Evening star., 1941-05-06
BY JOHN BIRD,
Editor the Winnipeg Tribune.

LONDON, May 6 CBy Cable I'm
utter secrecy as to time and place.
the Mother of Parliaments meets
to discuss the state of the nation.
To attend such meeting gives a
Canadian a feeling like being pres
ent in the catacombs when persecut-
ed Christians kept the flame Of
religion alight in pagan Rome.
Parliamentary democracy goes on
by secret ways. Members convene
as if for a desperate cabal. British
| liberty lives on. and government by
the people survives with all its
foibles, follies and ineff1ciencies be-
cause these are necessary to preserve
fundamental rights free speech.
argued by John Wilkes centuries
ago, and the sovereignty Of Parlia-
ment, established when the phleg-
matte British cut off King Charles
head.
Under physical difficulties 1t is
not permissible for me to describe.
I covered Parliament a few days
ago.
To what uses do they put this
hard-won freedom exercised under
grave handicaps?
Parliament is holding its breath,
waiting for the great forthcoming
debate on the progress OF the war.
At this session there were II ques-
tions on the order paper, ranging
from the grave and urgent to the
ridiculous.
Freedom Lives.
The prize aSsininity was the hon.
orable member who was all het up
because of the Shakespeare's birth
day-St. Georges Day broadcast to
Germany by the B. B. c.. which in
cluded in its lighter section Shake
speare's lyrics set to jazz.
Blitzed though they be, with their
backs to the wall. the British are still
tolerant Of doctrinaries, cranks and
nitwits. So freedom lives.
Waiting for the big debate on the
war, Parliament discussed a govern
ment bill to aid British public"
schools by enabling them to apply
their own capital and revenue in a
manner differing from the trust
deeds.
This is no question Of public
money being poured out for the ben
eft of the old school tie, but only
permitting school governors to use
school resources to keep the insti-
tutions alive during the war by ap-
plying funds to general expenses
that were previously allocated to
specific purposes such as scholar
ships.
There are kegs OF dynamite in this
issue. 1t was highly dangerous for
Capt. Ramsbotham, president of the
Board of Education, to introduce this
measure, since the mood of many
throughout the country is highly
critical of brass hats and the old
school tie.
Ugly tempers f1ared in the House.
Aneurin Bevan, Labor member for
Ebbw Vale, tangled sharply with
Speaker Capt. Fitzroy when the lat
ter gave a narrow ruling on what
1t was permissible to discuss under
the bill Phrases few like caste
system" Education caste" and class
distinctions bolstering outworn in
stitutions."
In my opinion, an exposed nerve
in the British scheme of things has
been touched. c. G. Ammon, Labor
member for Camberwell. drove we'll
into the hollow tooth when he said
that Waterloo was suppOsedly won
on the playing fields of Eton, but
the battle of Britain was being won
on the Fairgrounds Of the secondary
schools-what Canadians call public
schools.
Best Crack of Day.
Then up spake Sir Percy Harris,
Liberal with the best crack of the
day, I'VE have heard much about
the playing fields of Eton, but my
impression is that this war will be
won on the Hill of Harrow"