HUMOUR IN THE SENATE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18537, 24 April 1922, Page 5

HUMOUR IN THE SENATE

POPULARITY OP LONDON. A speech recently delivered in London by the American Ambassador, Mr George Harvey, excited, some criticism in the United States Senate, reports of which were telegraphed to London, and in their turn discussed by the London newspapers. Extracts from these comments were returned to America, and the New York correspondent of the Daily Telegraph followed with an explanation that the “criticism” in the Senate had not been in .earnest. He stated that Senator Reed madle an amusing speech, attacking Mr Harvey aa " British Ambassador of the United States to the Court of St. James’,” but Mr Reed’s orations are in much the same class as those of the late Mr Labonchere or other enliveners of the House of Commons. speeches at Washington ore usually very dull, and Senator Reed’s efforts to brighten the proceedings are always appreciated. Thbre was nothing hut approval and laughter when he quoted° the following verse as indicating the attitude of his fellow-countrymen in London: “ Sing a song a sixpence, a bottle full of rye, Four-and-twenty Yankees sitting parched and dry, When the rye was opened the Yanks began

to sing, ‘We won’t go back to the U.S.A., God save the King.' ”

Encouraged by Senator Reed’s success, Senator Harrison, another jolly old “hullbaiter,” entered the lists to express his surprise that nobody had protested. against the Ambassador's remarks comparing President Harding to an elephant. ” The elephant,” Mr Harrison told the Senate, “is the only animal in the forepart of whose head you can find wood, and the only value which has ever been found in the elephant is the solid ivory of its tusks. So I resent this characterisation, of my. President,” went on Senator Harrison. “I.resent his being called an elephant. I have risen to-day out of the realm of partisanship to plead as an American to Americans for them not to believe it.” In a weak close, Mi Harrison lamented; “It is no' good a prohibition country sending word' to another country which loathes prohibition yaking Mr Harvey for the Lord’s sake to stop talking.” The incident.. was probably closed by Mr Harvey’s explanation that he had said in his speech exactly the opposite of what the Senators attributed to him.