In the House of Commons on Monday, in answer to
a question put to him by Colonel Chaloner, the Prime Minister again declined to grant a judicial inquiry into the "plot to overawe Mater by an armed occupation." On this Mr. Boner Law gave notice that he would repeat the demand on Tuesday, and expressed the hope that Mr. Asquith would reconsider. his decision. Later other attempts were made to "pick" the true story out of Mr. Asquith, and a considerable amount of progress was made in that respect. The whole ahnosphere was extremely heated, and even Mr. Asquith's usual imper- tUrbability was not maintained. When Mr. Butcher asked whether the proceedings of the Cabinet Committee were com- municated to the Prime Minister, Mr. Asquith replied, with what the Times describes as a decided note of impatience in his voice: "I decline to answer any such questions "—a reticence in the circumetances highly significant. Mr. Asquith's conntermaidings when he did know indicate how much was originally kept from him. " Don't lets the P.M. know about this till later," was clearly the mot cronies here as in the Marconi ease.
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