Evening star., 1937-07-04

Paris on Sunday, June 20, on
the morning train, and had an
opportunity to look at the
countryside of France and found it
delightful The farm lands age we'll
cared for and the people were work
ing on them on Sunday. In due time
I reached the English Channel 1t
was as smooth as lake and we were
in England before we realized it.
The rail trip through England showed
me the much talked of English coun-
try with its small estates, each house
with a garden. Finally I came to
London.
1t being Sunday night, things were
quiet, with few people in the streets,
but it was very different on Monday.
The activity in the streets equaled
New York during its busy hours The
intensity of truck and automobile
congestion was aided to by the left
hand drive. In our country we drive
to the right, in London they drive to
the left, and until you grow accus-
toned to it you are bewildered I
spent all day Monday talking to
newspaper men and having my pic
ture taken.
L. S. Firms Names Frequent.
AS I drove around London / was
by the close business rela-
tlons between England and the United
States, as I saw on all sides the famil-
lar names Of American business con-
Germs that have branch Offices and
stores in England. When 1 said in
my last article that Paris looked like
New York, of course I had not seen
London. My hotel room faced on
the Thames and it looked to me like
the Harlem River The first street
I walked on was the Strand. and it
looks exactly like Broadway, between
and Forty second
streets, before the advent Of tall build
ingS. The English policemen gave me
a thrill. They wear the same style
of hats worn by the police of New
York 40 years ago, except that they
have leather strap that goes under
the chin. I saw a fire engine in Lon
don, the first one since l left New
York
Because of my long experience with
legislative bodies I was keen to see
Parliament in session, 50 1 went on
Tuesday afternoon at 3, the hour set
for the members Of the House of
Commons to question the members
Of the cabinet. The prime minister
and the department heads are seated
together and on one side of the cham
Der are the members with the govern
n1ent and on the other side the men,
bers against the government Most
OF the questions came from the oppo-
sition, and to my way of thinking
many of them were intended to en-
barrass the administration. When the
department. head answered a ques-
ton the side with the government
said, Hear, hear!" The other side
proceeded to give him what we call
in New York the raspberry.
Difficult to Get In.
Unlike our American legislative
chambers, it is difficult to obtain ad-
We had to apply to the
American Embassy for tickets, and
them to no less than six police
before We reached the vis-
ltors' gallery. 1t is extremely diff
cult to hear what is said on the floor
OF the chamber. as it seems to be
without acoustic properties. Five
members wore high hats during the
session. I was informed that at one
time all members wore them. The
custom changed, but the five 1 saw
were still welded to the plug hat.
Under the rules a member Is re-
quired to take his hat OF when he
rises, speaks, cheers or bows.
The speaker wears a long, white
wig that reaches to his shoulders, and
the three clerks sitting in front of
him wear wigs. 1 was picturing
myself during the hot days of May
and June, when I was speaker of the
New York Assembly, II I had to wear
any wig. not to speak Of the one I
saw on the speaker of the House OF
Commons, which must weigh at least
three pounds.
Visitors in the gallery are furnished
with printed copies of the questions
asked the officials by the members.
one OF them we were very much in
terested in. 1t was addressed by
member named Alexander and was as
Follows: ITO ask Mr.. Chancellor of
the Exchequer whether it Is correct
to infer from command paper 5480
that the arrears Of principal and in
terest now due to the United States
in respect of British war debts
amounts to approximately fl74,000,-
900; whether it is proposed to con-
tinue to allow the arrears to accumu-
late or whether 1t Is proposed to re-
open discussion Of the matter with