e Allies were going to proceed with
the trial of the EX-KAISER the PRIME MINISTER at first replied that he had
"nothing to add." On being twitted with his election-pledge he added a good
deal. When he gave that pledge, it seems, he did not contemplate the
possibility that Holland would refuse to surrender her guest, and he had no
intention of using force to compel her. WILLIAM HOHENZOLLERN, he
considered, was not worth any more bloodshed. In that case the Government
would save a good deal of Parliamentary time if they were definitely to
write him off with their other bad debts.

Among other methods of brightening village life the Ministry of Agriculture
has lately circulated "rules for the mutual insurance of pigs and cows."
The intellectual development of our domestic animals evidently proceeds
apace. We have all heard of the learned pig, but that the cow also should
be deemed capable of conducting actuarial calculations does, I confess,
surprise me.

[Illustration: "WHO WAS CHIEF MOURNER?"
"I," SAID THE WREN,
"I, WEDGWOOD BENN,
I WAS CHIEF MOURNER." ]

Having heard the latest feat of the Sinn Feiners in kidnapping a British
General, the House evidently considered that it had better hurry up with
the Government of Ireland Bill. Clauses 51 to 69 were run through in
double-quick time. Only on Clause 70, providing for the repeal of the Home
Rule Act of 1914, did any prolonged debate arise. Captain WEDGWOOD BENN
pleasantly described this as the only clause in the Bill that was not
nonsense, and therefore moved its omission. He was answered by the PRIME
MINISTER, who declared that no Irishman would now be content with the Act
of 1914, and defended the present Bill on the curious ground that it gave
Ireland as much self-government as Scotland had ever asked for. Sir EDWARD
CARSON'S plea that it was a case of "this Bill or an Irish Republic" was
probably more convincing. In a series of divisions the "Wee Frees" never
mustered more than seventeen votes. The author of the Act of 1914, Mr.
ASQUITH, was not present at the obsequies.

_Tuesday, June 29th._--The establishment of a "National home" for the
Jewish race in Palestine aroused the apprehensions of Lord SYDENHAM and
other Peers, who feared that the Moslem inhabitants would be exploited by
the Zionists, and would endeavour to re-establish Turkish rule. Lord CURZON
did his best to remove these impressions. Authority in Palestine would be
exercised by Great Britain as