Parliament's Week

The House of Commons last week permitted that greatly trusted businessman from Birmingham, Neville Chamberlain, to blindfold Parliament, the nation (and its enemies) to the more & more frightening costs of World War II. This was accomplished when Mr. Chamberlain caused to be read in the House of Commons a quiet little Treasury minute. It explained that henceforth His Majesty's Government, when it needs more millions, will simply ask the House to appropriate "tokens" nominally of -L-100 ($400)--each token to stand for whatever vast sum is secretly decided by the War Cabinet.

No leader with a big L has asked his people to trust him more fully than did Chamberlain--yet the Mother of Parliaments had not suddenly become a Yes-gang like the Reichstag. The difference, born out of British political genius for knowing in times of stress how to stand together without sacrificing freedom, is typical of "The Best Club in Europe." Standing together, but by no means out of the legislating business, last week the club decided to increase its weekly wartime sittings from three to five. About 100 M.P.s are engaged in special war work or are in the services, but the rest practice democracy by asking plenty of questions:

> The Prime Minister defended Viscount Halifax for censoring 44 lines out of a Britain-must-aid-Finland newspaper article by ousted War Secretary Leslie Hore-Belisha. This was done, explained Mr. Chamberlain, lest any reader think that Mr. Hore-Belisha was writing with "special authority." Two days later in Devonport the ousted Secretary, speaking as an ordinary M.P. to his constituents, spouted what were thought to be his censored lines, virtually called for Allied war on Russia to save Finland.

> Laborite Emanuel Shinwell taunted the Government with letting Italian ships carry German coal unhindered to Italy week after week, and asked Minister of Economic Warfare Ronald Cross if he knew that 16 Fascist freighters were last week loading Nazi coal at Rotterdam.

Ronald Cross told the House that His Majesty's Government -- which has been letting Mussolini have Hitler coal to help keep Italy neutral--is just about ready to blockade all German sea exports.

> Miss Florence Horsbrugh, new Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health, made her maiden speech to the House of Commons last week in smooth observance of its tradition that a new member should begin by speaking with modesty and humor about nothing of importance. "Maiden aunts are the subject of songs and stories, but they are some of the most useful members of the community," chirped Miss Horsbrugh pleasantly. "I speak with feeling, being one of them!" When Health's Horsbrugh ventured to say that many females of from 60 to 65 are "tired women," Laborite Dr. Edith Summerskill shrilled earnestly: "What about men?" Laborite Andrew McLaren cracked: "Men are tired all their lives!" Sneered truculent extremist Laborite David Kirkwood: "I don't think I ever heard a better example of Her Master's Voice!"

> Questioned by nature-loving M.P.s His Majesty's Government revealed that -L-100 ($400) per annum is the cost of feeding tame water fowl in London public parks, "half the expenditure being fish for the pelicans in St. James's Park."

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