OPENING SCENES IN THE NEW PARLIAMENT.

The new Parliament has seen itself. What exactly it thinks of itself it has no words as yet to say; But it seemed to one looking down from above to be a House much the same as usual, only a few degrees more ordinary, and a shade or two more drab. “The brown” was browner. Nevertheless, there is much good gold which does not glister.

The first day of a new Parliament is prayerless. The House is soulless till it has a Speaker. So one could watch the process of assembling, the trooping in. Good spirits everywhere apparently, especially on the Socialist side, where a sort of infectious radiance lightened some rather heavy, morose, and fanatical faces. The Front Opposition Bench was a picture. Everyone with any shade of title who could squeeze on to it was there. The Liberals were pushed up to the furthest verge of their six places, into which Mr. Leif Jones – who has blanched in long absence – thrust himself. The mouse-like Mr. Clynes was on Mr. Macdonald’s right; Mr. Thomas, very effusive, came next, eager to shake hands with anyone. Colonel Josiah (“Josh”) Wedgwood was in boisterous good spirits. There may be large crumbs falling soon.

And the Government! Well, whatever their feelings Ministers masked them very well. They looked happy and jolly enough. Mr. Baldwin played the loser’s game well. When he saw Mr. Whitley sitting below the gangway on the other side he Crossed over and had a word with him, and shook hands cordially enough with his old colleague, Mr. Macpherson, on the way. Still “captain of his soul” is Mr. Baldwin, and ready for what may befall.

Mr. Asquith, unhappily indisposed, was absent. Well for him he was, for he could scarcely have endured the Front Bench ensilage. But Mr. Lloyd George was there in black morning coat and with a gleaming silvery mane, almost as though he had been “bobbed” or possibly “shingled.” He sat next to Mr. Macdonald, with his dearest friend, Sir John Simon, on his left. It was good to see General Seely back again and giving a eupeptic air to the Liberal company.

The ladies added nothing in the way of colour. They were all in black, as befitted the outside gloom. Miss Bondfield and Miss Lawrence discarded their hats. Perhaps that is feminine subtlety; they are not competing in millinery with the grandee dames, and they will be the sans-chapeaux among the women M.P.’S. Lady Astor and the Duchess of Atholl did not appear.