The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-12-10
STRUGGLE IN GREAT BRITAIN
AIMED AT SPECIAL INTERESTS
tContinued From Page oneJ

ldnG tney DO not. NOW, however, tue
people OF England are in position 10
secure that means. The victory OF
the liberal government in the cleo
ton now closing. makes II now prsc'
tically certain that the house OF lords
will either be abolished or so emas
culated as to take II impossible for
II to further clog the wheels OF pro-
gress.
For great many years Americans
have been told that England has u
popular government. England thus
far has had no such thing England
has some mighty good laws, institu-
tons and customs. and It's people
have certain advantages that Ameri-
cans do not have. Popular govern.
ment, however, is not one of these.
English laws are enacted by par.
lament, one house of which 10 cleo
tive, but until 1905 both houses wore
composed of men from what is call.
ed the governing class, or
aristocracy, which IL. Invariably, In
all nations, found on the side of
property and not on the side OF hu-
manity.
With the advent OF the liberal par
ty control of the house OF commons.
following the Boer war, with the rise
of David Lloyd George. the real cham
pion Of human rights in the liberal
party, and with the taking of the
reins OF government by Premier AS
quith, the people, for the first time,
were truly represented In parliament
by a force capable of making its
presence felt and anxious to enact
legislation for the improvement of
the condition of the masses. ~
For i've years the Liberals have
been violently opposed and often
blocked by the reactionary house Of
lords.
The fight finally conferred on the
house Of lords itself. The issue in
the election of the past fortnight has
been the question OF the very life of
the hereditary house. This has been
the question:
Shall the house OF lords be strip.
PED OF legislative authority"
The people OF England have an.
swered in the Affirmative. The re.
turn OF the Liberal government with
an Increased majority can mean moth
ing less. The people, on referendum.
have voted that the house of lords
hhost 81 VI lapse lHto lnnOcuOuS
desuetude"
The house OF commons has passed
what Is called the veto bill" which
provides that the lords shall not have
power to veto, or defeat, bills passed
by the commons. IL provides that
all money bifis become laws as soon
as passed by the commons II pro-
vides that all money bills become
laws as soon as passed by the com.
mons. and that all other bills shall
become laws II passed by the com.
mons at three consecutive sessions.
even If rejected each time by the
lords
So this election has been really a
referendum to the people on a pro-
posed amendment to the "unwritten"
Brttish constitution.
me people have voted for the
emenoment. Henceforth, unless there
cuna some way TO set aside the
expressed will of the English people
the mousse OF lords win be mereIy q
sort OF highly aristocratic social club
with a dignifed ritual and few OF.
fetal duties
The British parliament will become
practically one-house legislature
that will speedily attempt to enact
laws that will rectify the unjust con.
ditions under which the masses Of
the English people are now living.
IN an article Monday, Mr.. Farme,