[Illustration: FIRST STEPS TO VICTORY (_continued_).
(_Quartette of Legal Members of Committee of Inquiry into the
Administration of the Royal Flying Corps_).
_Messrs. A, B, C and D in consultation, all talking together._ "THE
CONTRIVANCE IN FRONT, BY REVOLVING, PRODUCES MOMENTUM. DO I CARRY YOU
WITH ME?"
"MY LEARNED FRIENDS MUST ADMIT THAT THE PILOT HAS AN _A PRIORI_
RIGHT TO THE FRONT SEAT AND A LIEN ON ALL PETROL."
"MY CLIENTS DENY BUILDING THE MACHINE; AND IF THEY DID SO THEY DID IT IN
GOOD FAITH AND IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST."
"I SUBMIT THAT THOSE PREMISES SITUATE BEHIND THE ENGINE SHOULD BE
PAINTED OUTSIDE IN FOUR GOOD COATS OF OIL COLOUR EVERY THREE YEARS, AND
BE IN ALL RESPECTS KEPT IN GOOD AND TENANTABLE REPAIR, ETC., ETC.,
ETC."]
* * * * *
_Monday, May 8th._--It was a relief to pass from the sombre theme of
judgment passed on Irish rebels to the quiet humours of Daylight-Saving.
Sir HENRY NORMAN was perhaps a little over-anxious to be playful; and
some of his rather ancient jokes gave obvious pain to Mr. PEARCE, who
once carried a Daylight-Saving Bill through its second reading without
any such frivolous aids.
There was little opposition. Sir FREDERICK BANBURY once more appeared in
his favourite character of the conscientious objector. He was not on
this occasion "the champion of the suffering rich," as Mr. DUKE called
him the other day, but the defender of the humble milkman, who already
had to rise before dawn for the greater part of the year, and might, I
gathered, be subject to unworthy suspicions if he performed his
functions before the dew was off the grass. Lord HUGH CECIL, who thought
the proposal to put on the clock smacked of "the tricks of the lowest
class of journalism," is understood to have been referring to those
remarkable examples of advanced literature, the "_6.30 News_" and "_7.0
Star_."
The INFANT SAMUEL, as my esteemed predecessor used to call him,
disclaimed the idea that he had become "a presumptuous JOSHUA." The
Government only supported the proposal because it would help us during
the War by saving coal.
Sir HENRY DALZIEL is the proprietor of a newspaper, one of whose most
piquant features is a column entitled "Secret History of To-day," in
which one may read dark hints of Society scandals and political
intrigues. Naturally enough he objects to the new regulation forbidding
reference to the proceedings of the Cabinet. He had effective backing on
this occasion from Mr. WALTER ROCH, who in a speech admirable alike in
tone and substance appealed to the Government in their own interests to
withdraw a ukase, under which, if strictly applied, Ministers themselves
would be the first to suffer. The Government lived too much in a balloon
(have they not just appointed a quartette of lawyers to overhaul the
Royal Flying Corps?), and would be the better for anything that brought
them into closer touch with their fellow-citizens.
After an excited protest by Mr. O'BRIEN against the executions in
Ireland it was not, perhaps, a fortunate moment for Sir JOHN LONSDALE to
suggest that the Military Service Bill should be extended to Ireland.
Mr. ASQUITH was sympathetic in principle to the idea, but made it plain
that in practice it was impossible, since Mr. REDMOND was opposed to it.
Sir EDWARD CARSON thought the fact deplorable while recognising its
cogency; but he suggested that if the Nationalist leader was the
indirect Governor of Ireland he should be given the responsibility
instead of exercising it second-hand. Mr. REDMOND promptly denied that he
had either power or responsibility; otherwise the recent occurrences in
Ireland would, he alleged, not have happened. Mr. CHURCHILL, now home
from the Front on unlimited leave, drew from these two speeches the
inference that the future of Ireland depended upon their authors sinking
their differences and acting together, and expressed the sanguine view
that the Irish Question was nearing a settlement. Members, recalling
similarly sanguine prophecies from the same source about Gallipoli and
the German Navy, were not so much impressed as they were meant to be.
* * * * *