Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-11-28
ENGLAND'S POLITICAL CRISIS
Parliament Dissolved-Battlc Precipi-
tated Between Lords and Liberals.

London, Nov. 2s.-England's polit-
ical die has been cast, Parliament has
been dissolved and the battle between
the House OF Lords and the liberals.
which may result in social revolution
10 Great Britain, is on.
The Lords and Commons met In
Joint session today to hear the kings
dissolution speech, which was formal,
thanking the elected and the hereditary
lawmakers for their labors, announcing
the proroguing OF the present parlla'
ment and the kings determination to
call general election for the selection
of a new House of Commons. The
kings speech opened with a reference
to the death OF his father, King Ed
ward, adding Georges determination to
follow in my dear fathers footsteps.
Lord Loreburn, the lord high chan
celIor, read the speech Of the king.
The Asquith cabinet members were
not present at the dissolution, being in
executive session at the time conclud-
ing business that had to be wound up.
The dissolution of parliament and
the calling of new general election
was forced by the liberals, who are now
in power. Today's act marks warfare
whose central issue is the destruction
of the last vestige OF power OF the here
ditary House of Lords, or the saddling
upon England OF the old regime,
The liberals seek the abolition Of the
lords except as purely consultative,
and, having got it out of the way, if
they are successful, they propose to
enact mass OF very advanced legls-
lation, The laborites also want to
abolish the lords entirely, not even
allowing it to remain for the purpose
of consultation. The programme OF
legislation sought by the laborites is
even more advanced than that de-
manded by the liberals. 1t is soclalist'c
in fact. The Irish, too, are bent on
ending the supervision rule Of the lords.
They do not care how it is done, so long
as it is DONE. The demand Irish home
rule. The lords have thus far baked
them. The peers out of the way, the
Irish expect home rule. The conser-
yatiyes want the lords to continue in
power. But their idea OF reform is
House of still greater strength than the
present one, and just as conservative.
That, in brief, is the condition pre-
vailing in England today. The fight
for an against the lords has become
such dominating issue that it has
even been forecasted in some OF the
more radical circles that il King George
declines to aid the liberals, in the event
OF liberal victory at the polls next
month. be may lose his throne.
To get the House OF Lords out OF the
way, it is necessary that enough liberal
peers be named to change the political
complexion Of the upper house from
solidly conservative to solidly liberal.
Only the king can create these peers.
The great question in England is:
will George obey the the people and
help abolish the lords by creating the
liberal peers?'
From the fact that the present cabl'
net dissolved parliament instead OF re-
signing, it looks as il George would
providing the liberals win the forth
coming general election by large ma
jority. ;,
t-1It is assumed that Asquith promised
to refer the question to the people
through the medium of a general cleo
tion-if George would promise to obey
the peoples will, as expressed at this
election. II the liberals elect the ma
jority of their candidates, it will be
proof that the people want Lords a0ol-
ished. There hos, however, been DO
definite announcement that the king
had given the promise to the premier,
and the premier is shrewd politician.
He gave every one 21s De-
fore last JanusTy's @12 90
had such q pledge 81