New-York tribune., 1907-08-19
TRANSITION POLITICS.
HIM Westminster Is DuU-Real
Issues.
London. August Z.

.forsIlv duII and the closing weeks are filed
With Dartisan recriminatfon. a mass Of undi-
sested legislation has been dumped upon the
Upper House in this MONTH when time and
DISPOSITION have been lacking for considering II
in detail The Prime Minister is reDroached for
nis,nanaging business and wasting time; but
this IS a partisan indictment which is readily
answered by his supporters He has not been
at fault so much as the system. which. in spit.
of constant repairing and reconstruction. in
evitabIv breaks down and is blocked BY it's own
weight With the exception of the Irish hsr.
,.bicb WAS Withdrawn before second reading
.tere has been little contentious legislation Ths
stardine committees have done more work than
ever before. and there will be excellent record
of legislative industry when the session is closed
i'm tb, course of three weeks Two-thirds Of the
,,roiects might have been brought IN by Union-
it government without political inconsistency.
and the Lords would have registered their ap-
Y,royaI OF them almost automatically IL the
lords have been kept unemployed for months
aud are now compelled TO DO good deal Of
work in the dog days. 1t IS because tne ira
.i.,o,,,I system at Westminster is cumberson.
and vyastefr1I, and minimizes the functions of
tho second chamber. So long as that chamber
lacks representative character 1t VIII De out Of
GEAR with democratic institutions When ths
conservatives are in power it Is a fifth wheel
that fs practically imperative except as a re-
raating registry When Liberals represent a
democratic electorate II is drag on the work
ing truck
While partisan criticism overieaps itselt IN
unfair structures on the results OF the session. Il
remains true that the proceedings OF Parliament
have been uninteresting and have been followed
with Ianguid attention by the public This Is not
from any lack of capacity on the part OF the
ministers The administrative work OF the ssv-
ernnnent has been conducted with exceptional
hrr1ness and skill Mr.. Haldane is unquestion-
ably the ablest Secretary for War OF recent
times He has managed his Office with strong
hand and has carried a most complex measure
through the Commons with remarkable dexter
ity Mr.. Lloyd George is described by the PEI
rnanent officials OF the Board OF Trade as tEs
best business man who has been there since Mr.
cham berIain impaired driving force 10 every
branch Of the administrative service The Rad
fcsI free lance has been transformed into
cautious. resourceful organizer, and his ONCE -
conducted with the maximum degree OF ell
cheney. 5Ir. Burns is tireless worker whose
interest in social questions is regulated by So
briefly of judgment Mr.. Morley may have been
disappointed in not securing the Office OF Chan
ceIor of the E.xchequer but he has become
masterfuI Secretary fer India Mr. HarcoIrt has
rapidIy made a reputation both as debater am
an administration; and the ministers without ex-
ception when they have had bills 20 introdues
or official routine to explain, have shown ther,-
selves well fitted fer their work individually
and collectively. the Liberal Cabinet has been
! stronger than the reorganized Unionist govern
rnent which preceded it; and the Prime Minister
while a less clever debater than Mr. Balfour. is
super!or to him in the art OF obtaining the CO.
operation Of Cabinet associates and raLying be-
hind him his political supporters Yet with
ministry conspicuOusly able and most adroi'ly
led work has dragged, debates have been duh
and the public has taken little interest IN what
is going on at Westminster
The explanation OF this tCrpCr within and out
side the Houses Of Parliament lies il the fact
that il is a transition period when the two main
parties are uanOeuvring for positions where theE
can command TIE support Of organized labor
Legislation is tentative and indecisive; 0pPosi-
ton 10 it is half-hearted and insiucere. The
general elections brought in a considerable body
/ of Iahor members with the trad> unions be-
| hind them. and the Socialists noisy drum
| corps a long way in advance. The relations %
the traditional parties have been profoundly a.
| fected by the appearance and conduct Of this
| working force. Neither can hope 20 govern tto
| country hereafter without the support neu-
trslity of the Labor contingent EaCh is PLAYING
with social questions and with methods ot
/ financing reforms in the expectation that the
} other VIII be embarrassed by the necessity for
making terms with orgaized labor. Liberals
are forewarned that they cannot maintain their
/ ascendancy in public life unless they make con-
cessions the democratic spirit OF the Masses
/ and they are also alarmed by the signs Of
I popular reaction against Socialism COnserva-
tives are bent upon widening the breach between
Z ~oyf-
! WINGED that they themselves must have some
! thing To offer 10 working England and thai
I their most effective Justification of tariff reform
viii be financial resources for providing old age
I pensions for veterans and work for the uners-
pIoyed Under these transition stages politics
lack reality and definite motive. Ministers ana
Opposition are playing game rather than COP
ductlug OF obstructns Legislative business Win
patriotic purpose and aggressive vig'r- m
/ country considers it dun crcko; and gays 'tfls
attention t. t.
The small holdings and either measures Nhitn
the Lords are nov considering I'm bal temper
are not constructive schemes of great impor-
tance. No issues in whirh the working classes
are deeply interested have been raised durins
this prctracted session. and consequently theT
representatives feel thar time has been wasted.
and say So. The pension and employment Iues-
tions are those ON which they have concentrates
their energies and the Socialist point Of view
has been taken. The trades union congress a
Bath will probably advocate these policies ho1
rs public charities but as individual rIsh'S' -
will hold it to be the duty of the community -
: a whole TO provide work for workers and pen
siOns for those who axe suDerannu>tteu- 60
with the combined force of trades unionish y
hind these demands these vii! become ISSUES