Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-06
Views of Moderate Liberals.

The more moderate liberals, Seeiug the
possibility of the disorganization Of the
finances of the country by this course
of action, are urging the government
first to introduce the budget, which the
lords, accepting the result of the election
as an Endorsement of the government S
financial policy, are already pledged to
pass.
On the question of the future status
of the house of lords opinion differ al
most as widely. The Iaborites and ex-
tremist radicals are for the absolute
abolition of the upper chamber. which
hardly comes within the purvieW of prac-
tical politics
Another section of the ministerialists
demands the abolition of the lords right
to veto on financial legislation and the
curtailment of their veto in other legisla-
ton. So that, in the words of the reSolu-
tion passed by the house of commons
when the budget was held up by the
house of lords, .'the will of the people
as expressed by the house of commons
must be adopted by the house of lords
Lords Without Option.
In other words, this means that any
measure passed by three successive ses-
sions of the house of commons must be
adopted by the lords. The views of the
moderates are expressed by Sir Edward
Grey. the foreign secretary, VINO said:
No reform of the house of lords can
be a real reform unless it provides for
the abolition of the hereditary principle
and the substitution of popular election.
The Spectator follows up this with the
suggestion that the upper house be model
ed after the American Senate, the house
to consist of 30 members chosen under
a system of proportional representation
from equal electoral areas.
In the meantime the unionists. with
the exception of a few peers. who under
no circumstances would find d place IN
the reformed chamber, are practically
unanimous for a change in the legislation
in the house of lords.
Schemes Under Consideration.
Many schemes are being put forward,
the most popular probably being that en-
bodied In the report of the Rosebery COM
mittee, which provides for the election
by the hereditary peers of 200 of their
number, together with $50 peers qualified
by service to the nation, ten bishops, five
judges and forty life peers.
The imperialists among the unionists
look with considerable favor on the sug-
gestion made by Norton Griffiths. a new
WHO HAS lidu great eApoIleUtc
in the colonies elsewhere. He has pro-
posed, when the moment is opportune, to
establish a senate. of the empire. TO IN
clude representatives from the colonies
Premier Asquith can count on a major
ity for the curtailment of the house of
lords veto, for in this the nationalistS
and doubtless the Independent national
lists, too, will be with the government.
On the budget. however. the attitude of
the nationalists is still uncertain. Mr..
Redmond has not committed himself be
yond giving out his cable correspondence
with Nj. j. Ryan national president of
the United Irish League of America, but
many members of the party strongly op-
pose the clauses imposing whisky duties,
and IL they do not vote against them
would in their own political interest have
to abstain from voting. Several liberals
are In the same position and when the
budget is introduced they will be given
permission by the whips to absent them
selves.
Attitude of Independents.