Parliament's Week

The Commons: Cheered stalwart William Graham, President of the Board of Trade (equals "Secretary of Commerce"), when he collapsed from joy-shock at seeing his coal bill squeak through committee stage by nine votes, one more than the House gave it at second reading (TIME, Dec. 30). Friends carried out the collapsed President, sent him home for a stiff dose of sleep.

Cries of "You're no leader, resign!" were hurled at Mr. Lloyd George when eight of his Liberals sat, arms folded, refusing to vote with him against the coal bill, causing Liberal whip Sir William Edge who voted for the coal bill to resign.*

P:Rocked and resounded with gallant cries of "Hear, hear!" from members of all three parties as Conservative Captain Victor Cazalet, smart socialite and admirer of U. S. rich folk, proposed a bill which both male and female M. P.'s think will please women. If passed, a woman who marries a foreigner will have the option of remaining a subject of George V, instead of being forced to embrace the husband's nationality. U. S. women already have this right. P: Gloomed at a statement by Foreign Minister Arthur Henderson that "after thorough consideration" the Labor Government has decided to make no reduction in the $10 fee collected for rubber stamping (visaing) the passport of each U. S. citizen bound for Great Britain.

Earlier in the year Britons catering to the tourist trade got behind a "Come to Britain!" movement, pointed out the enormous German tourist gains since that country abolished visa fees in 1925.

But 100,000 rubber stampings at $10 each give the British Treasury an extra $1,000,000 every year. Rather than lose this, Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Snowden, now in the agony of bringing forth a budget which will balance despite an increase in the "dole" paid to British can't-works and won't-works, insisted stubbornly that the "nuisance" be continued, even against the ultimate interests of the Empire.

P:Passed through first reading by a thumping majority a bill establishing a new ground for divorce: "Five years' insanity on the part of either party."

Fulminating against the bill, Rev. Gordon Lang, M. P., profoundly and ingeniously agreed that one of the best ways to drive a woman insane would be to let her know that if she should go insane her husband could divorce her.

"If this monstrous ground for divorce is sanctioned," thundered he, "I warn the House that we are headed straight for the time when 'failure in health' or 'decrease in income' will be considered grounds for divorce! What then becomes of the sacred marriage vow 'in sickness or in health . . . for richer, for poorer . . . till Death us do part'?"

Supporters of the measure pointed out that in Great Britain there are 7,000 married men and 10,000 married women tied without hope of release to persons who should have been the partners of their wedded bliss but are actually in insane asylums.

*Nebraska's Senator Norris in Washington last week: "I remember when the Senator [Watson] was 'whip' in the House. I bear on my body the marks of the senator's 'whip' even to this day." (Laughter.)

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