Bad Manners?

At a dinner given in London to U. S. Ambassador Frank B. Kellogg by the English Speaking Union, Winston Churchill, England's versatile ex-Minster of "polyportfolios," was slated to propose the health of the Ambassador, and J. H. Thomas, Secretary of State for the Colonies, was down to second the toast.

Then ensued an unprecedented affair. "Winnie" (Mr. Churchill) got so worked up over domestic political reminiscences that his traditional anti-Labor spirit almost made him forget his duty of paying tribute to Mr. Kellogg.

Mr. Thomas, on arising, congratulated Mr. Churchill upon making his first campaign speech for the Westminster seat in the House of Commons, made vacant by the death of the member. He also congratulated the deceased man upon having given an unemployed politician (Mr. Churchill) the opportunity to "get off the unemployment dole." He declined, however, to let Mr. Churchill take any credit for his work as Minister of Munitions during the War. "Mr. Churchill was Minister," said the sober Mr. Thomas, "but I supplied the munitions. Mr. Churchill is so accustomed to read in history that certain people are born to rule that he has found it very difficult to reconcile that with the fact that certain people ought to rule."

Concentrating upon the U. S., Mr. Thomas accused that country of talking about democracy "while the Old Country puts it into practice." Making Mr. Kellogg the subject of his peroration, he ended by quoting Lord Balfour, who once said that "if the War does not cement the American and British peoples it will have been lost."

In responding, Ambassador Kellogg referred to the political strife which had been raging and stressed the fact that he was neutral.