Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-15

- NGLAND is deep in the throes of
T. the bitterest political fight IL has
known i'm centuries.
The battle over the budget is I'm reality
the uprising of the nation against the
house of lords. and the agitation is the
demand Of the people that the right OF the
hereditary body to defeat the will OF the
people as expressed through the house OF
commons be ended forever
Seldom in the history OF the BrHons
has there been a battle in which the in
terests involved have been as big. 1t IL
not too much TO say that England is in
the midst of one of its epochs. 1t will be
peacefully decided at the polls. There
Will be no bloodshed, no riots, no reyolu-
tions. but except for that detail the pres
ent battle looms up I'm Importance with
the signing of the Magma Charta or the
famous battles OF Cromwell with parlia-
ment
The rallying cry OF the National Lib
eral Federation. which is leading the fight
Of the people. expresses the issue In this
phrase:
If the present action OF the peers is
not repudiated swiftly by the people the
rights and privileges won SO dearly by our
forefathers in the great struggles for free
dom are surrendered"
This is the issue. IL is contest be-
tween the nation and the house of lords,
and the historical Importance OF the lat
ter body, vested as Ii is with the tradi-
tons of centuries and the support OF
kings, makes il redoubtable foe for the
electorate.
Lloyd-George. whose budget caused all
the terrific strife, is chancellor OF the
exchequer. With the assistance of MIR.
Winston Spencer Churchill, who Is presi-
dent of the board of trade. he determined
EinO Alnt. Of tfS-aV 1af
would more fairly place the burden OF
taxation than had any previous schedule.
His budget placed heavier tax on the
wealth OF the country. Immediately the
house of lords. body somewhat analo-
gous to the United States Senate in its
freedom from popular control at once
took violent exception TO the program.
and prepared for battle in favor Of
what in this country would be called the
vested interests
A large proportion of the land in Eng
land is held by the peers. and on this
the taxation was much increased.
The house of commons. which is the
elective body, welcomed the program. and
supported Lloyd-George to the letter
In the front rank OF the fight for the
people is the premier of England. Mr..
Asauith; He is also the leader OF thsi
great liberal party.
After the action of the house OF lords.
he at once went before the house, and
made speech in which he made cleae
sist in enacting into law the measure
passed by the lower body had made 4
travesty of the constitution.
His argument further included the sac
lent points that the peers, who number
only a few hundred, and rule not by
right of selection by the people but as
a result of birth. had sought to remove
the taxation from wealth. land and liquor
in order TO put il on the necessities OF
life.
One of the foremost OF the peers. Lord
Rosebery, also takes this view. IL will
be recalled that Lord Rosebery has had
somewhat spectacular career. Though
he is lord by birth, he entered into a
fight many years ago for a place i'm the
house OF commons and won il. He served
there with distinction. and made a fight
for three cherished ambitions, which he
did not hesitate to announce.
Lord Lansdowne is the ablest of the
lords who are the conservative side,
and it was his amendment 10 the budget
that carried the defeat OF the measure.
He will be in the thick of the battle. for
he is a fighter. has commanding ability.
was foreign minister under Salisbury, and
has large following all over England
even apart from those who are naturally
on his side of the question.
In addition to the radical fighters for
Churchill. the liberal side will have
strong orators I'm Sir Edward Grey. for
eiRn minister; Mr.. Richard Burden Hal
dane, minister OF war. and other ministers
who will supply more moderate argu-
ments
The unionists are going to concentrate
their fire on what they call the social
ism of the budget.
The liberal party has made common
cause with the labor party, and combine
tons are being effected all over the coun-
try SO that i'm no case will the representa-
tives of the two parties be pitted against
one another.
Anything 10 beat the lords is 10 be the
policy, and with the intense public sup
port IL is more than likely that the cam
paign will prove a successful one.