“Mr President, Mr Acting President, girls and boys, I will not, I cannot say ‘ladies and gentlemen’ (giggles). Do not misunderstand me, girls and boys, I will not say ‘ladies and gentlemen,’ because I cannot bring myself to introduce into the atmosphere of our great democratic pastime the artificial, meaningless and stuffy epithets of a mercifully decaying and hidebound conventionality. Nobody who has enjoyed the privilege of serving in however humble a capacity under that great champion of progress, our revered President, Lord Buntingdon (loud cheers), could bring himself to bow the knee to the househood gods of an outworn and discredited social creed. But make no mistake about it, girls and boys, those tawdry household gods are not yet overthrown. Only last week sixteen members of our Union were given literally concrete evidence of their still potent sway over the hearts and heads of some of our fellow-citizens (shame). You cry ‘ahame’ now, but what will you cry when you hear all the facts?