Sir Henry Dalziel is the leader of one of the "ginger groups" above referred to. His first exploit in this capacity was to resist the proposal of the Government to take all the time of the House. In his demand that private Members should still be allowed the privilege of introducing Bills and having them printed at the public expense, he had the support of Mr. Hogge, Mr. King, Mr. Pringle, Mr. Booth, Sir William Byles, and other statesmen of similar eminence; but the Prime Minister was obdurate. He accused the malcontents of lacking a sense of perspective—and expressed the poorest opinion of their efforts at legislation.
Some of the private Members got their own back when the first amendment to the Address was moved by Mr. Joynson-Hicks. The Member for Brentford, who knows the alphabet of aviation from Aeroplane to Zeppelin, complained that the air-service, like his own constituency in legendary times, was under Dual Control, and urged that it should be placed under a single competent chief.
Neither the Under-Secretary for War nor the First Lord of the Admiralty was at all happy in reply. They resembled a couple of flying pilots who, having gone up to attack a hostile airship in the dark, search in vain for an adequate landing-place. Heckled as to the exact status of Sir Percy Scott, for example, Mr. Tennant could only say that he "is still in the position he was in." When Mr. Ellis Griffith ventured the remark that a personal knowledge of flying would be a useful qualification for officers advising the Government on this subject, Mr. Balfour was as painfully surprised as if he himself had been called upon to navigate a.t.b.d. in heavy weather.
In the absence of any definite sign of repentance the critics of the Government threatened a division, which would have been awkward and might have been disastrous. In similar circumstances Mr. Gladstone used to "send for the sledge-hammer"—meaning Mr. Asquith. The present Prime Minister, when hard pressed, sends for Bonar. Thus summoned to ride the whirlwind the Colonial Secretary executed a graceful volplane. In a few frank sentences he admitted that the Government were very far from being satisfied with the Air Service, though it had achieved great things. Further, they were willing to give another day for its discussion when they had got through their financial business. With this confession and promise the critics were for the time being appeased.
Thursday, February 17th.—This being the first day for which Questions could be put down, Members took full advantage of the opportunity, and propounded ninety-nine of them. Ministers displayed less enthusiasm, and some of them were so late in arriving that the Speaker had to dodge about all over the paper before the list was disposed of. Mr. Ginnell was, as usual, well to the fore with silly rumours. There is perhaps a subtle connection between cattle-driving and hunting for mare's nests.
The pleasantest feature of Question time was the tribute paid (with hint of more substantial rewards to come after the War) to the gallantry and self-sacrifice of the officers and men of our mercantile marine. This furnished an appropriate prelude to the subject of the ensuing debate. Mr. Peto and others sought to press upon the Government the more economical use of our merchant shipping. Here they were forcing an open door. Steps have already been taken to restrict the imports of luxuries. Ministers are unanimous, I believe, in regarding "ginger," for instance, as an article whose importation might profitably be curtailed.
Highlander and Zouave (simultaneously): "!!!"