The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-10
HATS PLAY PART IN THE
LAWMAMNG IN LONDON
Members of Parliament Must OBJ
serve Peculiar Rules OF
Etiquette.
KEEP HEADS COVERED

LONDON, April 9.-Hats play an impor-
tant part in the government OF the British
Empire as carried on at the House of Com
mons and the member who disregards any
of the unwritten rules that prescribe what
ne must do and what he must not do with
his headgear. when engaged in legislating,
is deemed guilty OF a serious offense.
For some reason-or more probably for
no reason whatever-custom has ordained
that when a member of Parliament wishes
to raise point of order after a motion has
been put, instead of rising he must remain
seated and must address the chairman with
his hat on.
Mr.. Herbert Gladstone. who. despite the
handicap imposed upon him by a name so
famous, is a very capable man, afforded a
ludicrous example the other evening of the
absurdity of parliamentary hat etiquette.
AS chief opposition whip he was anxious
to protest against some ruling Of the
chairman. He raised one hand to call at
tention to his purpose and stretched forth
the other TO seek his hat, for, contrary to
custom-though in this instance it is not
cast-iron one-he had been listening TO the
discussion with head uncovered.
To his CONSERVATION he could not find
his hat and was struck dumb. not with
horror exactly, but by the knowledge that
without hat on his head he himself would
be out of order in rising to point of order
though he did 1t sitting down Even if he
had had something 10 say on which the
fate Of empires hung I'm the balance, he
would not have been permitted to say it
bareheaded. He would have. been peremp-
torlly called to order, and il that had not
sufficed to silence him Parliament would
drown his voice. And If he had still per-
sisted in his efforts to make himself heard
without the aid OF a hat, the sergeant-at-
arms would nave been summoned 10 arrest
him and consign him to outer darkness
somewhere beyond the hallowe6 precincts
OF the chamber-up in the clock tower,
maybe, Where Parliament has a select little
But, happily, no such dire fate befell Mr..
Herbert Gladstone. son of the Grand Old
Man" His friends at once perceived what
it was that had suddenly sealed his lips,
and half dozen of them proffered him
their hats. for the inviolable custom of
which he had foul, left him a loophole
OF escape by that means, since ii was only
insisted that he should speak with "a" hat
on-any fellows hat; any old hat, in fact.
Aware of the wide range of choice al
lowed him. Mr.. Gladstone grabbed the first
hat extended to him. 1t happened to be
that of Sir Joseph Lees. which is many
sizes too big for him. But that made no
difference. 1t was a hat, and it sufficed to
enable him to let loose the pent-up flood
gates Of his oratory without running the
risk of any dire parliamentary penalties.
Time was when no member would have
Ventured TO appear in the House with any
other headgear than a tall silk hat-a
stove pipe, as it is called by the vulgar.
And custom also prescribed that he should
wear frock coat 1t is true that an old
Irish patriot-John Martin-did appear with
a White low-crowned hat, but il is ira
ditiOn that the speaker called him to his
room and demonstrated with him for his
violation OF time-honored traditions.
But the advent of the wOrkingman mem
Der, which began in 1880. wrought a change
as regards the requirement that members
should wear a unifrom headgear and coat
OF prescribed cut and color 4 working
man member of Parliament who appeared
in silk hat and a frOck coat would have
been mobbed by his constituency There
fore, exceptions had to be made in his IA
vor, and the breach made soon became a
VIDE one. Members now wear any hats
they please, from billy cocks to bowl
erS''