The Postmaster-General replied that the blame lay upon the publicity
official alone, and that he himself knew nothing about the puff until it appeared in the papers. Truth requires one to say, however, that though Sir Laming's explanation was, of course, accepted as such it was received' with some chilliness, as there was a general feeling that this kind of thing ought never to happen, and that there is something wrong with a Department when it does happen. Really such an incident would have been inconceivable before the War. The War accustomed us to many new things, but we are thankful to believe that the public is shocked and disgusted at the diseovery that the methods of puffing Departments and Ministers continues. Such a man as Mr. Baldwin is now Prime Minister for the very reason that the nation wanted to make an end once for all of the worst methods of the Coalition: It is an outrage that public money should be spent upon ridiculous and futile propaganda which insults the intelligence of every reader. However, we are sure that the Govern- ment as a whole dislikes such methods as much as we do and that these will not be employed again. * * * *
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