_Monday, May 19th._--The coalminers lately received concessions in
wages and hours that are going to cost the country twenty millions
sterling in the present financial year. The first result of this boon
(_teste_ Sir AUCKLAND GEDDES) is that they are turning out less coal
per man than ever, and that the unhappy consumer must look forward to
a further reduction in his already meagre ration. It is rather hard
upon Mr. SMILLIE, who daily dilates in the Coal Commission upon the
hardships of the miner's life, that his clients should let him down
like this.
For a thorough-going democrat commend me to Lieutenant-Commander
KENWORTHY, the new Member for Central Hull, whose latest idea is that
before British troops are sent to any new front the approval of the
House of Commons should be obtained. I suspect that if, during his
active-service days, some Member had proposed a similar restriction
on the movements of the Fleet the comments of the gallant Commander
himself would have been more pithy than Parliamentary.
[Illustration: LADIES IN GOVERNMENT MOTOR-CARS.
_General Seely._ "WELL, HARDLY EVER."]
The number of motor-cars at the disposal of the Air Ministry now
stands at the apparently irreducible minimum of forty-two. Quite a
number of the officials use train or bus, like ordinary folk; some
have even been seen to walk; and there has been such a slump in
"joy-riding" that when asked if ladies were now carried in the
official chariots General SEELY was able to assure the House that that
never happens; though I think he added under his breath--"well, hardly
ever."
There was barely a quorum when Colonel LESLIE WILSON rose to introduce
the estimates of the Shipping Controller. This was a pity, for he had
a good story to tell of the mercantile marine, and told it very well.
He was less successful on the subject of the "national shipyards,"
which have cost four millions of money and in two years have not
succeeded in turning out a single completed ship. With the wisdom that
comes after the event Sir CHARLES HENRY fulminated ferociously against
the "superman" who had imposed this "disastrous scheme" upon the
country.
This brought up the superman himself, Sir ERIC GEDDES, who in the most
vigorous speech he has yet delivered in the House defended the scheme
as being absolutely essential at the time it was initiated. It was
a war-time expedient, which changing circumstances had rendered
unnecessary; but if the War and the U-boat campaign had gone on it
might have been the salvation of the country. After all you can't
expect to have shipyards without making a few slips.
_Tuesday, May 20th._--The advance of woman continues. Very soon she
will have her foot upon the first rung of the judicial ladder, and be
able to write J.P. after her name, for the LORD CHANCELLOR, pointing
out that in this matter the Government were bound to honour the
pledges of the PRIME MINISTER, gracefully swallowed Lord BEAUCHAMP'S
Bill. He took occasion, however, to warn the prospective justicesses
(if that is the right term) that, as the Commissions of the Peace were
already fully manned, it might be some time before any large number
of ladies could be added to the roll of those who, in the words of the
Prayer-book, "indifferently administer justice."
[Illustration: THE LONG PULL.