There was very little sign of passion in Mr. ASQUITH’S measured criticism of the Allied Council and of the PRIME MINISTER’S speech on the subject in Paris.  His foil was carefully buttoned, and though it administered a shrewd thrust now and again it was not intended to draw blood.

At first the PRIME MINISTER followed this excellent example, and contented himself with defending, and incidentally re-composing, his Paris oration.  The Allied Council, as now depicted, was a horse of quite another colour from what it seemed in Paris.  A further example of camouflage, I suppose.

Only when he came to deal with his Press critics did he let himself go, to the delight of the House, which loves him in his swashbuckling mood.  As he confessed, however, that he had deliberately made “a disagreeable speech” in Paris in order to get it talked about, the Press will probably consider itself absolved.

Tuesday, November 20th.—­Like John Bull, as represented in last week’s cartoon, Lord LAMINGTON has arrived at the conclusion that compulsory rationing must come, and the sooner the better.  Lord RHONDDA, however, is still hopeful that John will tighten his own belt, and save him the trouble.  “More Yapping and Less Biting” should be our motto.  But if we fail to live up to it, the machinery for compulsory rationing is all ready.  Indeed, according to Lord DEVONPORT, it has been ready since April last, when an “S.O.S.” to the local authorities was on the point of being sent, but a timely increase in imports stopped it.

Nobody doubts Commander WEDGWOOD’S essential patriotism; he has proved it like a knight of old on his body; but he is unfortunate in some of his political associates, who take advantage of his good-nature.  A book with a preface by himself had been seized by the police on suspicion of being seditious, and he loudly demanded to be prosecuted.  But Sir GEORGE CAVE was not inclined to set up a legal presumption that the writer of a preface is responsible for the rest of the book.  If he were, a good many “forewords” would, I imagine, never have been written.

Wednesday, November 21st.—­By a strange oversight the Royal Marines were not specifically mentioned in the recent Vote of Thanks to the Services.  Apparently the fact that this country is proud of them is one of those things that must not be told to the Marines.  But Dr. MACNAMARA assured the House that the omission should now be repaired.

[Illustration:  “His foil was carefully buttoned.”

MR. ASQUITH.]

There has been a shortage of provisions in the city where Lady Godiva suffered from a shortage of clothes.  Mr. CLYNES was prompt with a remedy.  A representative of the FOOD-CONTROLLER has already been sent to Coventry.

Conscientious Objectors found a doughty champion in Lord HUGH CECIL.  Rarely has an unpopular case been fortified with a greater wealth of legal, historical and ethical argument.  Only once, when he accused Mr. BONAR LAW of holding the same doctrine as Herr BETHMANN-HOLLWEG, did he lose, for a moment, the sympathy of his audience.  But he soon recovered himself, and thereafter held the House rapt with Cecilian harmonies.