Evening star., 1911-08-08
House of Commons Refuses
to Censure the Ministry.
CHARGE MADE BY BALFOUR
Alleges Advantage Was Taken of
Kings Inexperience to Secure
Pledge for New Peers.

vote standing 36o to 246. The motion was
introduced by Arthur ]. Balfour, leader of
the opposition. and was based on the
charge that Mr.. Asauith, tine prime min
lister had taken advantage of the kings
nexperience to bring about an abuse
of the royal prerogative by securing the
guarantees before the last general cleo
tion.
Mr.. Asquith in reply to this charge as
serted that the ministers had pursued an
entirely proper constitutional course.
The result was that after the premier's
speech the debate on the unlonist side
virtually collapsed
The chamber was filled to its capacity.
Peers and distinguished strangers were
present in large numbers. The diplomatic
and ladies' galleries were filled, the oc
cupants including American Ambassador
Reid and other diplomats.
Form of Balfour Motion.
Mr.. Balfours motion. of which he gave
notice August .. was as follows:
THAT the advice given his ma iesty by
his majestys ministers. whereby they OBJ
tained from his majesty pledge that a
sufficient number of peers would be
created to pass the parliament bill in the
shape in which it left this house. is
gross violation of constitutional liberty,
by which, among other ill-consequences,
the people will be precluded from again
pronouncing upon the policy of home
rule
The rival leaders were loudly cheered>
as they entered the room. and Mr.. Bal
four was heartily appauded as he rose to-
present his motion rebuking the govern
ment. The former unionist prime min
lister said that he was conscious of the
gravity of the situation and the serious
ness of the step which he asked the house
to take. He said he thought that It would
be admitted that never in all history had
there been more serious case one
which more urgently deserved, or indeed
required, the consideration of parliament
and the emphatic condemnation of the
ministers.
'"The minister's" said Mr.. Balfour,
have grossly abused their rights of adj
vising the crown. and by abusing those
rights put themselves above the consti-
tuition. They have acted wholly without
precedent. They have done this not as
Mr.. Balfour conceived, in order to meet
any great question of state. but in or
der to further a party arrangement be-
tween different sections who support
them and in order to prevent the peopie
of the country from pronouncing their
opinion on home rule.
King in Cruel Position.
The unionist leader asserted that the
ministry had placed the sovereign who
had just come to the throne in cruel
position. The king was a fount of hon
or, but the government by their advice.
had poisoned and corrupted the stream at
its source. He dubbed the proposed new
peers .'supers in this sordid drama
Mr.. Balfour further declared that It
would be difficult to conceive of any poll
tician playing meaner or more con-
temptible part. He contended that the
question Of home rule had never been
before the country throughout the contro-
versy. There was not the slightest justi-
fication for the creation Of peers to enable
the government to carry it through both
houses without reference to the people.
opinions Of constitutional legislative
chambers to put both chambers in the
hands of the executive to manipulate it
as he liked, and it was a wholly uncon-
stitutional method of dealing with dead
locks for the prime minister to advise
the king to pack the upper house with
hired voters.
Mr. Balfour concluded with the proph-
ecy that the country would soon let the
radicals know that it would not allow
repetition of "the crime of 1911"
Prime Minister Asquith appeared in his
best form when he stood up to reply.
Jeeringly he thanked Mr. Balfour for
this opportune though unexpected mo-
ton. 1t was the very thing that the
government wanted.
"1t was my strong. hope and belief"
sad Mr. Asquith, that the lords would
accept the bill and only when that hope
was frustated as it was last month, was
his majesty asked and consented, If II was
necessary. to exercise his prerogative
We took the only course consistent with
honor and a true regard for the dignity
of the crown. The course was correct,
considerate and constitutional, and in my
own name and in those Of my colleagues
[ am perfectly content to accept the de-
cision of the house and of my fellow
countrymen in regard thereto.
By Desire Of King.
Mr. Asquith further told the house that
it was at the kings express desire that
he disclosed the communications which
had passed between them, so there should
be no mystery and no misunderstanding
of a perfectly simple and correct trans
action. He stated that his intention to
ask for guarantees in certain eventuali-.
ties had been communicated to King Ed
ward, first on April IA. 1910 Mr.. As
quith concluded by maintaining that the
only method of dealing with the situation
was through the use Of tie royal pre-
Il hold my ohace,' he added mot only
by the favor OF the crown, but on behalf
of the people,. and l should be guilty,
indeed. of treason if at the supreme mo-
ment Of a great struggle were to betray
their trust"
Frederick F.. Smith and others made
brave attempts to fan the flames against
the government, but were compelled to
fall back on the weil-worn argument that
the members of the government were be-
ing driven by their taskmaster, John
Redmond and that their whole object was
to secure the easy passage of Irish home
rule.
Walter Hume Long, ex-chief secretary
for Ireland. challenged Mr.. Asquith to
reveal his conversations with King
George but Winston Churchill, the home
secretary, who wound up the debate. de-
clined to consider such unusual re-
quest An incident of the session was
the strong disapprOval shown by the main
body of the unionists with the reflections
made against the leaderships Of Mr. Bal
four and Lord Lansdowne by MIR. Smith
and other representatives of the Halls
bury revolt.
The debate was characterized by numer-
Gus Interruptions. but there was no dis
order.
Final Appearance in Commons.
The veto bill made its final appearance
in the house Of commons this afternoon,
and tonight it will be sent back to the
house of lords with probably two or
three minor amendments for their adop-
ton rejection, the former disposition
being more likely.
There was a crowded house. the diplo-
matte, peers and ladies' galleries being
filled when the debate. which was in
terrupted by violent scenes July "A, was
resumed on a motion to consider the
lords amendments to the bill.