ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

_Monday, November 5th._--By way of celebrating Guy Fawkes Day the
Government announced their intention of compensating, up to a limit of
five hundred pounds, any householder whose property has been damaged
in air-raids. How soon he will cage his "monkey" will depend upon the
Treasury, which is morbidly anxious lest in its transactions _bis dat
qui cito dat_ should be literally illustrated.

[Illustration: "Forgetting the claims of Glasgow." MR. WATT.]

The official price of potatoes is still unsettled. According to his
own statement the FOOD CONTROLLER is only waiting for the decision of
the War Cabinet. "On the contrary," said Mr. LAW, "the Cabinet is only
waiting for Lord RHONDDA." It seems to be another case of the Earl of
CHATHAM and Sir RICHAUD STRACHAN; and in the meantime the potatoes are
rotting.

Provided that no scarcity of gas for other purposes is caused
the Government see no objection to its use for the propulsion of
motor-cars. On receiving this information Mr. PEMBERTON BILLING at
once ordered a Zeppelin attachment to his famous torpedo-shaped car.
No other gas-consumer will suffer, as he is prepared to keep the
apparatus inflated from his own retorts.

By the scheme of the Boundary Commissioners, the roll of the Commons,
already a hundred per cent. too big for its accommodation, is to be
increased by some thirty Members. Various suggestions for enabling the
new-comers to assist at debates have been proposed. "Dug-outs" under