ITIONS was or was not the prickliest of
them. To the noise and flurry created by their exit Mr. MCKENNA owes
it that his Finance Bill will appear in the Journals of the House as
having been passed without a dissenting voice. Mr. WHITLEY, who was in
the Chair, has not the commanding tones of Mr. LOWTHER, and when he
put the question, "That this Bill be now read a Third time," nobody
rose to speak. Accordingly he declared that the "Ays" had it; and
though several Members then protested that they had not heard the
question put, and urged that it should be put again, he politely but
firmly declined to oblige them.

In an incautious moment yesterday Mr. TENNANT advised Mr. SNOWDEN to
use his imagination. I should have thought the advice was superfluous,
for, to judge by some of the stories that the Member for Blackburn is
in the habit of retailing to the House regarding the persecution of
conscientious objectors by callous N.C.O.'s, his imagination is
working overtime. On the motion for the adjournment Mr. TENNANT had to
listen to several more of them. He was rewarded for his patience by
obtaining an unexpected testimonial from Mr. KING, who in his most
patronising tones declared that he was sorry for the UNDER SECRETARY,
who was really "a great deal better than the average man in the
street."

In readiness for the PRIME MINISTER'S anticipated statement, Lord
MILNER had put down a motion in the House of Lords in favour of
compulsory service for all men of military age; and, despite the
changed circumstances, he persisted in moving it, and made an
admirable speech in its support. Lord CREWE, indeed, found it
unanswerable for the time being, as Downing Street was "still
thinking." He could not say when its thoughts would be resolved into
decision, but hoped it might be to-morrow--or, if not to-morrow,
Thursday--or, if not Thursday, then perhaps Monday. Lord CREWE has not
sat at Mr. ASQUITH'S feet all these years without catching something
of his methods.

_Wednesday, April 19th._--The House was even more crowded and anxious
than yesterday. In the Peers' Gallery a dim figure, carrying a bunch
of primroses and looking astonishingly like Mr. DENNIS EADIE, was
heard to murmur, "I wonder whether England loves Coalitions any more
than she did in my time." The present PRIME MINISTER appears to think
that she does, for, after remarking that continued disagreement on
material points threatened a breakup of the Government, he ventur