nt, the Union Jack is hoisted on thousands of schools and
saluted by millions of children. To the suggestion that the public
offices should be similarly adorned the Government, under the erroneous
belief that patriotism and militarism were identical, has hitherto
maintained an unflagging opposition. But to-day Lord CREWE admitted that
the proposal was reasonable.

Sir GEORGE REID has made the surprising discovery that there are a
number of excellent speakers in the House of Commons who do not speak,
but concentrate themselves upon the despatch of business. Perhaps this
was his genial way of indicating the more obvious fact that there are
others of a precisely opposite kind. He himself is an excellent speaker
who speaks; but concentration is perhaps hardly his strongest point, and
he wandered to-day over so many fields that the CHAIRMAN had more than
once, with obvious regret, to recall him to the strict path of the
Finance Bill, which ultimately passed its first reading, amid cheers
that it would have done the KAISER good to hear.

Mr. PEMBERTON-BILLING, having been prevented by the Budget from making
his usual Tuesday speech, delivered it to-day, and had a success which
was, I trust, as gratifying to him as it was surprising to the House.

* * * * *

[Illustration: _Wife._ "DO YOU THINK THE ZEPPELINS WILL COME HERE?"
_Husband._ "VERY POSSIBLY, I SHOULD SAY."
_Wife._ "THEN I SHAN'T START THE SPRING CLEANING."]

* * * * *

At the close of his now customary catalogue of the defects he has
discovered in our air-service, he offered personally to organize raids
upon the enemy's aircraft headquarters, and ventured to believe that he
could bag as many Zeppelins in a day as the Government could bring down
in a year by their present methods of misplaced guns and misplaced
confidence.

Mr. TENNANT did not think our confidence was misplaced. But he would
certainly accept Mr. BILLING's offer, and would confer with him as to
how to make the best use of his services. It seems probable, therefore,
that for some little time the House will have to do without its weekly
lecture from the Member for East Herts. Under the shadow of this
impending bereavement Mr. TENNANT is bearing up as well as can be
expected.

_Thursday, April 6th._--Everyone was delighted to see the PRIME MINISTER
back in his place to-day after his three weeks' absence. Members on both
sides cheered