Evening star., 1902-03-01
TROUBLES OF ITS own
BritishP arliament Struggling
With Contempt Problem.
NEW RULES PROPOSED
SIDE LIGHTS ON THE ANGLO
JAPANESE TREATY.
All of King Edwards Family to Be
Present at Coronation-London
News and Gossip.


News and Gossip.
Special Core spondence of The Evening Star.
LONDON, February 10. 1902.
The house of commons is affording much
amusement to the country generally just
at present. 1t Is involved in the dis
cussion of one of those intricate problems
which concerns it's own existence and guld-
ance One would have thought that this
centures-Od body would have long got
past making rules for itself, but the fact is
that the government in power is forever
tinkering the rules much as a boys college
debating society, which is burdened with
members who will not play fair.
The new rules of procedure, which the
government has hazy idea will lead to
better progress in business. show signs of
getting into a tangle. One of the fresh
proposals is that a member who makes
himself offensive shall be suspended for
twenty, forty or eighty days, for the first,
second and third offenses respectively, but
that he shall not be allowed to return to
the house until he has expressed his SIN
cere regret To the speaker All last week
this was discussed hot and furiously, crltl-
cism of the government plan coming as
strongly from the ministerial side as from
the opposition. There was much kicking at
that sincere regret which, 1t was argued
no self-respecting man would give II ne
thought he was in the right when defylns
the speakers authority. But all the mouse
managed to do last week with its torrent
of talk was to wipe out the existing rule,
which declares simply that an offending
member shall be excluded from the house
for one week
How the Rule Would Work.
<l,n
sion rule would work may be interesting to
Congressman in Washington.
Take a hypothetical case which might
arise if suspended member absolutely re-
fused to apologize That member might ap-
ply for the Chiltern Hundreds, the usual
method of avoiding the existing order pro-
hibiting Il member to resign. The steward
ship of the ChItern Hundreds is only
technical office under the crown, but at the
same time no member can hold 1t and be a
member of the house of commons, as no
member of parliament can accept an once
of profit under the crown without submit
ting himself to the verdict of his const1t-
uenCy.
The chancellor of the exchequer, VINO
has the granting of the stewardship IN
his posse SSiOn, says that II q suspenueu
member applies for the Chiltern Hundreds
he would not be justified in refusing. what
might then happen? There would be an
other election in the constituency. Inc
offending member might be reelected. ana
parliamentary authorities declare that he
could not be refused admission to the
house, SO there would be the spectacle OF
member suspended refusing to apologize
excluded from the house because or this
and Yet having the right to come back
within Il week In order to get over this
the government proposed to suspend
member for 12n days if he refuses to apol-
ogiZe. during which time his application
for the Chiltern Hundreds would be re-
ipptpI The nlan. however. practically
DISTINGUISHES the constituency in such
case for the whole session and is going to
raise big row on debate. The whole
things seems childish, though. and petty
for national (they call it imperial here)
parliament.
Anglo-Japanese Treaty.
That nine days wonder, the Anglo-Jap-
anese treaty, has doubtless been cabled to
you in it's every aspect but there is one
point worth considering in connection with
it that may have escaped general notice,
and that is that If Japan could not have
been Great Britain's friend and ally she
would undoubtedly have become her en-
emy. There are many students of the po-
Gtical situation in the far east who have
always held that if Japan were unable to
come to- any agreement with Great Britain
she would make an alliance with the power
which she recognized as her real foe, that
Is, of course. Russia; in other words. the
come triple alliance. How, without sur
rendering her empire and her trade, could
Great Britain stand up against such
combination? Strong her navy is, 1t
would be tried to the uttermost by strug-
gle with France and Russia, and If Japan
were with them her position would be al
most hopeless.
Crystallizing the various opinions there is
a general belief that whatever may be
Japans Interior object In becoming allied
with Great Britain. very stiff spoke has
been put in the wheel of Russian acquisi-
tion of territory in the far east. There
has already been evidence of this For
some time it has been difficult TO obtain
from the British government a definite
opinion as to whether Manchuria was or
was not considered an integral part of
the Chinese empire The treaty very def
nitely settled this point AS this may be
taken to be the view of the japanese, as
well as the British government 1t is not
likely that Russia VIII run the risk of a
conflict by proceeding with its endeavor to
insist on China signing the Manchurian
treaty
Russia does not want to go to war. pre-
ferrinS TO obtain territory by diplomatic
means and by showing a bold front 20 it's
rivals iii the east. 1t Is well known. how
ever, that the Japanese are thirsty for 4
fight with Russia. The Nipponese regard
the Muscovi:cs their enemies and be-
lievC that Russia has designs on Corea
which Japan desires herself. Military ex-
pertS are by no means certain that i'm the
case OF war between TWO powers Russia
would be the victor. There is accordingly
the dread in the minds of cautious polti-
clans who study international affairs that
Japan, which is rather cock-a-hoop with
Itself, may take advantage of it's alliance
with England to seize COrea. relying on
Eneland's support to keep Russia from put
ting the possession of the country to the
artitrament of arms.
King Edwards Coronation.
am told that the king desires all his i'm
mediate descendants to be present at the
coronation. inclusive of the children of the
Prince of Wales and of the Princess Louise
Duchess of Fife. Some of the younger ones
may not be within actual view of the SOL
e;nnity, but they will in any event be with
III the abbey precincts. and able to store UP
more or less conscious memories of the
professional pageant. Prince Edward of
Wales. and in all probability the Lady Vic
tcria Duff, are to be included in the pro-
cessicn on the following day. With regard
to the families of the kings brothers and
SISTERS, the present anticipation is that all
being OF intelligent age, they will all take
| part in the procession. even to the younger
sons of the Princess Henry. although there
is no likelihood Of their being able to find
a place within the royal circle during the
supreme moment of the coronation. 1t is