PEOPLE AND THINGS
By HAROLD NICOLSON
HE House of Commons, when it reassembled on Monday, had more or less recovered from the shock dealt to it by Dr. Burgin's appointment and the consequent reshuffle. It must be admitted that the Prime Minister, when making his announcement, did little to temper the wind to the shorn lamb ; on the contrary, he edged the lamb into a position where the north-easter could catch him fair and square. Mr. Chamberlain is in truth a master of that type of discomfiture which is, I understand, known to musicians as the Trugschluss, or surprise solution. On reaching the words "My Right Honourable Friend," he paused for a second in order to allow the House to tune in to the expecta- tion of "The Member for Epping." And when, in place of these stirring words, came the little phrase, "The Minister of Transport" a wide gasp spread along the packed benches, punctuated by one sharp cry of pain. The Prime Minister enjoyed the effect which he had created. Had Mr. Chamber- lain been Old Mother Hubbard he would not, I feel, have done anything so crude or cruel as to disappoint the poor dog with an empty cupboard; he would have placed a papier mache cutlet inside.
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