Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1911-06-03
Weakness Shown When Lords
Failed to Challenge Last
Vote.
Irish Members Are Divided In
Opinion on Insurance
Bill.
PROGRAMME OF GREAT LENGTH

1t is all over with the British
House OF Lords. but they are putting
off the day of dissolution as long as
possible. They believe in the old
adage that while there is life there
Is hope. With the passage of the
second reading of the veto bill on
Monday night the Lords shelved that
measure until after the coronation,
when they will amend il in commit
tee. The bill was passed without
division. Lord Morley, in the clos
ing speech, intimated that the Gov
ernment would accept no amend
ments, and added that it would not
be to the credit of the House of
Lords, after accepting the principle
of the bill, for Lord Lansdowne and
his party to raise obstacles at a
later stage.
Meanwhile England is proceeding
with its constitutional revolution
not merely with calmness, but with
what seemingly is almost absolute
Indifference. One Tory Peer, in the
course of the weeks debate,
acknowledged that all their efforts
to make the flesh of political audi
ences creep by painting the terrible
results" of destruction of the Peers
power of veto had evoked nothing
but derision.
If the Tories had intended to
make a real fight on the veto bill
( they would have thrown it out on
the second reading. Instead they al
lowed it to pass without challenging
the Liberal vote. From the present
outlook the crisis will come about
the middle of July. If the Peers do
not accept the bill as it now stands
they must accept the responsibility
of compelling the Government to full
fill its pledge to appoint 500 Peers
to force the veto measure through
the upper chamber of Parliament.
There are few who now believe
-thSst thst the 81 VI -seizs-
this horn of the dilemma. If they
do they will be covered with ridicule,
say the Liberals, and will accom-
plish the very thing they hate and
oppose, namely the reconstruction of
the House of Lords on a radical
basis.
! Lloyd-George's insurance bill is
now the chief topic of discussion.
The complexities of the conditions
and the innumerable details of the
measure make necessary longer de-
bate than was anticipated and new
difficulties are suggested every day.
Ireland also remains dubious about
portions of this scheme, as the meas
ure is intended for a rich manu-
featuring country like England, and
the Irish may find considerable
changes necessary when the bill is
applied to Ireland.
Many members of the Irish party,
notably Joseph Devlin, are enthusi-
astic in support of the bill, but the
majority of the members still re-
main silent and the final outcome
probably will be notifications in the
Irish section of the measure. II is
now probable that Parliament will
sit into the middle of August, for the
Government adds a new item every
week to the already gigantic pro-
gramme. Secretary Winston Chur-
hill seeks legislation for shorter
hours for store employees and for
greater safety in the mines. Sidney
Buxton. President of the Board of
Trade, is pushing through the copy
right bill. That measure largely af-
fects the literary and dramatic inter-
ests in America. and now seems to
be reaching smoother waters. An
other addition to the heavy legisla-
tive programme is in ahe bill to re-
lieve the trade unions rom the pro-
hibitlon against subscribing funds
for political purposes.