The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-07-26
LETTERS TO EDITOR
England's Democracy

In your issue of July 20 you publish,
under the title, "Reactionary, Aristoc-
racy of England" letter from Mr..
Joshua Franklin. 1t contains several
errors of fact some fragrant, some sub
tie, of which the general result is a
false impression of our own position
in relation to the great political ques-
tions of the present. AS a student OF
history 1 wish to correct some of these
errors, and I shall appreciate the
courtesy of a little of your valuable
space for that purpose.
Mr.. Franklin's prime fallacy is con-
tanned in the following quotation:
England is not and never has been
ruled by her people. Her reactionary
House of Lords is the real ruler of
England" This was true until 1882.
In that year, the voice of the people,
made potent by great mass meetings in
all the cities of England. and by the
threat of violent revolution, forced the
'reactionary House of Lords" to pass
the great reform BILL" which made
the House of Commons truly represent
tative of the commons of England
Other reform bills. in 1867 and 1884,
extended the right of voting to all male
citizens. Within the past decade the
House of Lords has surrendered its
right to prevent the ultimate passage of
law. 1t may hold up bill which has
passed the Commons, but if the minis
try then calls a general election, and
the new House of Commons passes that
bill again, it then becomes law with
out the consent of the lords. These
plain facts effectually refute the idea
that mo matter what the House of
Commons proposes, the House of Lords
disposes;" they may be quickly tested
by reference to any up-to-date school
history of England. Since it is over
200 years since an English sovereign
has ventured to veto an act of Parlia-
ment, it is clear that the real power
IN the government is lodged in the
House of Commons.
The House of Commons is genuinely
representative of all the untitled classes
of the English people. 1t contains a
large ana important group of repre-
sentatives of organized labor. The
dominance of the "reactionary aristoc-
racy of England is social; it is no long
err political. Politically, England, to-
day is more democratic, more progress
sive, than our own country. No Presi-
dent ever appointed Samuel Gompers to
cabinet position, but John Burns and
Keir Hardie have both been members
of Mr. Asquith's ministry in England.
And the real power in the present gov
ernment of England is neither Asquith
nor Edward Grey. but David Lloyd
George. the friend and leader of the
Welsh coal miners Under his guidance,
before the present war, the English
government had adopted programme
of help for the working classes. to be
financed by heavy taxation of the
wealthy aristocracy, that we look upon
as long step towards socialism.
In the general comparison between
Germany and England we may be sure
of our history even though prophecy DE
uncertain. Frederick the Great did
hold out for seven years against France,
Austria and Russia, and force from
them all a favorable peace; but his al
ly was England under the great Will
liam Pitt. Frederick, moreover, was
lighting arrogant despots who attacked
him for personal reasons, not reused
peoples, desperately defending them
selves against the aggression of a self
anointed apostle of the theory that
might makes right.
Mr.. Franklin refers to the defeat OF
Napoleon by England, 100 years ago re-
minding England that the great inva-
sion of Russia was responsible for Ma
poleons downfall 1t may be signif-
cant that Russia, now as then is on
England's side. 1t is memorable, also,
that. in that great struggle, England
fought Napoleon--a military despot-
for % years, unrelentingly that Rus
STA, Prussia, Austria and the Neither
lands were her allies at the outset but
dropped away one by one, conquered
or seduced, till for time the Island
Empire stood alone against the great
egotist. The stubbornness of the Eng
lish held on, however, till the progress
of events brought back their allies, and
Prussia assisted England and Hanover
in giving the final stroke at Waterloo.
That record of endurance is the thing
Germany most fears today
In the interest of accuracy, compare
the statement that every officer of the
English army and navy comes from the
aristocratic class with the fact that
General Robertson, the chief of the
English general staff is of obscure birth
and has risen from the ranks.
Neither does "all history prove" that
either, in triumph, would be intoler-
ably arrogant" England triumphed
over the Beers in South Africa less than
score of years ago; her government
of them--in contrast to that of Ger
many over Alsace-has been mild, just
and intelligent, with the result that to-
day, under no compulsion save that of
iOydl luOSc quOHud III tucHllcS OL
England are fighting her battles. under
their old leader, Louis Botha For 100
years England's navy has ruled the
seas, destroying the slave trade and
piracy, and making the oceans free and
safe for the traders of all nations. This
is the plain fact, despite the frantic as
sertion of German professors that Ger
man enterprise was throttled by Eng
lands 'navalism.' England has policcd
the high seas for all nations, making
possible. for example, the marvellous
growth of German commerce.
One must admit that England's char
acteristic vice is conceit-insular self
complacency. 1t has been aggressive.
1t has led to stupid undertaking or
enemies and rivals. to disasters in war,
to national decadence before this war.
In Germany, on the other hand. the
Hohernzollern rulers, with medieval
purposes and modern methods, have
used the national traits of patience and
docility to develop the nation into a
tremendously efficient machine, self
confident, arrogant. intolerably insolent
in it's scorn of non-German peoples and
things. and its purpose to impose. BY