Nov. 6, During what has already been called Coronation Session, Government in' Great Brita said fo be anxious to avoid highly controversial legislation so far as that is' possible in the light of the iniportant issues before the country and the heavy programme to be presented. It is significant that, having come to a decision on the introduction of "i Bill to deal with the wearing of political uniforms and the: holding of political meet~ ings. or processions, the Prime Minister has taken the precaution consult the leaders of the Oppos! tion so that the proposed Bill mai be taken passage consequently 5 course ties the "additional ri¢rit of giving the executive the requisite powers at the earliest opportunity aid so "composing the increased apprehensions caused by the gratultous acrobatics of so-called Fascist and Communist adventurers, The action has further it shows a perception of the need t6 quicken the Parli mentary machine ° the clogging of which -is a definite' handicap to democratic procedure, It is essent= Jai that due attention should be riven to this point for otherwise the orities of democracy "find too plausible' an argument in commending the: effectiveness of the totalitarian regime. "It-the digress sion be permitted, it may be added that there is much to-be said for the Scottish movement in favour of Home Rule for, as matters stand, the time of Imperial Parliament 1s still too often occupied in discussing the defects of the parish pump whether it be in Auchterlochty, Slocum-on-the-Marsh or Lianstedodd, "Without going to the extreme Jength of creating a Parliament at Edinburgh and. depriving. West~ minster of the privilege of heating the pure Doric, it should be possible to adjust the machine-to some decentralization which should spare. the Member for Penryn and Falmouth the pain of having to concentrate on the peculiar needs of Orkney and Shetland.
The historic ceremony of- moving and seconding the Address in reply to the Speech "from the Throne was marked by a refreshing sense of modern requirements and the still vigorous. existence of. parlia~ mentary institutions. The speeches of the mover and seconder were instinct with faith in the sanity of the British democracy. For. the first time a woman—taking the precedence granted to her sex social oceasions—appeated as mover of the Address. A Conservative, she was.supported by a Labour col-Teague and the two belong toa school. of thought which steadily resists fantastic extremes—despairing obscurantism on the one hand and reckless opineism on the other. Miss Florence Horsburgh's clear definition of the women's view of the problem of defence deserves special note. True to the dominant Heeling of ker sex, she recognized the grimness of the horrors of war
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.