The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-18

London, December H.-(special. .)-The house of lords may survive few years, but that it is doomed Is the opinion of thinking people throughout the empire. Until recently it was hated; now 1t Is the butt of ridicule. During the recent campaign the institution got rakins that 1t cannot long endure. It is hard for Americans to appreciate what body like the house of lords really is.
 That stupid, useless and antiquated in- stitution is made up as follows: Three princes, 30 dukes. S7 marquesses, 229 earls, s4 viscounts. 415 barons total, 7Ss, not including the bishops, of whom 26 sit in the house of lords. Aside from the bishops, who are educated men, the lords are probably the biggest aggrega ton of blockheads ever assembled under one roof. It Is positively painful to lis- ten to them when engaged In debate.
 It has been suggested by Tom Field CTS. London wit. that prisoners who are sentenced to hard labor should be forced to listen to the noble lords mak- ing speeches as substitute for the hard labor end Of the sentence. About the brainiest of the lot is the premier peer, the Duke of Norfolk, whose creation dates from 14S3-the fifteenth century. He is something of an old granny. There are lords who wear bracelets and sey- eral carry ladies' umbrellas. Think of such body having absolute control over any country or even a voice in any seri- ous affair of life!
 One of the most effective attacks ever made upon the lords was made recently by Lloyd George. It Is worthy of re- production here. Comment had been made by tory on the fact that Irish Americans were sending money to thls country to be used in electing enemies of toryisrp to parliament Replying, Mir. George said: Now, with reference to the house of lords, I will declare that TO civilized people would tolerate such legislative body.
 What I should like to know is this since when has the British aristocracy started despising American dollars? l see you understand that. Many a noble house tottering to its fall has had it's walls buttressed by American dollars. am informed that there is q newspaper even in London, a tory newspaper, run by American dollars.
 France has a senate. The United States has a senate The colonies have senates. But they are all chosen direct
 y or indirectly by the people. Let them take trip to Australia and persuade the Australians to set up a house of lords on our plan. Naughter) Let us go there with them now. We will go to Australia with noble tariff reform CT, and before we landed he would say, Have you a second chamber? They would say, 'Yes' Then we would say, Would you mind telling us how 1t Is composed and of what class of people ? They would say, Just the class of people anywhere around here. It is elected by all the people, male and female. who are of age.' But our tariff reform friend would say, Surely you give more votes to the owners of peoperty than to a mere man who works for his living ? They would say, Mo- Then our tory friend would say, Is property secure?' Why" Can a man safely bring his tralian would say, From all hear 1t would be much safer here than in many quarters of London
 "The Australian would be very im- pressed and would say 'Ah, what shall Australia do to be saved? Give us an aristocracy. How are we to get one ? They would say. T would say: The easiest thing in the world I will tell you how we got ours will give you our oldest, most ancient stock. and con- sequently our best Qaughter), because an aristocracy Is like cheese. the older 1t is the higher 1t becomes. (Great laughter.) I will tell you how we got our first and best quality. A few ship loads of French filibusters came over from Normandy. They killed all the owners of property they could lay their hands on. Having done SO, they levied for their own uses death duties at 100 percent. Unfortunately, their descendants have been cutting each others throats, anp there are very few of them left. lLAughter) Consequently they are yerx