overmuch stress upon the latter part
of his motion, for the Ministerial spokesman rode off on this line--Lord
CRAWFORD confessing that his artistic sensibility was outraged by these
"horrible hutments"--and said very little about cutting down the staffs.
This way of treating the matter dissatisfied the malcontents, who voted
down the Ministry.
The Front Opposition Bench in the Commons was almost deserted at
Question-time. Presently the appearance of Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY in
unusually festive attire furnished an explanation. After forty years of
bachelorship and four of fighting, WEDGWOOD BENN is Benedict indeed; and
his colleagues were attending his wedding-festivities.
[Illustration: AMOR TRIUMPHANS.
(_After the Pompeii mosaic._)