THE SCENE IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.
[To THE EDFTOR OF THR "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—As a political pariah, that is to say, a Unionist Free Trader, may I make an impartial comment on last week's scene in the House of Commons ? On Monday Mr. Asquith was howled down by the Tory rowdies, and then in retaliation the Radical roughs howled at Mr. Smith till the Speaker adjourned the House. But it must not be forgotten that closure by yelling was first started by the Radicals in Mr. Lyttelton's case in 1905. On Tuesday a Labour Member proceeded to call a Member of the Opposition " an insolent swine." On Wednesday an Irish Member, adopting the Asiatic method of vituperation, aspersed the ancestry of another Irish Member. His irritated compatriot retorted by saying, " Then, sir, you are an infamous liar and scoundrel!" Nobody made any comment on this little incident, which was apparently accepted as normal. On Thursday another Labour Member made an attack on the impartiality of the Speaker in a letter to a local paper, and seemed much astonished when called on to apologize. Altogether we have a pleasant fore- taste of what Single-Chamber government is going to be like. But it is futile to point out an evil without suggesting a remedy. The present able and energetic secretary of the Zoological Gardens has secured peace within his realm by so arranging the cages and enclosures that the hostile races of animals can hear without seeing each other. Why should not this expert be called in to advise on the necessary structural alterations in the House of Commons, so that its denizens might be able to hear each other without being infuriated by the sight of their opponents P—I am, Sir, &c.,
UNIONIST FREE TRADER.
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