The Washington herald., 1916-05-21
Cabinet MUzzLES
BRITISH PRESS
Failure of Ministers to Maintain Sc
crecy Cause of Action-Pen-
alties Are Provided.
tIhes Are Provided.

London. May 2o.-The King held a
priyy council at Windsor Castle for the
purpose OF signing an order in council
prohibiting the publication or any refer
ence to the secret sessions OF the two
Houses Of Parliament. except the report
officially communicated through the
press bureau.
The order is a natural compliment to
the significant departure from the nor
mai ways Of the Legislature. II is note
worthy that the prohibition is accom-
panied by another regulation which is OF
even wider scope. II Is TO be an offense
in future TO publish any report Of or
TO purport to describe or to refer to the
proceedings at any meeting of the Cab
met" This means starvation to the po-
ltical gossipmongers and note writers
and will even largely affect the leader
writer.
For this last restriction ministers have
only themselves to thank. The leakage
Of Information has grown to be a scan
dal. All Cabinet deliberations take place
under the seal OF confidence, neverthe-
less much has percolated through to per-
sons outside the charmed circle, and
eventually has appeared in the press. The
press Is not to blame-It takes what IL
can get-but ministers have the difficult
task set them Of holding their tongues.
A secret sitting OF Parliament is by
no means an innovation. For many years
the House of Commons fought hard to
keep itself TO itself, permitting an Of
hcial version Of it's votes and proceed
ings" to go forth, but prohibiting the
publication Of its debates. Originally the
motive OF this reserve was fear Of the
Crown. As the British Constitution made
its progress fear Of the Crown passed
away. but fear Of the constituencies took
its place, and throughout most of the
eighteenth century most Of the reporting
was done surreptitiously. II was not un-
I'll after the destruction OF the Houses OF
Parliament by fire in 1884 that reporters
were allowed q gallery.
Even now IL Is clear that the reporters
are present on sufferance and that at
any moment the House can exclude
strangers and clear the reporters gal
lery. At one time this could be done
at the will OF a single member Of the
House and there was tremendous com
motion in 1875 when Mr.. Biggsr effected
the temporary removal from the gallery
OF the Prince Of Wales. The rule was
accordingly altered, and it was provided
that though any member might still
"espy strangers" their removal should
be a question on which the House should
divide.
This rule was FIRST put into operation
in ISIS, when the House sat in private
for three hours on a question arising out
Of a murder in Ireland. In quite modern
times two galleries or boxes behind the
Speakers chair we're placed at the dis
posal Of permanent officials whose near
presence 70 the Treasury bench was an
obvious convenience, and II was for a
time a game among Parliamentary sports
men Ike Lord Winterton TO espy them
and TO force a division on the question
OF their withdrawal from a place which
was technically within the House.
Political views about the secret session
are largely colorsd by party bias, but
even the most level headed politicians
fear that secret sessions may kill the
authority Of the House OF Commons.
Its whole claim to a position Of au-
thority in the country is that II is sup
posed to renew its strength by more fire.
quent contact with the electorate. A
secret session makes the Commons q
branch OF the Executive. Il becomes q
larger and more cumbrous Cabinet Like
the Cabinet IL has IT'S secrets from the
people. On the other hand It Is with
out the continuous experience OF affairs
and the advice OF the permanent officials.
which are the chief strength OF the gov
ernuent. In secret session It Is neces-
sarily a Greek chorus commenting on
action in cryptic generslities, which every
one Is at liberty to interpret differently.
After all the real cruK OF the situation
will come later. when the Labor MEM
bers OF the government have to seek ap-
proval from outside Parliament. II they
fail to get il, nothing remains for them
out to resign, and the coalition would be
broken.