Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-28
Members of Parliament Re-
ceive Salaries of Only
$1,000 Year.
IMPORTANT POSITIONS
CARRY NO Remuneration
Prime Minister Works for Nothing,
But Some Places Are
Worth $4,000.
Special Correspondence Of The Star.


LONDON. April IL. 1913.
Before the payment OF salaries TO mem
hers OF parliament II was a generally ac-
cepted belief that men got into parlia-
ment for the honor of it. and on account
IF patriotic desire to be Of assistance
10 their native land. The small salary OF
5000 year has not greatly altered the
aspect OF things, for many men spend
this amount or more on their election
The fact that there are. however, large
emoluments derived from the country :
legislature and that ministers and their
assistants do not give their services for
nothing is just now exercising the minds
of the British public in the light of the
revelations made by the Marcon inquiry
What are the emoluments of the minis
tiers of the crown? Are they commensur-
ate with the duties and responsibilities o!
Office? In view of the proceedings of the
Marconi committee, the subject is of con-
siderable public interest. and it is certain
to occupy a good deal of the attention oil
parliament and the country.
Prime Minister Not Paid.
The prime minister as such, receives
no salary. Some office with nominal
duties and salary-usually that of first
lord of the treasury-is accordingly held
by him. The post of first lord of the
treasury has long been a sinecure in the
departmental sense. no duties being at
tached to IL, but il carries salary of
S2o.oD and an official residence at ~
Downing street. 1t must not be supposed,
however. that the prime minister has no
work to do. As head of the government
his duties are most responsible, varied
and laborious. for they mean the general
Superintendence of every department. and
If all important political affairs, domes-
tic, colonial and foreign.
Other Lords of the Treasury.
There are. besides three junior lords
Of the treasury. who have now no asso-
citation with the department. What. then
do they do for the 5000 a year each is
paid? Their duties, according to an
amusing definition once given by Can
ming. are-always be at ST. Stephens. to
keep a house and to cheer the minis
ters- They are, in fact, the assistant
whips of the party in office. The chief
whip also fills a sinecure departmental
post, which used to be styled the patron
age secretary to the treasury. and has
Of late years been called the parliament
tary secretary to the treasury, which car
ries salary of $1,000. The constitution
knows not the whip any more than il
knows the prime minister, and. there.
fore. the whip is left free to marshal and
keep in order the followers of the gov
eminent by being provided with an office
TO which there is salary but duty
attached.
There are five secretaries of state, who
look after foreign affairs, home affairs
war. India and the colonies. and the
salary of each is So 900. Each is assist
ed by an under secretary OF state. who
is paid $500. and in the case OF the
war office there is an additional minister
known as the financial secretary who
also gets 100. The first lord of the
admiralty is paid $1,000 a year and
gwen house. Like the secretary OF
state for war. he has two subordinates in
parliament-the parliamentary and finan-
cial secretary, whose salary is $1,000
and the civil lord, whose salary is 5000