Mr. G. K. Chesterton, I notice, has been informing the
world by wireless that " the English Parliament has decided that wine is not a poison at five minutes to three, but becomes a poison at five minutes past three." What English Parliament when ? Mr. Chesterton may sit in his study or his garden and drink all the wine he can stomach .at five minutes past three, or twenty-five minutes or thirty-five. No one will worry about him, except perhaps his doctor. No one will murmur Parlia- ment. No one will whisper poison. It is quite true that there is legislative provision to prevent men, or women either, from sitting soaking in public-houses from noon to night. But even that ferocious piece of Hitlerism leaves them free to take their liquor home and drink it. No, G. no. Freedom may have shrieked when Kosciusko fell. It does not so much as twitter when the public- houses close for the afternoon.
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