El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-07-15
Abolition, Compromise Or
Reform Interests England
By
Frederic
]. Haskn
X.-THE BRITISH CRISIS.

pointment of this wholesale lot of rad
ical peers, despite a Liberal majority in
the elections, then the king would be
arrayed in opposition to the expressed
Will of the people Of England This is
a thing that has happened several
times, but the record shows that such
things are extremely unhealthy for
kings. Just now there are nO4 a half
dozen republicans in England, but
should the king oppose his people and
thwart their will. revolution might
be precipitated over night
Not in many years has a new king
come TO the British throne facing such
a sea of troubles. If George is able to
bring about a peaceful settlement of
this fundamental quarrel, he will be en-
titled to be called George the Great, for
no one of the four predecessors of his
name possessed the tact and skill
requisite for such a performance With
characteristic loyalty to the archaic sur
vivals of the forms Of absolutism> the
leaders of both parties have sought to
avoid embarrassing the new king. The
battle that vas imminent when Edward
died is postponed a truce prevails, and
the British parliament prOsaic1y debates
non contentious Legislation while As
Quith and Balfour talk, futilely perhaps,
of compromise.
Commons Would Control Finances.
Mr.. Asquith. supported by the coan-
tiOn of Liberals, LabOrites and Irish Ma
tionalists, IS pledged to a very definite
program with relation to the lords. He
proposes that the house OF commons
shall have absolute control Of all fin
anciad legislation. without let or hind
rance in the house OF lords. This could
give the commons entire control of all
matters relating u taxation and appro-
priations- Mr. Asquith further proposes
that the house of commons may be
given the right to make effective any
piece of legislation during the lifetime
of single parliament without the ne
cessity of reference to the people; this
to be accomplished by providing that
any bill which passes the house and
fails to pass the lords shall be returned
to the house and. if it again passes the
commons IL will become law without
the assent of the peers.
In order to prevent unnecessary de-
lays and TO circumvent dilatory tactics,
Mr.. Asquith further proposes that the
life of a single parliament be limited
to five years. instead Of seven, as is nov
the case These three propositions are
the essential features of the Liberal
program, and are comprised in the
phrase abolition Of the veto"
If Mr.. Asquith shall ask the king for
guarantees" 1t will mean that the COM
mons will adopt the Asqutth proposi-
lions, the lords will reject them, parlia-
ment Will be dissolved, a general cleo
ton ordered and, in advance of the cleo
ton. the prime minister will ask the
king to promise to appoint some 500
Liberal peers in the event that the cleo
tiOns result in a victory for the Liberal
coalition.
1t is probable that Mr.. Asquith will re-
sist the demands of the Irish National
lists and will prefer to wait until after
the general election to approach the
king. If that election should result in
a Liberal victory, the commons again
will pass the abolition OF the veto meas
ures. and then IT will be up TO the house
of lords to cOmmit-sUicide gracefully in
order to save their king from the
necessity of choosin5 between destruc-
ton of the lords o. revolution A Con-
sentative victory would save both lords
and king from embarrassment.
Peers May Be Reduced.
The Conservative position is by no
means as clearly defined. Three years
ago when the rejection by the lords
Of the education bill had precipitated
the first skirmish of the present war.
the lords took thought among them
selves how they might conserve their
effective power as a bulwark of class
privilege by reforming themselves. Sew
eral propositions were made and a COM
mittee Of 25 was appointed, under the
ClidlIHldHStilp OF 3TU fSOSeDeTTE, SnlCD
recommended to the lords a scheme of
reform. According to this plan the
house of lords would be reduced TO
about $50 members, composed of repre-
sentative peers of parliament" elected
from the whole body OF the peerage,
not for life, but for a single parlia-
ment. No action has been taken on this /
report. and, indeed. IL was intended only
as a basis for further consideration.
The Conservative forces are COM
mitted TO a scheme of reform which will (
ecquit the lords Of the charge of repre- f,
senting nothing but the hereditary prin-
ciple, but which will conserve that prin-
ciple TO . certain degree. They also de-
sire TO establish the house of lords as