A Bit Much

When Tory Sir Harry Hylton-Foster agreed to be Speaker of the House of Commons last fall, his decision was a godsend to new Prime Minister Harold Wilson. It meant that the Labor government would not have to reduce its perilously small majority by filling the non-voting post with a Laborite. But last week Sir Harry dropped dead on a London street, and to Labor that seemed a bit much, coming as it did in the wake of a Labor M.P.'s death fortnight ago, which trimmed Wilson's edge over the Conservatives to a mere two votes.

The hard-pressed Wilson now would have to give up one of the precious pair by installing his own man as Speaker unless he could talk the Tories or the Liberals into supplying a candidate for the job. The Tories are not likely to volunteer readily, for they would like nothing better than to see how adept Wilson is at one-upmanship when the House reassembles in October.

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