n the stories of Ministerial dissension
I do not know; but there is undoubtedly a CAVE on the Treasury Bench.
In the absence of the CHANCELLOR he took charge of the Report Stage of
the Finance Bill, and very well he acquitted himself. Incidentally the
SOLICITOR-GENERAL had the honour of bringing about a notable
reconciliation. Among the few occupants of the Nationalist benches
were Mr. DILLON and Mr. TIMOTHY HEALY, who for some years past have
rarely met without a collision. Accordingly when Mr. DILLON had
resisted a proposal to fine any visitor to an entertainment who did
not pay the Amusements-tax, it was confidently expected that Mr. HEALY
would find excellent reasons for asserting that this was the best
clause in the whole Bill, and that only a melancholy humbug would
oppose it. Instead he vigorously supported his former foe with an
argument that I am sure Mr. DILLON would never have thought of. "Was
it not a weird proposal," he asked, "that a child who had unwittingly
walked; through a turnstile should forthwith become a convict and lose
its Old-Age Pension?"

_Tuesday, April 18th._--When one has at last screwed up one's courage
to have a tooth out, there is nothing more unnerving than to be told
by the dentist that he cannot operate to-day and that one must come
again to-morrow. The House of Commons felt like that this afternoon.
Members had flocked from all parts of the kingdom--Nationalist Ireland
excepted--to hear the PRIME MINISTER'S promised statement. Col.
CHURCHILL, Lord HUGH CECIL (with a patch on his lofty brow denoting a
recent casualty), and other warrior-statesmen had reluctantly torn
themselves from the attractions of the trenches to do their duty at
Westminster. The Ladies' Gallery was filled to overflowing.

Then the ominous word went round, "No statement to-day." Sure enough,
when the PRIME MINISTER rose and hushed the buzz of conversation that
had rendered Questions inaudible, it was merely to observe that there
were still some points outstanding, that no statement would be
adequate without their adjustment, and that he would therefore
postpone his motion for the Easter adjournment until to-morrow. Sir
EDWARD CARSON'S motion demanding compulsory service for all men of
military age would, if necessary, be discussed on Thursday.

Members hastened out into the Lobby to chatter about the new phase of
the crisis and to speculate as to what were the points outstanding,
and whether the MINISTER OF MUN