_Monday, July 30th._--The _obiter dicta_ dropped by Mr. BONAR LAW in
the course of debate are gradually furnishing the House with an almost
complete autobiography. To-day it learned that while, unlike Mr.
BALFOUR, he reads a great many newspapers he does not include among
them a certain financial organ which makes a speciality of spy-hunting
in high places.
[Illustration: RAMSAY MACDONALD IN PARIS. "ARC DE TRIOMPHE! THE WORD
HAS A SINISTER SOUND."]
When the National Insurance Scheme was set on foot there were great
complaints because some Friendly Societies were not allowed to share
in its administration. Possibly the officials thought them a little
too friendly in their ways. One of them, we learned to-day, employed
an auditor who signed the return with a mark, like _Bill Stumps_;
while another auditor had a habit of signing it in blank and leaving
the secretary to fill in the figures.
Mr. ASQUITH used to allow his colleagues so much freedom of action
that his Administration was nick-named "the Go-as-you-please
Government"; and eventually it went as he did not please. But I cannot
recall under his gentle rule anything quite so free-and-easy as Mr.
HENDERSON'S visit to Paris. That a member of the War Cabinet should
attend a Conference of French and Russian Socialists at all is in
itself a sufficiently remarkable departure from Ministerial etiquette,
but that he should be accompanied by Mr. RAMSAY MACDONALD, whose
peculiar views upon the questions of war and peace have so recently
been repudiated by the Government and the House of Commons, makes
it still more extraordinary. In the circumstances it was almost
surprising to learn that the complaisance of the Government did not
extend to furnishing Mr. MACDONALD with a war-ship for his journey.
What Mr. BALFOUR, who is responsible for the foreign policy of this
country, thinks about it all one can only surmise, for he said nothing
directly on the subject in his great speech to-night--a speech which
earned him the unique tribute of a compliment from Mr. PRINGLE. But
the FOREIGN SECRETARY'S warning to the House not to try to anticipate
the work of the Peace Congress may well have been inspired by
apprehensions as to what the amateur diplomatists were saying at that
moment in Paris.
_Tuesday, July 31st._--An attempt to obtain further light on the
HENDERSON-MACDONALD excursion met with little success. Mr. BONAR LAW
professed to see nothing unusual in Mr. HENDERSON'S taking part in a
Labour Conference, and declared, on the somewhat slender ground that
only the Allies were represented, that it was not of an international
character. Mr. HOGGE essayed to move the adjournment, but had omitted
to have his motion ready. The result of his hurried effort to draft
one was not satisfactory, for the SPEAKER ruled that it constituted
an attack on Mr. HENDERSON and ought not in fairness to be moved until
the right hon. gentleman was back in his place. So the Government
escaped--for the moment.
Wearing a jacket suit of Navy blue, and escorted by Lord EDMUND TALBOT
and Mr. RAWLINSON, the new FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY walked up the
floor to take the Oath. Members noted with satisfaction the buoyancy
of his step and the firmness of his chin. If looks go for anything the
Navy in his hands will not relax the bull-dog grip upon the enemy that
it has maintained these three years.
[Illustration: THE "SHEE-BILLING" AUTUMN WEAR FOR MEMBERS--AND
POLICEMEN--OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.]
Asked whether the Government proposed to institute a prosecution
in regard to the disturbance of the peace (with alleged profane
language) that recently occurred within the precincts of the Palace of
Westminster, Sir GEORGE CAVE gravely recited the words of the statute
providing that an offender in such circumstances was liable to have
his right hand stricken off. All eyes instinctively turned to see how
Mr. PEMBERTON-BILLING was taking it; but any anxiety that he may have
felt was relieved when the HOME SECRETARY added that the statute in
question was repealed in 1828.
A question put by Sir HENRY CRAIK about a C1 recruit included the
statement that he was "suffering from Addison's disease"; and Mr.
HOGGE voiced the general curiosity when he asked, obviously out of
solicitude for the late Minister of Munitions, "What is ADDISON'S
disease?" It is believed that the reply, if one had been given, would
have been "Over-dilution."
Good progress was made with the Corn Production Bill, and on the vexed
question as to how far allowances should be reckoned as part of the
minimum wage an amendment was inserted enabling the Wages Boards to
secure for the labourer a little more in cash and less in kind.
In the Lords a satisfactory account of the recent negotiations between
British and German Commissioners at the Hague was given by Lord
NEWTON. Incidentally he disposed of the suggestion that there had been
anything in the way of fraternization. Both sides had held strictly
to the business in hand, which was the exchange of prisoners, not of
compliments.
_Wednesday, August 1st._--The Peers were to have had another
field-day, for Lord SELBORNE had put down a motion calling attention
to the alleged sale of honours. But, to the relief of certain of the
recently ennobled, who could not be sure what the Unnatural History
of SELBORNE might contain, the discussion was postponed.
Three hours' talk over Mr. HENDERSON'S dual personality left the
Commons still vague as to how a Cabinet Minister becomes a Labour
delegate at will. Perhaps the Channel passage may have had something
to do with it.
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[Illustration: ANY PORT IN A STORM.]
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