doctor politicians has been delivering his soul on the failure of Pro-German propaganda in memorable fashion.  Dr. Dernburg, in Deutsche Politik, tells us that “steadfastness and righteousness are the qualities which the German people value in the highest degree, and which have brought it a good and honourable reputation in the whole world.  When we make experiments in lies and deceptions, intrigue and low cunning, we suffer hopeless and brutal failure.  Our lies are coarse and improbable, our ambiguity is pitiful simplicity.  The history of the War proves this by a hundred examples.  When our enemies poured all these things upon us like a hailstorm, and we convinced ourselves of the effectiveness of such tactics, we tried to imitate them.  But these tactics will not fit the German.  We are rough but moral, we are credulous but honest.”  Before this touching picture of the German Innocents very much abroad, the Machiavellian Briton can only take refuge in silent amazement.

[Illustration:  THE DANCE OF DEATH

THE KAISER:  “Stop!  I’m tired.”

DEATH:  “I started at your bidding; I stop when I choose.”]

Parliament has reassembled, and Mr. Punch has been moved to ask Why?  Various reasons would no doubt be returned by various members.  The Chancellor of the Exchequer wants to obtain a further Vote of Credit.  The new National Party wish to justify their existence; and those incarnate notes of interrogation—­Messrs. King, Hogge and Pemberton Billing—­would like Parliament to be in permanent session in order that the world might have the daily benefit of their searching investigations.  There has been a certain liveliness on the Hibernian front, but we hope that Mr. Asquith was justified in assuming that the Sinn Fein excesses were only an expression of the “rhetorical and contingent belligerency” always present in Ireland, and that in spite of them the Convention would make all things right.  Meanwhile, the Sinn Feiners have refused to take part in it.  And not a single Nationalist member has denounced them for their dereliction; indeed, Mr. T.M.  Healy has even given them his blessing, for what it is worth.  Of more immediate importance has been Mr. Bonar Law’s announcement of the Government’s intention to set up a new Air Ministry, and “to employ our machines over German towns so far as military needs render us free to take such action.”

[Illustration:  A PLACE IN THE MOON

HANS:  “How beautiful a moon, my love, for showing up England to our gallant airmen!”

GRETCHEN:  “Yes, dearest, but may it not show up the Fatherland to the brutal enemy one of these nights?”]