Monday, Nov. 11, 1929

Parliament Opens

The Lords & Commons--

P: Convened without the usual formality of a Speech from the Throne because: 1) The King, who reads the Speech, was still convalescent at Sandringham, though well enough to shoot pheasants, eat pheasant morsels. 2) The Prime Minister, who writes the Speech from the Throne, was on high and rough seas (see col. 2).

The Commons--

P:Were astir at 6 a.m. on the opening morning, as M. P.s got set to sprint and capture the seats they will hold throughout the session.

Hottest heat was that between nimble Lady Astor and spry old Lieutenant Colonel Sir Frederick Hall, 65. This time the Noble Lady, 50, captured her favorite aisle seat (she lost the race last spring-- TIME, July 15). This year, for the first time in the House of Commons, she was hatless.

P: Parliament's bull-of-the-week was made by famed Philip Snowden, crippled, drawn-faced Chancellor of the Exchequer. He referred to former Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin (now a mere Conservative M.P.) as "the Prime Minister," then clapped an anguished hand to his forehead as the House burst into goodnatured roars.

The tongue-slip was double, for in the absence of Laborite Prime Minister MacDonald, Mr. Snowden was himself the acting Prime Minister. Said he with a wry grimace. "It will take a little time for us to recover from old habits."

P: Baited to reveal what the Government had done, if anything, about unemployment was Minister of Unemployment J. H. ("Jim") Thomas, onetime engine cleaner, easy-going demagog. As he approached the House of Parliament Mr. Thomas was escorted by a man who had loaded himself with rusty iron chains and bore a placard: "I am unemployed."

In the House he evaded Conservative queries: "So much has been done that I want to tell the Honorable Gentlemen all about it as soon as possible."

P: Defending the $40,000,000 Widow's Pensions Bill, famed Lady Cynthia Mosley, daughter of the late, great, crusty Conservative Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, made her maiden speech. A rabid Socialist M. P., she cried: "I have been getting something for nothing all my life! . . . Why shouldn't poor widowed women get something for nothing? . . ."

Rebutted the Countess of Iveagh, M. P.: "Then why not give widowers something for nothing? . . . Furthermore the bill discriminates against spinsters, who may be quite as worthy as widows."