New-York tribune., 1909-12-19
BITTER CAMPAIGN
ENGL4ND'S B1TTLE.
Liberals Plan to Nulify The
Upper House.
fBy French Cable TO The rrlune. J

by French Gable 20 The TIL urse
London. Dec. lS.-There Is a mad revel
OF politics. with more partisan acrimony
than has been known In English cleo
t.ons for many years The most fragrant
exhibition Of party spirit has been the
publication in The Daily Mail" OF a
series OF letters by Mr.. Blatchford. a
prominent Socialist, on Germany's naval
campaign against England. II is an
eiectioneering device for frightening
Engiishmen into voting for the Unionist
party. but its practical effect in Germany
will be an increased facility for obtaining
money for Dreadnoughts and naval prep
arations. Not for the first time are
British partisans playing the German
EnhFeTor's game. The cOrdite scare also
has been revived. and the Incompetence
and creduity OF the Admiralty have
been reiterated. on the other hand. the
Unionist speakers are constantly inter-
rupted by the Radicals At public meet
ings. and there are frequent outbreaks of
rowdyisn. one peer after another IS
sfronted and hovyled down. 'Hmehous-
ing' being now popular recreation.
The December canvass has become a
ssturnslia Of practical joking and bad
manners, With the talkative. argu-
mentative lords rs the chief victims,
with the exception Of Lord Curzon, who
has displayed skin in debating power
rather than tact in answering winston
spencer Churchill in. Lancashire. The
lords laye not beeI an effective rein
forcement Tor the Tnionist rank and
fie Their nghting instinct in defend
irs themselves when they We're attacked
v-ss truly English. but they-wouid have
shown better judgment if they had not
impaired the force of the impressive and
o;cnifea debate in The upper chamber by
plunging into a heated stumping can
Nass
The confidence with which the minis
tors are emphasizing the Importance Of
the constitutional issue convinces poll
t.ciaus who are in touch with them that
they have q definite plan for obtaining
:he abolition OF the veto. Jf they carry
the elections they win not he satisfied
with forcing the budget through the up
Der house without a single alteration.
They viii insist on having statutory
guarantees against interference with
financial measures and the wanton re-
section OF bills which have received the
approval Of the Commons.
How can this result be accomplished
when the upper house has coordinate leg
tslative powers and T.atural objection TO
committing suicide? Clearly, it must be
by royal warrant or by an orderly method
OF reducing the numbers Of writs Of sum-
mons issued TO peers. Only seven English
peers, in addition TO the Scottish and
Irish representative peers, have a stat
sItory right to these writs. II Is asserted
by those in the confidence Of the minis
tiers that the writs can be restricted to
those peers who are shown by the rec
ords Of the house to have been regular
attendants during the last four years.
IN this way q large number of legis-
istive lords an be disqualified on the
ground OF lack Of efficiency, and if the
remnant refuses its sanction to the stat
Etes required by the Prime Minister a
ma jority can be created by a new batch
Of Liberal peers. This procedure implies
courage on the part Of the Lord Chan
cellor and readiness on the part Of the
sovereign 70 follow the advice Of the
Prime Minister. Well Informed Radi-
calls are confident that the ministers. if
they are sustained by the general cleo
tcrate. viii not pass any more resolu-
-ions. but viii act decisively against the
upper house. They must. however, first
catch the hare. and the Cnionist parti-
SINS assert with vehemence that this
cannot be done.
4 close election. With q majority under
forty Oh one side or the other. is the
forecast generally made by men Of mod
crate views. The continued reduction
IN the number Of three cornered con-
tests remains 2 hopeful sign of Liberal
success. !. y F.