The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-09-26
Representatives Without Pay.

1t is plain that in Great Britain they
are not yet ready for the great change
that would be caused in the House Of
Commons by having members OF Par
lament on salary. It has only been
in recent years that poor man could sit
in Parliament, and gradually special IN
terests that desired 10 be represented IN
the law-ma1ing body have been prOVld-
ing their members with salaries John
Burns is q notable example Cg ? member
elected and supported by special inter
ests. but though he entered Parliament
as "a labor representative. he has been
rather won over 10 the enemy: has alb
jured socialism. and been given a post
ton in the cabinet at fat salary HIS
Batersea constituents have. therefore.
withdrawn the salary they were paying
him.
Now the English courts have decided
that 1t is Illegal for & labor union TO
use its funds 70 pay the salary OF a
member Of Parliament The Labor party
has been in the habit OF paving its
special members, usually educated work
ingmen, $1,000 a year. besides their cam
paign and election expenses. The mat
ter was brought into court by q gentle
man who declared that he did not SYM
pathize with the objects OF the Labor
party. and demanded that his contribu-
tons should not be used 10 support a
Labor member The courts sustained
this plea, and declared that the objects
OF the labor unions are 10 be "reguIat-
ing the relations between employer and
employed" not TO fight political battles.
This will prove a serious blow to the
Labor party. which viii have much
difficulty in maintaining its organization.
In its ranks II has no members who are
able 20 devote their time 10 parlla-
mentary work without salary. as men,
bers Of Parliament in England always
have done The British labor news
papers say that there is only a small
minority in the party that objects 10 the
use of union funds TO support mem
bers OF Parliament, a much smaller
minority than that which objects TO the
use of funds OF the union TO support
strikers.
The one hope OF the Labor party lies
In following the example of the Irish
Nationalist. which supports its mem
bers in the House OF Commons by private
subscriptions.
In the middle of the last century one
Of the demands Of the Chartists was that
members Of Parliament should be- paid.
but the plea has never yet met with
popular approval II the time should
come when salaries are provided for
services in Parliament. it is probable
that the whole tone of British legis-
lation win be changed; certainly the
common people win get more faith
full, if. perhaps. less intelligent repre-
sentation. As it is to-day, the great
body OF the British House OF Commons
Is made up Of men Of means, profess
sional men or gentlemen of inherited for
tunes. 1t IS impossible not to see that
such a body is bound-no matter how
honest fits individual members may be-
to legislate in its own interests, in the
interest Of the distinct class to which II
belongs.
The recent decision and the strange
Quandary OF the Labor party has served
to bring the whole subject prominently
forward in the public mind, and it is not
improbable that the question of paying
salaries TO members should prove 10 be
vital question at the next general cleo
ton.