Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-12-01
POLITICAL CRISIS
IN GREAT BRITAIN
REJECTION OF BUDGET BY HOUSE
OF LORDS UPsETs ALL
PREcEDENrs.
BITTER CAMPAIGN CERTAIN
TO PREcEDE ELECTIONS
House Votes to Submit Question. to
Approval or Rejection by the People
Demonstration Made Before Pre-
mier's Mansion While Cabinet Was
in Session.


London, Dec. 1.-The political crisis
caused by unprecedented action of the
house of lords in refusing it's consent to
the governments budget is developing
rapidly. The cabinet, which had al
ready determined upon the policy 1t
would pursue in the event of Lans-
downe's amendment being carried, a
conclusion which was foreseen from
the first, had an unusually early meet
ing today to confirm it's decision and
consider the wording of the motion
which Premier Asquith will ask the
commons to adopt.
This motion will constitute a re-
monstrance against what the liberals
contend has been an invasion by the
peers of the rights of the lower house.
All members of the cabinet were pres
ent at the meeting, which excited so
much popular interest that great
crowd gathered in the vicinity of the
premiers official residence. The crowd
becam SO great that finally a large
force of police We're summoned to pre-
vent possible demonstration.
Propagation Question Unsettled.
The time of the deliverance of the
speech of propagation, the substance of
which was decided upon at yesterdays
meeting of the cabinet, will depend
upon the time occupied for debate on
the premier's motion, which commences
tomorrow. 1t is expected, however, that
this discussion will be brief, speeches
by prearrangement being confined to
the leaders of the unionist, liberal, la
Dor and Irish parties. Parliament will
be prorogued doubtless until the mid
die of January, but the choice of date
is mere formality, as the present
house comes to an end by dissolution
early in the year.
Campaign to Open Friday.
The election campaign will open in
earnest on Friday, when David Lloyd
George, chancellor of the exchequer,
and Winston Spencer Churchill, pres
ident of the board of trade, who are
held chiefly responsible for the budget,
and Lord Lansdowne and j. Austin
Chamberlain, most ardent opponents Of
the governments measure, will deliver
speeches, and with the exception Of
brief respites at Christmas, will con-
tinue the fight until election day.
Vote Was Decisive.
London, Dec. LIN the sedate and
detached manner characteristic of the
proceedings in the gilded chamber and
in direct disregard of the advice of
some of it's ablest and Oldest members,
the house of lords ait 10 a. m. today
created a situation unprecedented in
English history, at least in 900 yeas, by
refusing to assent to the bugdet bill
and referring it to the country itself
for judgment, thereby, in theory, MAX
ing it illegal to collect taxes and carry
on the government.
After six days Of debate, notable
for the high standard of the oratory
and able arguments for and against
the budget and placing every possible
light on all aspects of the great con-
stitutional questions involved, the
house of lords, cleared for division at
1880 last night The scene was i'm
pressive, not exciting, except that the
house was packed to it's utmost capac-
ity and a great array of strange faces
was on the benches, owing to the pres
ence of numbers Of ueers who only ap-
pear in the house on the most exception
al cases. None would have supposed that
| the eventful proceeding was destined
not only to prove memorable in Brit
ish history, but possibly also involving
far reaching changes in the British
l
nation in the galleries, which were
crowded with peeresses, members OF
| the commons, ambassadors and others
but in the house itself complete calm
prevailed. There was none of THAI
| tense excitement or exhuberant enthus
iasm SO distinctive of similar occas.
ion in the lower house.
The vote was on Lansdowne'!
amendment that the house was no
justified in consenting to the bill un'
til it had been submitted to the judg'
ment of the country. Nearly fifteel
minutes was occupied in clearing tn,
house for division.
When the vote was announced JUS
before midnight, $50 to IS in favo
Of the amendment, a few mixe
cheers were heard. Adjournment wa
Immediately taken. An expectan
crowd awaited the result in Contra
hall. When the vote became know
there was a slight attempt at coun
ter demonstration, but the official
speedily cleared the hall. Lord s
Aldwin, who, as Michael Hick
Beach, was one of the ablest chancel
lors of the exchequer of the conserva
tive side, absented himself from a
the budget debates ahd was abser
when the vote was taken, on accour
of his disapproval Of Lansdowne
course. His attitude will have a gres
effect.
Commons to Gesture Lords.
Premier Asquith announced in IL
commons today that tomorrow !
would move resolution to the effe
that the action of the lords in refusir
# to pass the budget was a breach of Il
q constitution and the usurpation Of I'll