New Britain herald., 1916-04-10
MINISTER'S FALL BUT
 CABINET IS EXTANT
Individuals Alone to Reap WhIrl-
 wind if Measures Fail

The Hague. Netherlands, March 25-The present constitutional posi- ton in the Netherlands is a remark able one in the history of modern Constitutional States, being the out come of the extraordinary circum- stances in which the country finds itself The present government has announced, and already put into prac- tice on several occasions. the theory that only individual ministers need fall if the bills introduced by them (with, of course, the approval of the whole Cabinet) defeated in Par liament. and the Ministry as a whole proceeds with it's work as if noth- ing had happened. The Prime Min ister. Mir Cort van der Linden, a sound Liberal and consequently great respecter of good constitution al rules, has just publicly declared in the First Chamber of the Dutch Parliament that even if the proposals for the revision of the constitution, which form the main item of the governments legislative program and for which he is personally responsi- ble, should be rejected by Parliament, he will remain in office
 It seems uper-constitutional, says
 
 opment in the evolution of modern constitutional ideas, when a Cabinet may have it's entire legislative pro- gram rejected and coolly stay in of flee as if nothing particular had hap pened. There are, however, natural Y good grounds for the "super-con- stitutionalism' of the present Dutch Ministry; and it is silently endorsed hyr n -hoJ found in the perilous position of the country. The ministry will not make a Cabinet question of any subject of Internal politics because it considers itself a Cabinet of Foreign Affairs, and it's raison detre the preservation of the country's independence and safety. Thus, while MT. Cort van der Linden is nominally Minister of Home Affairs, he makes it clear that he really regards himself as the guar dian and director of the national1in1 ternational policy of the Netherlands saying in effect that only a direct vote of censure on himself and his colleagues will bring about their re- signation.
 Effect is Curious.
 The effect of this attitude on the home political situation is curious enc, for the questions placed by the government on the legislative pro- gram-cOnStltutiOna revision in Cluding universal manhood suffrage and the question of woman's suffrage and possibly the thorny education oCestion: far-reaching taxation re- forms, @old age pensions, 7etc-are of 9 very controversial nature and deeply divide the various political parties. But to the reproaches ad- dressed to it by the parties of the right that it is thus breaking the political truce, the government re- s, plies: Tt is high time these uues tonS, which have so long occupied the political arena and which, indeed, we promised to deal with. were settled. Just now, when all parties have been drawn together in uphold ing the safety of the country, let us take advantage of the spirit of con- cfliation so evoked and with as little partisanship as possible try to solve them. But while these are our pro- rosals as a cabinet, we leave you en- trely free to accept or reject them as you will, With the full assurance that our life as a cabinet, and the foreign policy of the country. on which all are agreed, will not be affected thereby Vote as you will. accept or reject the legislative measures put before you; it will not affect the ministry now in office as a whole, whose existence depends on cur continued support of it's foreign policy and not on it's home legisla- tive proposals
 That this new constitutional prece- dent should have startled some people and led members of the op- position parties of the right to ask: What has become of ministerial re- sponsibility?" is not surprising. The has1c rule that ministers are re- sponsible,' that was introduced into the constitution when the liberal party was at the height of it's power Is thus set on one side by this gov ~, ernment, by this classic liberal prime minister" says the Tyd 'The debacle of the liberal administration Is consummated by this extra -parla- mentary cabinet. Begun by breaking the continuity of legislation, con- tlnued by suspending collective re- sponsibility, it ends by declaring such sharp criticism may be formally well founded, but most people in Holland seem to be agreed that ferns and precedents must not stand in the way of the vital interests and safety of the country