ve voices have been heard with
regard to the question of smoking in theatres, _Mr. Punch_ has been
making further inquiries. The replies are appended:--

_General VILLA V. VILLA._ I think that smoking should be permitted
everywhere.

_Mr. MAX PEMBERTON._ I am totally opposed to giving theatres the same
comfortable rules as the variety halls. If people may smoke at musical
comedies they are in danger of avoiding revues.

_Mr. G. K. CHESTERTON._ I am in favour of giving the public all they
want. Let them smoke if they wish to, everywhere and everywhen. Let them
also chew and take snuff: a private snuff-box should be attached to
every stall.

_Mr. VICTOR GRAYSON._ I would support smoking in theatres if pipes were
permitted. But of course they won't be.

_Mr. BERNARD SHAW (to whom no inquiry was addressed, but that did not
prevent his sending a long letter on the subject, the purport of which
is that there should be no smoking anywhere)._ Had I ever smoked I
should not now be the first intellectual in Europe.

_Sir JAMES CRICHTON-BROWNE._ No smoking in theatres for me. And if I go
to the Gaiety and find that a cigar or cigarette on my right or left
singes my whiskers I will have the law of Mr. GEORGE EDWARDES.

"_Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch._" Let there be smoking, but let some
kind of control be kept on the brands of cigars that are smoked.

_Mr. LLOYD GEORGE._ I am in favour of the extension of all taxable
luxuries.

_Mr. EUSTACE MILES._ Most London theatres are now so grossly
over-ventilated that I welcome the idea of tobacco as helping to redress
the balance.

_Master ANTHONY ASQUITH._ Surely if there is smoking in one house of
entertainment there may be smoking in another. I am sure my poor father
would agree.

* * * * *

THE FEDERAL SOLUTION.

(_See the daily papers_ passim.)

I.

SIR,--At last a ray of sanity has fallen like oil on the troubled
waters of the Irish controversy and has given a well-merited cold
douche to the extremists on either side. It is now acknowledged
that what for want of a better term I may call the Federal Solution
holds the field, and any attempt to expel it will only plunge the
objector still deeper in the mire and cover him with ridicule from
head to foot.

Long ago I adumbrated in the clearest possible way the fundamental
outlines of this solution, and every hour which has passed has only