Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10
COUNCIL OF THE MINISTERS
Kings Speech is Guarded With Un-
usual Secrecy.
4 CRUCIAL PERIOD Is NEAR
Challenge Of Government Will Sound
keynote Of Ministerial Plan to
Lessen influence Of Upper House.

LONDON, February 9.-The reassembling
Of parliament February u arouses intense
interest here, as the government intends to
Immediately inaugurate measures to check
the powers of the house Of lords, making
1t subordinate to the will of the people as
represented by the house Of commons. This
is nothing less than revolution in the
present constitutional methods and fore
shadows a bitter contest between the two
houses, with the government already pre-
pared for a dissolution and an appeal to
the country upon the necessity of curbing
the power representing the aristocracy in
the interest of the democracy.
Recent councils Of the ministers have de-
termined the main lines Of the governments
action. which is expected to begin with the
Introduction Of resolution laying down
the house of commons inalienable rights.
A similar historic resolution was adopted
in the seventeenth century, upon which the
rights Of the commons to control money
matters was based. This will be merely
preliminary to a series of measures by
which Premier Campbell-Bannerman pro-
lords and then appeal to the people upon it.
Government Takes a Hand.
The governments determination to make
the fight now is due to the defeat of the
education bill by the upper house and the
prospective defeat Of all other features Of
the existing ministerial program. 1t is sell
dom that a speech from the throne has
been awaited with such eager interest, as
1t is asserted that the ministry has in
duced the crown to make an allusion to
the constitutional deadlock between the
lords and commons. Whether King Edward
Is ready to take such significant action Is
open to doubt. Formerly forecast of the
speech from the throne was given out be-
fore the opening of the session of parlia-
ment. but the king now insists on strict
secrecy, so nothing will be definitely known
until the speech is actually delivered.
1t will doubtless refer to the long list of
pending parliamentary measures but public
attention is entirely directed to the struggle
between the lords and commons, and 1t Is
probable that any reference his majesty may
make on the subject OF the house of lords
will be couched in moderate, uncontroversial
language, because the speech is addressed
to both houses.
Will Sound Keynote.
The proposed government resolution chal-
longing the powers of the house of lords
can have little effect in itself, as the lords
powers remain, despite resolutions, but the
passage Of such resolution is designed to
give the keynote of the ministerial plans.
These will consist chiefly of sending the
lords q. number of popular measures, In
GLIDING drastic land bill affecting the
estates of peers and other members of the
aristBcracy. These measures are sure to
be rejected by the house of lords. thus CIV
ing the government the opportunity to ap-
peal to the country Members of the min
istry openly discuss these plans and pre-
dict several dissolutions before a reform
of the house of lords can become effective.
The Irish question also islikely to occupy
the attention Of the session. as the govern
ment Is about ready to submit the proposed
reform measure. Although its terms are
withheld, 1t is believed that 1t will follow
the lines of the devolution bill, giving Ire
land certain amount of authority to frame
measures relating to her own interests, un-
der the supervision Of the imperial authori-
ties. However, Timothy M. Healey and
other Irish leaders do not expect immediate
results. owing to the opposition of the house
of lords and other obstacles.
Besides the Importance Of the issues. the
presence of the king, queen and princes in
the gorgeous court ceremony will lend I'M
usual spectacular interest to the opening of
parliament.