Parliament's Week

P: Jewish fears that Great Britain might someday give up her Palestine mandate and leave the Zionist colonies there to be slaughtered by the Arabs were dispelled, last week, when Prime Minister James Ramsay MacDonald read a declaration to the House of Commons which was later formally approved by Messrs. Lloyd George and Stanley Baldwin, thus binding all three of Great Britain's political parties.

"A double undertaking is involved," said Mr. MacDonald, "to the Jewish people on the one hand and to the non-Jewish people of Palestine on the other. . . . It is the firm resolve of His Majesty's Government . . . to do equal justice to all sections of the population of Palestine. . . . This is an international obligation from which there can be no receding."

P: With a vote of 219 to 35, the House of Commons amended the Army and Air Force Bill, abolished the death penalty for desertion on active service.

"It is not a fair deal," said Ernest Thurtle, author of the Bill, "to take a man from a farm or a factory, clap a tin hat on his tead, and then shoot him if his nerve fails."

Added Author Thurtle: "Out of 287 men executed while serving with the colors during the War, 264 or 92% were shot for desertion. The death penalty did not stiffen the backs of the soldiers, for in addition to those who were shot 17,000 men deserted.

P: After suffering a technical defeat of 179 to 183 on a trifling issue of procedure the Labor cabinet returned to the charge, last week, in a mighty effort to jam through their Coal Bill.

Highly controversial and pinko-socialistic, the Bill aims to regulate the coal output of all Great Britain, reduce working hours, and set up a national wages board.

Just before the final debate on third reading began, Liberal Lloyd George gave Laborite MacDonald renewed assurance that his Party would not let the Government down so long as the Naval Conference lasted. Several times the Welshman has seemed to be weakening on this assurance, but last week he stood firm and Laborites smacked the Bill through, 277 to 234.

P:Two scientific Laborites, a Dr. Robert Forgan and one Thomas Edward Groves, rose with a project to improve the atmosphere of the House of Commons by spraying Parliament with an atomized mixture of alcohol and oxygen. "We have had some highly successful tests in the committee rooms at St. Stephen's," said Dr. Forgan.

P: Shrewd Cecil Malone, M. P., unable to attend a dinner tendered him by his Northampton constituents, appeased and delighted them by sending a phonograph record of the speech he would have made. Amid cheers it was played at the dinner.

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