24 MARCH 1950, Page 7

There is an element of comedy in the application of

Col, Morris, the recently elected Labour M.P. for Sheffield Neepsend, for the Chiltern Hundreds, in order to provide a safe seat for the unseated Sir Frank Soskice. Questioned as to the reason for his retirement, Col. Morris is said to have explained, " I have resigned from Par- liament because I want to lead a quiet life." He wanted to get there ; he. stood ; he was elected ; he got there ; and he found that the atmosphere was not sedative and somnolent after all. No quiet life at Westminster ; what disillusionment. So Col. Morris, taking his seat on March 10th, discovers by March 20th that Parliament is no place for him. But perhaps the real trouble was the sight of so many Tories. They have an anything but soporific effect.