ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

_Monday, March 19th._--Captain BATHURST announced that the FOOD CONTROLLER
would issue an order fixing the retail price of swedes at a figure
involving a reduction of "something like 200 per cent." The FOOD
CONTROLLER, as his faithful henchman subsequently remarked, "is always
doing his best," but if he can really reduce the price of a commodity to
100 per cent. less than nothing I hope he will not confine his activity to
a solitary vegetable.

I am afraid that envy was the predominant feeling aroused by Mr. SNOWDEN'S
story of the family in New Cavendish Street which secured in a single order
from a single firm no less than sixty-three pounds of sugar. Lest any Hon.
Members should be tempted to try and do likewise Captain BATHURST promptly
announced that another order prohibiting hoarding would shortly be issued.
The House cheered, for, as a journalist Member remarked with gloomy
satisfaction, "It is only fair that 'no posters' should be followed by 'no
hoarding.'"

The PRIME MINISTER paid one of his angelic visits to the House to give the
latest information of the revolution in Russia. His description of it as
"one of the landmarks in the history of the world" evoked loud cheers, but
even louder were those which came from the Nationalist benches when he
remarked that "free peoples are the best defenders of their own honour."

_Tuesday, March 20th._--A long cross-examination of the representative of
the Air Board produced one valuable statement which Members generally might
bear in mind. Mr. BILLING asked if it was not "in the public interest or in
the interests of this House" that certain contracts should be discussed.
Fixing him with his eye-glass, Major BAIRD replied, "No, the interests of