extended the objects of the war. Mr.
MCCURDY, who shares with Mr. LEES SMITH the representation of
Northampton, plainly hinted that if his colleague cared to visit his
constituents they would be delighted to present him with a specimen of
the local manufacture.

The speeches of Mr. BALFOUR and Mr. ASQUITH, though well worth
hearing, were hardly needed to complete the rout of the Pacifists;
and, in the division on the Closure, the men who are prepared (in Mr.
FABER'S pungent phrase) "to take the bloody hand of Germany" made a
very poor muster.

_Wednesday, November 7th._--I am inclined to echo Lord SALISBURY'S
regret that Labour has no direct representative in the Upper House.
The proletarian peer, if there were one, would have been both
surprised and delighted to hear how the non-proletarians, without
exception, spoke of his class.

My imaginary peer would have been especially edified by the speech of
Lord MILNER, whom a small but noisy section of the Press persists in
describing as more Prussian than the Prussians. Not under-estimating
the difficulties in the way of a frank and full understanding between
Capital and Labour, he nevertheless believed that they would be
overcome, because he had an abiding faith in the mass of his
fellow-countrymen. Not quite what one expects of a British Junker, is
it?

_Thursday, November 8th._--When tonnage is so scarce it seems odd that
room can still be found for consignments of wild animals. Mr. PETO
drew attention to a coming cargo, including two hundred avadavats, the
little birds about which _Joseph Surface_ was so contemptuous, and six
hundred monkeys--"sufficient," as he pleasantly observed, "to fill
this House."

For once Mr. BILLING expressed a widely-held opinion when he
questioned the propriety, in present circumstances, of holding the
LORD MAYOR'S Banquet. Mr. BONAR LAW'S solemn assurance that he only
accepted the invitation on the distinct understanding that the feast
would fall completely within the FOOD CONTROLLER'S regulations, was
not altogether convincing. Members were anxious to know the exact
dimensions that Lord RHONDDA has laid down for the turtle-ration.

* * * * *

[Illustration: _Onlooker_ (_at a Company exhibition, to the better
man_). "HERE, LAAD, NOT SO MOOCH OF IT. WE'M SHORT O' SOJERS IN OUR
COOMPANY, DOAN'T THEE FORGET!"]

* * * * *

GILBERT.

We are all very fond of Gilbert. The