The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-01
Governmen en- t Obtains
Lease of Life by Grace
of Conservatives.
CRISIS WILL COME
A f T E r EASTE R
Desire to Avoid General Election
Gives Brief Respite to Asquith.
He Outlines Policy of Finance
and Freeing c ON m ons
From Interference by
Lords.

London. February 2s.--In the ses-
sion of the House of Commons to-
day, the outcome of which was await
cd as eagerly as the denouement
of most exciting tragedy BY all the
members of both houses able to pack
themselves into the chamber, Pre-
mier Asauith's government obtained a
lease of life until after Easter. rms
was the gift of the Conservatives. VINO
we're so anxious TO avoid two general
elections successively within so brief
period that they accepted the fre
mier's program without calling FOR a
vote.
When the House of Commons meets
after Easter, II will take up the strug-
gle tn reyolutioniZe the British GOV
ernment system. Resolutions Will be
nresented to deprive the House OF
Lords of all authority over hnances
and also of the power of vetoins the
measures Of the lower house, LEAVING
TO the Lords only the functions of de-
lay and discussion.
III this plan succeeds, the govern
ment proposes next year to proceed
with the transformation of the House
of Lords from hereditary to dem
ocratic body
Stakes II. Existence.
Such was the program that the
Prime Minister unfolded. and he ana
Chancellor Lloyd-Georse declared
| that the government staked its exist.
ence on it, In the meantime the
budget stands stdetracked
| Before the Easter adjournment the
| House of Commons Will deal with res
olutions enabling the government 20
| continue to borrow money and the
| appropriation bill for the army. navy
| and other departments. Mr. Asquith'
plan gained the support of the ad-
| vanced Radicals and Laborites. who
! have been wavering. with the result
| that the government later in the eve
1 ming had rnajorities of ninety-one and
nircty-hve, respeetiyelr. Z sair-st ~
| proposed amendments 10 Mr. Asquith
| resolution. The irish members. n
1 withdrawn from the House for d1s-
| cussion of policy when the program
| was accepted. They had, however oe'
| cided to refrain from voting
The Premier's motion, giving gov
ernment business precedence at every
| sitting UP to March "a, was adopted
without division In laying down the
government program MIR. Asauith en-
| phaslzed the necessity of proceeding
with financial business first, and he
said that after that would come the
question of reforming the House OF
| Lords The financial legislation, he
| declared, would be confined TO the
army and navy bills and other urgen'
| demands which would occupy tins
whole attention of the House up II
the Easter adjournment.
VIII Set House Free.
| With regard to the House of Lords
he hoped that chamber would agre'
with the proposed plan. but whethe
1t did or not the government INTENDED
TO place on the statute books pro
vision which would set free the Hous
OF Commons from the veto Of TIL
/ Lords.
Chancellor Lloyd George. in tell
ing speech. declared that the govern
ment could not ask for the exercis
of the royal prerogative upon propos
ais which had not yet received tn
sanction of the House OF Commons
the opposition of the House of Lords
"The government will stake its eS
istence., said the Chancellor. 'upo
the advice it will give the sovereig
if 1t b{essefes necessary to do so. Thi
lis a <(sr of greatest moment to IN
democracy Of Great Britain and Ire
n land. We are lighting a powerful
combination. which cannot be over
thrown without courage and comrade
ship, loyalty and sacritice.
The Chancellor appealed to the Lib
erals to trust the government an
work tosether.