Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-02
GOSSIP FROM LONDON
Demonstrations of Women Suf.
fragists Injure Cause.
PARLIAMENTPOLICE PATIENT
Difficult Task to Handle Angry Crowd
of Females.
LORDS POWER TO BE CURBED
Movement to Restrict Right Of Veto
The Kaiser and His Stationery
Kings Irish Visit.
PARLIAMENTPOLICE PATIENT
LORDS POWER TO BE CURBED
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

AOANCSANs Il OoA cSAiy Az Aoo''
The series Of wild demonstrations by wom-
en- at Westminster, asserted to be In ia
vor Of female franchise. which recon-
menced on Wednesday. have served to
deepen the disgust which has steadily been
growing among responsible members-and
even among many who have supported the
movement when in responsible hands-be-
cause of the rowdyness now being shown
If these outbursts continue the women will
certainly spoil their cause. The displays
are getting beyond the bounds of propriety
and decency and an unholy crowd gathers
every time to see the women Rugged by
the police It Is time for well-to-do wom-
en- who finance the movement, but allow
their more noisy sisters to fall into the
hands Of the police, to explain their posi-
ton. Meanwhile the parliamentary police
have borne bufretings and blows, kicks and
the most vulgar abuse, with wonderful pa
thence and deserve the most cordial public
sympathy and support in the extremely
delicate and difficult task now laid upon
them.
What is necessary to be known is that
there Is a lack Of honest spontanelty in the
present demonstrations, which are financed
and engineered with a special eye to adj
vertisement and display. F1ash-light pho.
tographers are carefully warned OF what
riot is to be raised either at the parliament
journalists have the preliminary hint so as
to be ready for sensational copy; but this
careful preparation sometimes defeats its
own ends. as was the case on Wednesday,
for the authorities had received full de-
tails of the plans for surprise from women
in various provincial centers, SO that they
were fully prepared.
When the members dispersed shortly after
II o'clock they found that there had been
faithfully carried out the seasonal order
they unanimously gave which directed
that the commissioners of the police OF the
metropolis do take care that, during the
session Of parliament, the passages through
the street leading to this house be kept
free and open, and that no disorder be al
lowed in Westminster Hall, or in the pas
sages leading to this house, during the sit,
ting of parliament" The threats INDUCED
in earlier in the evening that members would
be molested as they left the house came,
therefore, to naught. Last session MEM
bers were besieged and obliged to remain
of women would waylay them on the way
home.
Restricting Lords Power.
I hear that the resolution restricting the
veto of the house of lords to one session
was finally drafted at yesterdays cabinet
meeting, which was attended by Mr.. As
quith, who has just returned from Italy,
where he has been spending holiday.
The resolution will probably be moved by
the prime minister, in accordance with the
precedent set by Lord Palmerston in 1861,
when the resolutions passed by the COM
mons in 1871 and 1878 forbidding the lords
to alter taxation proposed by the COM
mons, and giving the commons the sole
right to initiate taxation, were confirmed
by a new standing order.
Lord Palmerston's resolution was render
ed necessary by the action of the peers In
the repeal of the paper duties,
and from that session dates the new finance
bill-an arrangement by which the budget.
which up to that time had been brought
in in a series of money bills, was tele-
scoped into one finance bill. This bill
peers, and the repeal Of the paper duties
was allowed to pass into law in the next
session. The government have, therefore,
tuition as the best way to begin their as
sault on the house Of lords.
The Cabinet Divided.
Nevertheless, there are grave searchings
Of heart in the liberal camp as to the
wisdom Of this plan Of campaign. The
cabinet itself is not unanimous on the
point, for there is a section Of the govern
ment as well as a section Of the party
which fears that the resolution will play
into the hands Of the lords. The alternative
plan these more prudent counselors advise |
Is that the government should pass during
the coming session all the legislation that |
is likely to meet with the acceptance OF
the lords. The government would thus, 1t |
is argued, have fulfilled the greater part |
Of its pledges to the country. and In the |
next session the pace might be driven more |
Those who advise this course fear that |
If the resolution Is not followed by drastic |
action at the end OF the present Pre- session;
lords, the country Will come to the con-
clusion that the government is afraid OF
a dissolution and that 1t will lose consider
able prestige.
The government has, however. decided
on its course Of action. and 1t is now
certain that 9 dissolution cannot be post
will be brought in next session, and on this
bill and their legislative record the govern |
ment will go to the country.
The Wertheimer> Robbery.
Picture robberies are so rare nowadays, |
and the only important one that did hap |
pen is so easily called to mind, that the |
burglary the other night Of a Gainsborough
and a Reynolds and some valuable snuff |
boxes from Mr.. Charles Wertheimer's
house, remarkable as It Is, has struck the |
public imagination as a momentous affair.
see that Mr.. Asher Wertheimer has stated |
that his brothers loss probably amounts to
100000. and no better valuer Of works OF
art exists; but this must not be taken to
mean that the two stolen pictures represent
more than half of that amount. The beau
tiful portrait of Gainsborough's daughter |
by the artist, which Mr.. Belt purchased |
two years ago, changed hands. believe, at |
$4,000. and It is quite as important work |
as either the Nancy Parsons" or Mrs.
Charles Yorke.' To term these works |
priceless il, Of course, nonsense.
The damage to Reynolds portrait Of Mrs. |
Froude. which was partly cut away from |
the frame, will not necessarily mean a /
great loss Of value, az such damage can /
nowadays be repaired almost beyond detec- |
ton. The other year Mr.. Charles Werth-
elmer paid 49,450 for small dilapidated |
which had a hole near the |
center and was otherwise injured. This |
picture had belonged to an old lady In /
who could receive no higher Of
fer for 1t than q five-pound note before 1t |
appeared at Christie's. What use the pic
lures may be to the thieves 1t Is difficult to /
see, but as they carved Gainsboroughs and |
Reynoldses with blunt table knives 1t IL
plain that they had remote ideas OF the |
higher branch of their profession.
The Wertheimer family Is one of the |
three dynasties of art dealers who have /
combined to make London the picture mart |
of the world. When the founder Of the
family came to England in 1880 his know
ledge of bronxes, silverware and furniture
was almost his sole stock In trade, but |
whom ne died In 1892 he left R377,000. He
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