Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-07-25

| eminent, but was interrupted by the
home secretary, Winston Spencer
| Churchill Mr. Balfour turned holly
| upon the home secretary and said he
| remembered him as the ringleader of
a gang of disturbers who, when an
| unconstitutional question was at
| stake, kept minister standing an
| hour without allowing a word to be
heard.
Mr.. Balfour reminded the House that
the Parliamentary bill had not been
rejected by the House of Lords. The
prime minister seems assured that the
constitution provides for the creation
of peers as the ordinary machinery for
dealing with a deadlock between the
two houses" he continued Il admit
that revolutions may be necessary, but
the prime minister is destroying the
progative of the crown and the indie
pendence of the House of Lords al one
stroke-not TO avert war or TO carry
measures which the masses of the
people are passionately DESTROYS Of
but for one object only, to prevent the
people of this country from expressing
any other verdict on a question which
they had twice before expressed in
their verdict on home rule. With a
light heart the prime minister puts
the crown under compulsion, on an cx-
cuse SO trumpery and contemplate
that ii would not justify the creation
|of single peer"
Mr.. Balfour accused Premier Asauith
of dragging the crown in the dust and of
abusing the confidence of the sovereign
against the views of himself and his col
leagues because they were puppets of
forces he could not control who had wait
ed long, had issued orders and must be
obsequiously obeyed
Sir Edward Grey, the foreign secreta-
~, usually the mildest member Of the
cabinet, followed Mr. Balfour with
ringing expression of the majority's 10y
atty TO the premier. He also had a hear
ing. He spoke in a voice tense with pas
sion.
The prime minister" said Sir Edward,
has announced the course of the govern
ment. If arguments are TO be used In
support of that course they are 10 be
used by the prime minister as represent
ing all the majority--there is not one or
us who win attempt to take his place.
Tremendous cheering)
Il trust that at some future occasion
even the Extremist section may feel
that il is the House of Commons that
is at stake and the debate may be re-
sumed, but for the moment there is
nothing to be done but endorse the
course the prime minister has an
nouhced which We are all prepared to
do. / propose to close our proceedings
b. moving an adjournment"
AT this F. E. Smith jumped TO his
feet and for five minutes the House
was pandemonium. Mr. Smith spoke
alternately to the Chair and, with out
stretched finger TO John Redmond.
The Irishman replied by derisive
gestures. Not a word spoken by Mr..
Smith could be heard. Finally the
Speaker gained enough of a hearing To
read the rule and declare the House
adjourned
The demonstration was wholly hnex-
peeted and all Conservatives recognize
tonight that their party is facing an
extreme crisis-one which may split
the party and leave it, instead of a
strong minority, a hopeless minority.
While the last ditehers" are MAX
ing the most noise, the real influential
members of the Conservative party
stand with Lord Lansdowne and Mr..
Balfour for a peaceful solution by ac-
cepting the governments bill.
The King also is using his influence
to bring about settlement. He sum
the prime minister this morn
ing and afterwards Lord Lansdowne
and Mr. Balfour, who visited the pal
ace together Later His Majesty re-
ceived the Duke of Devonshire.
Probably a week will elapse before
the veto bill is brought up again in the
House of Commons.
Mr.. Asquith in the meantime viii
negotiate with the Unionist leaders
for guarantees that the Lords will ac-
cept the BILL Unless he obtains these
the bill may not be sent back to the
House of Lords until the last resort,
the creation of peers, has been invoked
to secure its acceptance.