There was another superb show last might, but not for the public, at Londonderry House, when Lady Londonderry stood at the head of the staircase and shook hands with 2,000 guests, Mrs. Neville Chamberlain stood with her and, being less accustomed to handshaking, was visibly wilting before she had shaken more than a few hundreds of paws. Was it not Mrs, Grover Cleveland, famed for her beautiful hands, who on leaving the White House after her husband's term as President. found that from excessive handshaking her right hand needed a glove one whole size bigger than the left? Another advantage in monarchies over republics, at least for the King and Queen, who dafi't shake hands except when they wish.
Londonderry House is traditionally ihe centre for political entertaining It calls in no caterer, but does all its own cooking with pots and pans generations old. Precisely what purpose these parties serve is difficult to see; the-people who are invited could be trusted to vote on the right side in any case. But it is generally agreed that if there were no party on the ion, something dread-would happen.
Among the guests were the Chin and Japanese Ambassadors and their wives, and it was noted that at the handshaking Mme Quo and Mme Yoshida were within a foot or two of each other. Oddly enough, a lady who was at the opening of Parliament told me this evening that the same thing happened when everyone was leaving the House of Lords, But apparently the ladies did not see each other. Diplomaey knows how to deal with such situations.
"The Queen's Degree On November 10 the Queen is to make history when she will receive ihe honorary degree of Doctor of Literature in the University College of London, being the first reigning Queen to be thus invested. King George V and Queen Mary received degrees, but as Prince and Princess of Wales. Edward VIII was made a Doctor of Science, but when he too was Prince of Wales. No degree can be conferred upon the King as theoretically he is the fountain of all honours.
His Majesty, however, will be present when Queen Elizabeth receives her degree. It is interesting to note that she will kneel before the Chancellor when he places the scarlet hood lined with russet brown upon her shoulders. The occasions when a Queen kneels before a subject must Pais Her Majesty, about 30 new very rare.
graduates are to be presented for their degrees. What a thing for them 4o remember all their lives. You can hear them telling the story ad tib—"When the Queen and I went up for our degrees at London" etc, etc. while friends and relations listen for ihe hundredth time with glazed eyes Not Enough Women M. P.s Last week at a meeting of the Conservative Women's Association it wa: agreed that there were not nea enough women members of Parliament and that steps must be taken to get more. A corollary to this complaint, and perhaps a part explanation of it is a motion to be put to another meeting next week, that of the Essex and Middlesex Women Conservatives, that, in plain language, the apathy of electors in voting at elections is deplorable, and that the Government should immediately take steps to make them vote, How, except by depriving of them of their votes, which since they seem io care so little about the privilege, would not appear to be much penalty?
But considering how loudly we chant the blessings of living in a democratic country, the number of people who cannot bother themselves to vote is remarkable. Borough Council elections have the worst record, which is the more curious because what borough councils do really affects us much more intimately than!
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.