The Avenue Haig should pinch itself to see if it is awake or dream-jing. That dancing saloon, about which the French authorities are officially so vague, has developed a remarkable financial tratt. enormous are the profits expected from the mysteries to be unfolded within its precincts that the projmoters—wrapped though they are in present impenetrable mystery—lare'eredited with having guaranteed ithe surrounding landlords, against lost of rentals accruing from intrusion of the dancing calean nto a coterie of virtuous couches. JAt least that is the fairy story told to-day. To it is added by a dezpairing correspondent the conviction that the French authorities will take not the slightest notice of the pro-tributing rather than a determining factor in settling the fate lof a Cabinet. There is little doubt that British policy hus in ithe eyes of the world lacked the favour of full-blooded inspira-ition. This feeling has had its effect on public opinion. On the lone hand believers in the League lof Nations have been estranged ivy Sir John Simon's rigid legal interpretations at Geneva; on the lather a strong Conservative hostility to the League has been encouraged by the paucity of Sir' \John's personal achievements in European affairs. The Arms land Russian embargoes—both [ty abortive in the long run—have Met put feathers in Sir John's leap. Domestically the Government may have gained ground lowing to the slight improvement jin the employment returns anit because of its active efforts in encouragement of industry, including agriculture, Original support of Mr. J. Hi, 'Thomas' Ihandling of the Trish question has given way to a conviction that a strong position has been lullowed to deteriorate. Indeed, making all allowances for th fact that, as time goes on, any Government must attract, criticism, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald land his team have not the appear-lance of a vigorous and virile administration. Fortunately for them, if not for the countr {their' official opponents are in worse case. Sir Stafford Cripps is very little removed from Sir: Oswald Mosley in his hankering' latter extra-constitutional methods. "And Sir Stafford, rather! than Mr. George Lansbury, regarded as the future Labour: Prine Minister when the swing. lof the pendulum asserts, itself. IThe Government's most effectly leritics to-day are indeed Mr. NVinston Churchill and Mr. Lloyd George. Mr. Churchill is tending to follow the same political path jas his father. He will be powerful thorn in the side of the Government. It may be doubted whether he will, be jearried toa leadership which acquires a Government for tse! Mr. Lloyd George, despite the loft-expressed view that his day is over, may conceivably, benefit by Sir' Stafford Cripps's way-Sir John Simon's} in the Government, are by no means complaisant. Were it John to go to the House of Lords, as is freely predicted, Mr. Lloyd' George might find it' pos sible to revive an, old and warmer allegiance, with Labour leo-operation. 'The' Conservative Imajority is too unwieldy. It is Imarked by.sharp differences of view. The break-up of the National Government would raise pretty problems of Conservative leadership. All this uncertainty gives Mr. Ramsay MacDonald a negative and, to some extent, security. If the progress to restored financial and economic prosperity is met by a serious set-back, a crisis might easily arise to the disintegration Jof present party. groupings. During the recess the Govern-Iment will no doubt welcome the to brace up its administrative policy. Part of that task will involve reinforce-Iment of the authority of Parliament against, which such loloments as follow Sir Stafford [Cripps and 'Sir. Oswald Mosley are incline? to, develop a' mel ldrainatie but sometimes tests of Avenue Haig. But this [surely is to place an inaccurate interpretation upon the comforting words Jof M, Fauraz as reported on July 21. [Moreover it can hardly be the desi lof the French Concession authorities to encourage the notion that So by the offer of a pecuniary guarantee disturbance of the whole pi Ming of the Concession can be tempted at any moment and by any lone. And of what value iz the guarantee? Dancing saloons, Icabarets and other concentrations of Ihectic delight have their fall moons ihe [and quickly wane. The shutters go liquidators come down.
"Green Cheese" becomes. the ik Ticket" and the same routine proceeds with the regularity of the roulette wheel. After the mysterijous Macbeth behind the scenes of this mysterious. play has, murdered at the sleep in Avenue Haig, Jaaite possible' that the " dand leon of his creation (with all tt ancillary allurements to other noisy' forms of poodletaking) will have ex. hausted its appeal. The result will peace—but the peace of the desert, of the rapidly deteriorating ud" dumb saloon, of the empty whose faith in residential quietude uses In the vienity and of hosts has been shattered. There seems to. be no rhyme nor reason about the whole of this fantastic nightmare. Ht would be interesting to know the identity of the interests. whicn can Iso bemuse the French authorities jand 's0 gaily flout the amiable inhabitants of Avenue Haig. Or can.
be that somewhere in the Avenue lurks the perpetrator of an undetectthat this dancing coming as a just Nemesis to haunt his wicked slumbers? Even it isa little unfair on others. Avenue Haig really should give itself lauite @ hard pinch,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.