New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-03-13
BLOCKING LIBERALS
TACTICS OF PEERS.
Upper House Nay Defer De-
bate on VetO Resolutions.
[By Gable .The Tribu.e.

London March 1o-The Lords can
aioy :he game of political tactics as clev-
erly as the ministers themselves. The
government. in restricting the supply TO
six weeks for spending services, has
acted on the close calculation that the
veto resolution viii be passed 10y the
Commons during April. and that the
crisis caused by The rejection of the pro-
rosals by the upper house will occur
about s.e time WG.D the present votes
o. account expire The ministers by re-
signing Office abruptly under those cir
curIstances would compel Mr.. Balfour
tc face the alternative Of forming a gov
eminent ana Of appealing TO the coUn-
try when fhe treasury was empty and
embarrassed with this floating indebted
ness and there was no authority for
carrying on spending services or else OF
declining the responsibilities Of admin
istration and OF leaving Mr.. Asquith at
liberty TO exact terms from the sovereign
before returning 20 power.
The Lords, however. can interfere with
this deXtrous little game by deferring
the consideration of the veto resolutions
until they have disposed Of their own
resolutions for reforming the upper
chamber. The votes on account would
expire before the crisis over the veto
came or, and the ministers would be
forced to obtain fresh supplies ihem-
selves before resigDiag Office. Probably
This course will be adopted as the best
method OF meeting the ministers expedi-
snt OF limiting supplies To a deliberately
calculated term In order 10 obtain their
continuance in Office and 10 make it i'm
possible for their rivals TO make up
business administration.
Lord Rosebery's motion for resolving
the Lords into a committee FOR consider
ing The reform resolutions viii be de-
based exhaustively next week. but the
resolutions themselves will not be taken
Up until April. and the debate may he
adjourned from week 10 week and fol-
lowed b. the long vacation. The Lords
can easily contrive TO defer action on the
veto resolutions until the ministers have
renewed supplies and there is 30 risk Of
bringing the national services to a full
stop by the power of the purse. The
Lords can arrange the time table TO suit
themselves. and have the crisis come
when Mr.. Balfour can take office and ap-
peal 10 the country without financial
difficulty over the supplies
Lord Rosebery's resolutions. as en-
iarged by Lords Curzon and Newton.
will contemplate the restriction in the
number of legislative Lords through an
order of merit and the election Of Eng
lish representative peers on the same
terms Irish and Scotch peers. 1t
viii be A definite plan for strengthening
The upper house and increasing its eff
cheney. The Liberal peers viii not waste
Time in debating a scheme which the
present government is not prepared to
support. but they Will probably disclose
the main lines OF Sir Edward Greys
plan for an entirely elective chamber of
10 members. chosen by democratic
franchise and Uninfiuenced by the heredi-
n rary principle. Conflicts between the
two houses u14der this plan would be
settled hy a vote Of the united Parlia-
nent. This plan is sufficiently radical
10 satisfy the most advanced section of
Inc party. but the Rosebery scheme will
hold the field if the Unionists obtain a
majority at the next election, as they are
likely TO 90 through the abstentiOn Of
multitudes Of Liberal voters who are
frightened by finarciaI complications and
exasperated by John Redmond's SUI
preTracy.
The ministers, meanwhile, have aroused
me enthusiasm OF their followers by
adopting what looks like fighting pol
icy for forcing the budget and the veto
oil through by the menace of admin
1stratiye chaos. 1t has reconciled the
Radical extremists and the Labor mem
ners 10 the enormously increased naval
estimates, and has promoted the Liberal
Nationalist entente. Premier Asquith
has remained persistently in the back
erBuBd, David LIoyd-George being con-
stAntly In the centre Of the stage. cheek
Ivy jowl with Winston Churchill, and
With Gibson Bowles as a serviceable alIy
within easy reach.
Letters from the Riviera say that Mr..
Eafour is il feeble health and hardly
fit for the storm and stress Of a moment
Gus constitutional conflict, yet he is
directing the Unionisr campaign with