, suddenly remembered that motions for the
adjournment were intended for criticising the Government and not for
rebuking irresponsible outsiders. At his request the gallant Major
withdrew his motion, and _The Daily_ ---- lost its advertisement.

Invigorated by this episode the House--or what was left of it--resumed
the Report stage of the Ministry of Health Bill. The debate was
remarkable for the brevity of some of the speeches. Sir ROWLAND BLADES
set a good example to new Members by making a "maiden" effort in a
minute and a half. But his record was easily beaten by Mr. SEXTON, who
found ten seconds sufficient for expressing his opinion that the
fact that the House was trying to legislate in the small hours was
sufficient proof of the necessity of extending the laws of lunacy.
"_Si argumentum requiris circumspice_," he might have said as he gazed
upon the recumbent and yawning figures around him.

_Thursday, December 9th._--Mr. BONAR LAW enumerated a portentous list
of measures which the House of Commons must pass if it wants to enjoy
its Christmas holidays in peace. Lord HUGH CECIL wanted to know what
was the use of passing "all these foolish little Bills." Mr. PEMBERTON
BILLING had another solution for the difficulty and asked, "Why not
pass them all _ad hoc_?" meaning, it is supposed, "_en bloc_."

Well might the PRIME MINISTER remark at Question-time that he welcomed
the attacks of a certain section of the Press on the "Wastrels"
because then he knew the Government was all right. Mr. GEORGE LAMBERT
made a lively speech in support of his proposal to "ration" the
Government to a sum of L808,000,000--the amount Mr. CHAMBERLAIN had
said would suffice for a normal year. But his criticisms were too
discursive to be really dangerous, and his condemnation of "sloppy
Socialism" put up the backs of the Labour Party.

The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER reminded the House that when he talked
of a "normal Budget" he had been careful to add, "but not this year,
next year or the year after," which sounds suspiciously like the
nursery formula, "This year, next year, sometime, NEVER."

Still the great majority of the Members were only too anxious to be
convinced, and passed by a huge majority the "blanketing" amendment of
Sir GODFREY COLLINS in favour of economy in the abstract. I don't know
how this is to be squared with the PRIME MINISTER'S theory that it
is the business of the Government "to see that the population is
contente