The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-12-05
ENGLAND STIRRED
BY BIG MEETINGS
Political Campaign Is In Full
Swing Everywhere
SUFFRAGETTEs ARE BUSY
Women Try to Break Up the t,adcs'
Meetings In Trafalgar Square
and at Southport They
Hurl Bricks.
SUFFRAGETTES ARE BUSY

LONDON, december a.--Ine whole OF
Great Britain is immersed in the lpolt-
ical campaign which has been inaugur-
ated as a result of the refusal of the
house of lords to consent to the budget
The country is divided into two great
camps composed of those who support the
lords action and those who contend that
the house of commons must have alb
solute control of the finances of the ma
ton. There are. of course, other issues
such as tariff reform versus free trade
but these are being pushed into the back
ground by the, conflict between the two
houses. -.
While the various local organizations
are busy selecting candidates and pre-
| pairing for the contests In their respective
districts. the leaders of the great parties
are carrying on general campaign.
The radicals who had long foreseen
the fate of their finance BILL are not al
lowing the grass to grow under their
feet In London this afternoon one of
their organizations, the National Demo
cratic league. held a demonstration as a
protest against the action of the lords.
which was one of the most notable that
has ever been seen in the metropolis
Great Crowd Gathers.
Fully 10000 persons, mostly of the labor
ing and artisan class, gathered in Ira
falgar Square and cheered the radical
speakers. who condemned in unmeasured
terms the members of the upper cham
Der.
The only divergent note here as else
where, came from the suffragists who,
after a term of comparative auietude,
again started attempts to break up the
radical meetings. The Trafalgar Square
crowd, however. was too great for their
efforts to have any effect They were
more successful at Southport where,
climbing to a roof and shouting through
the sklight. they succeeded In interrupt
ing Winston Spencer Churchills meet
ing and at Leith where, aided by roughs,
they created a diversion by attempting
to storm a meeting which Mr.. Grey. the
foreign secretary. was addressing The
police charged the crowd with batons,
and tho women got their revenge by
hurting bricks through the windows of
the public buildings Secretary Grey.
whose speech was not interrupted to any
extent spoke strongly for the reforma-
ton of the upper house.
Churchill Undaunted.
Mr. Churchill was able to conclude his
speech and undaunted by this experience.
held meeting at Liverpool this evening
In continuation OF his campaign. He rid
iculed the idea that the old age pensions
and the navy could. be paid for by the
adoption of tariff reform and referred to
Mr.. Balfour's offer to assist cotton grow
ing In the empire as very odd in view
of the fact that the unionists when in
power, although asked to do something
in this direction, took no action.
The national council OF free churches
has issued a manifesto. calling attention
to the, action of the. House of Lords,
which, 1T declares, makes reforms sup
ported by non-conformists impossible"
and calling on the people to support the
candidates who are favorable to 1.-The
emancipation of education from sectarian
control
The unionists are nominating candi-
date In every constituency in England
and Scotland and with the exception OF
tho seats held by the speaker, the Right
Hon. James William Lowther and Joseph
Chamberlain, who represents Birming-
ham,, West, either the liberals or the
Iaborites will nominate a man to oppose
them. The liberals have decided not to
contest Mr.. Chamberlain seat on ac-
count of his illness.
Many Meetings Planned.
In addition to the big meeting to be held
in London next Friday, at which all the
members of the cabinet will be present.
the premier will address meetings
throughout the country. A. J. Balfour
will be less active, but the younger men
in the unionist party are entering the
campaiRn with enthusiasm,
The labor party also has arranged q
series of demonstrations at industrial cen
tiers. The suffrassttes. who have raised
q big fund to oppose the liberal candi-
dates in every constituency have not dis
closed their plan of campaign. Mrs. c.
Despard, treasurer of the Woman's Free
dom league, has announced that the
league Is determined to work no longer
with quiet methods and in pursuance OF
its new policy will make voting impossible
in certain districts.
Sir Edward Grey, who is considered
the most moderate member Of tho govern
ment, sad that the liberal party must
assert not only the right Of the House Of
Commons to be uncontrolled In the mat
ter of finance, but must have conditions
making 1t possible for liberal govern
ment to exist on fair and equal terms.
He added that the lords talked of reform
Ing themselves but the only real reform
would be the abolition OF the hereditary
principle and tho substitution of popular
election. Tho present motives OF the
lords he said, were desire for tariff
reform and the wish to get rid of liberal
government. The firSt Of q series of
demonstrations against the action OF the
House of Lords organised by the ma
tional democratic league WAS held In Ira
falRar Square today. Thousands of
workmen came in from all parts Of the
metropolis, carrying banners and singing
political songs.
Vaudeville Actor Suicides.
Fort Dodge, Ia, December 4.-Harry