Mr. Churchill has had an entertaining dispute with the Amalgamated
Union of Building Trade Workers. When h was recently laying bricks at his house in the country he was invited to become a member of the Union. He heartily accepted the invitation, signed the necessary papers and received in return a card of mem- bership signed by the President and with everything handsome about it. Then other unions raised objections. Mr. Churchill, they said, was ineligible. Mr. Churchill's union became alarmed by the criticisms and requested him to withdraw, suggesting that his membership was really a joke. This was Mr. Churchill's opening. With magnificent solemnity he retorted that no trade unionist should be compelled to withdraw from his union because of his political opinions. He must "refuse to accept expulsion." On the whole we gather that the invitation to Mr: Churchill if not a joke was at all events not more serious than a graceful compliment. As the laugh is entirely on Mr. Churchill's side we think he would spoil his joke if he—so to say—laboured it.
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