The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-12-20
Campaign Meetings RiotlouS-
Iy Broken up
ON BOTH PARTY SIDES
Unionists, in Particular, Can't Get |
Hearing on the Hastings.
Plans to Curb the House Of
Lords.

London, Dec 20. Newspaper columns
TEEN with reports Of political speeches
which are being made daily all over
the county, but not yet is the campaign
in full swing. The drums are beating,
but The people are not yet thoroughly
aroused. 1t IS already clear, however,
that the campaign win be one of almost
unprecedented bitterness Meeting after
meeting in every part Of the country has
either been broken up or rendered futile
by riotous interruption.
John Bnrns, the Socialist Labor mem-
Tier of the cabinet, has opened his cam
paign at Bate sea By declaring that the
district will incur an ineffaceable stigma,
ii il does not return him. His meetings
been been enthusiastic and unanimous,
but small armory Of police has been
guarding the doors, through which only
carefully scrutinized ticketholders have
been allowed to pass.
Where such precautions have not been
taken, the speakers have generally been
unable to obtain anything like fair
hearing This has been especially the
case at Unionst meetings, Even Austen
Chamberlain d couple Of nights ago had
to abandon an attempt to speak AZ q
meeting in his own constituency.
a perfect floor Of peers has been let
loose on the country. They have been
carefully selected. They are good speak
ers. but their public meetings have not
been successful, though they have demon
strated that the hereditary peer is at
any rate good tempered fighter When
wrts for the elections are issued. these
members Of the upper house must retire
TO private life, for they are not supposed
to take any part in elections
Az Is only natural. the peers defend
their own house. but ii Is becoming clear
or every day that the unionists do not
wish TO fight the elections on the ones
ton Of the House Of Lords Home rule.
the budget, unemployment and tariff re-
form they seek to make the chief planks
Of their platform.
German War Scare.
A feature Of the week has been the
publication Of a series Of articles BY the
well known Socialist leader. Robert
Blatrhford, in The Daily Mail. These
articles are devoted To proving that Ger.
many Il preparing to effect the downfall
of the British empire. They are strongly
worded and although they contain moth
ing new to students Of European politics.
they attract attention IN quarters where
the subject has hitherto been little re-
garded, and they are being used to at
tack the government for it, neglect OF
both the army and tile navy. The gov.
ernment supporters taunt the Unionists
with deliberately fomenting a war scare
The Spectator, while admitting that
the articles may be used Is 4 stalking
horse during the election. acknowledges
Tile sincerity Of Mi Rlatchford and ex-
presses agreement with his views. Seer.
man warships,' says The Spectator, eare
being built e engage our ships"
Shut Out Conservative Press.
Together with these various points
there is being discussed somewhat aca.
demicaly. but with great interest, the
question Of how the government. il re-
turned TO power. will free themselves
from the yoke Of the pears The creation
Of a huge number oil Liberal peers To
commit political suicide IN the upper
house II no longer even suggested, and
IL has been declared that the cabinet
has decided to withhold writs 81 sum.
mons from Conservative peers.
On the reassembling Of Parliament. IL
Is asserted on the Radical side, the peers
have no statutory right to he summoned
to the House, with the exception OF three
bishops. four law lords and the Scotch
and Irish representative peers b. get
ting the king to withhold the writs.
therefore, the government could assure
itself Of majority 4 semi-oficial
agency. however, declares that this is
not contemplated
The governments present plan, II rel
turned, Is said to be first to press the
budget ard then a bill declaring that
the House Of Lords in the case Of money