The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-03-21
PARLIAMENT CALM
 AS LIE IS PASSED
 BY LABOR MEMBER

London, March 1-Reciprocal News Service.) )-Step into my gallery of notables at the beginning of Parliament, and bear in mind that each portrait is the work of chronic impressionist.
 First. we have William Adamson par liamentary leader of the labor party, rugged little Scotch miner, who makes even worse speeches than one would hear in state legislature. His voice is as rough and unmusical as if his vocal cords were of leather. His gestures are the clumsy thumps of an unimpressive char acter. Yet he has a great amount of geniality, and when he thought he had made subtly sarcastic slash at the prime minister he almost danced with joy and found it difficult to stop laughing, although his merriment was shared by no one. not even by his supporters, who arprehensively watched the prime minis ter making notes These notes subse- quently were the basis or a few choice words, suavely dropped from the prime minister's lips. which made MT. Adam son violently red with consciousness of total defeat. But he kept his good humor, and sliding far down on his neck with his short legs braced against the ma hogany table which separates the opposi- tion from the government. he occasion ally beamed with sheer admiration at the masterful strokes of the little Welshman who is easily the boss of the British em- pire.
 In the midst of Mr.. Adamson's tirade against the government, when he had touched upon the Irish question, Sir Ed ward Carson, leader of the Ulster union ists, and one of the most successful law yers at the British bar shot some un.n- telligible remark at MT. Adamson. Sir Edward is very tall, very lank and very cold. So far as appearance in concerned he seems made closely after the pattern of Simon Legree. It's hard to imagine him smiling, but I understand from the American ambassador that he is quite sociable and human in private life. Pub- licly he is a stick with white dome partly covered with precisely plastered hair.
 Evidently Jack Jones. incorrigible. big, burly labor representative of Silvertown, had been anticipating some interruption by Sir Edward Carson, who always frig- idly leans forward in the commons when ever the name of Ireland is mentioned. You organized murder flrst!' shouts Mr. Jones.
 That is a lie!' snapped Sir Edward, looking as bloodess as ever
 '.It is the truth and you were the first man to start it." roared Jack Jones from his opposite seat high up against the wall. He was not really reused, and seemed ready indifferently for knives, pis-
 Again came the icy blast from Sir Ed ward: That is a lie.''
 PARLIAMENTARY ROW
 In the meantime there had been a grow ing hubbub with cries for Order order" The speaker, who had been trying to make his voice heard, at last attraued Jack Jones' eye and reminded him that
 -l~ whenever he wanted to interrupt mem ber "He did it first" MT. Jones shouted back to the speaker, not making it plain whether he was still referring to organ ized murder or the interruption.
 Ambassador Davis, commenting on the fracas, said that during his term In Con- gress. whenever the lie was passed. it was always the task of two shock-absorb ing battalions before they could get their coats off. He was amazed at the un- sway of the British reverence for law and order, even in parliamentary and during most trying passages of words. l suggested that perhaps it was the tradition for the disputants to meet down in the cellar Afterwards. IN ASQUITH'S SHOES
 Next we had the leader of the ndepen- dent liberals. Sir Donald Maclean. He is tall and soft-voiced. with modest feat ACCA from his waist. Usually he is free from emotion, and logical method in debate best suits him: for he is not constituted to act a ssubstitute for a comedian or .raeedian. even in a moments emergency in the drama of Parliament. But on this opering day he quvered with electris pa asson, for which he is such poor lightning rod. He had much to say about l by y-elections held since the last general sIection, a number of which have go---' a gainst Lloyd Georges coalition. And what was most difficult for him to cor ain was the prospect that his politicss1 pope, Mir Asquith. spiritual leader of lib- sralism. would soon be elected in by election in the borough of Paisley. which | prospect he felt would shake the gov .rnment with choleric rage. if not with dissolution. He talked fast instead. of with his customary deliberation, and r., words tumbled out clumsily. He talked lust as fast with his eyes which were fastened triumpaantly upon the prime minister just across the table.
 Then he made a mis-step to which Lady Astor promptly called attention He ss d hat the opinion of the country was clear y against the government. as shown by