Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-02-17
TORY LANDLORDS
AND BUSINESS MEN
To RULE COMMONS
Lloyd Georges New ParIia-
ment Has Huge Reactionary
Majority Flushed With VIC
tory and Painting for Spells,
BY James NJ. Tuohy.
Copyright, 1919, by the Press Pub
fishing Co.
4

L
fishing Co.
(The New York World.)
Especial Wireless Despatch to New
York World and Albuquerque
Journal
London, Feb. 16,-The physiog-
nomy of Lloyd Georges new parlia-
msnt conveys a pervading sense Of
serried rows of baldheads, showing
that it's membership is preponderat-
ingly middle-aged, while the air of
the house of commons, is perpetually
rent by coughs, the concomitant, pos
sibly, of the unprotected craniums
of Legislators.
Captains of Industry Arrayed.
1t is also said to be the richest leg
islature that ever assembled at West
minister. Trade and industry of every
variety is overwhelmingly represent
ed, significant fact, as reconstruC-
ton, involving demands for tariffs.
will he the principal duty of the new
parliament. Preceding legislatures
always had a plentiful quota of ris-
ing lawyers and young men of ideas
intending TO make q career of poll
tics Casually the saving remnant of
the house. with always a sprinkling
of eX-cabinet ministers experienced
in statCcraft and more or less wise in
cOuncil--a variegated assembly rep
resepting all sorts and conditions of
men,
But Lloyd Georges parliament Is
dominated completely by two classes
the Tory landlords and the leaders
of industry. 1t is thus a cross between
chamber of commerce and a Coun-
ty council.
Aside from the premier himself It
presents no commanding figure, and
whether he will be able to command
even his majority is what every one
is already asking.
Premier I'll at Ease.
The versatile and plausible pre-
micr was distinctly i'll at ease on his
first meeting with this strange legis-
lativc monstrosity he has called into
being. His speech was generally voted
Ineffective He halted between two
extremes. anxious to put his reaction
ary legions into good humor ana
afraid too of exciting the simmering
anger of the small but highly sensi-
tive and, despite their numbers, pro-
foundly important labor element. He
may have succeeded to a limited eH-
tent in the former task but there is
no doubt that he wholly failed in the
latter,
Labor declares that he held the bal
ance entirely in favor OF the en-
ployers in his reference to labor UNI
rest throughout the country.
Certain it is that the industrials
ana the Tory landlords applauded
vehcmently his declaration that his
government would not submit TO the
threat of brute force, while such sops
as he threw to labor were received in
chilling silence.
Joseph Devlin of West Belfast one
of the surviving seven Nationalist
members. neatly capped the premier's
reputation of brute force by shoot
mg i'm the question, do YOU mean to
apply that principle to Ulster?' but
the premier ignored this awkward in
quily. as was to be expected, with
his Irish taskmaster Carson sitting
ready at knout him if he assented.
Labor Laughs DcrisiVciv.
When Lloyd George reminded the
house that it was pledged to pro-
gressiVe measures his Tory majority
maintained such grim silence that the
labor members couldn't help laugh
ing derisively.
Such incidents are the surest sort
of parliamentary pointers TO the fu-
ture. He has on ono side n huge re-
dictionary majority, flushed with vic
tory and painting for its spoils, and
on the other a numerically insignifi-
cant labor party which has only to
shift its weight from the safety valve
to cause national explosion.
There never has been so delicate,
difficult and dangerous a situation
and if LlOvd George succeeds in
snatching success from it his career
will he crowned with undying fame.
Rash election pledges to indemui-
ties were brought home to roost to-
day by Uoratio Bottomley, who
opened the real debate by reminding
the premier and his government of
the binding obligation they bad un-
dertaken to reimburse Pritain's
losses in the war, OF course the pre-
mier had thought to safeguard him
self by a qualifying phrase, but Bot
tomley. voicinG ponular expectation,
pressed the demand without qualifi
cation. The majority applauded rap
turously.
Certainly Premier LLOYD George
will not find his path at the peace
conference smoothed bv such demon
STATIONS Of the determination of his
party to demand the impossible.
PottomIev Starts Trouble,
Then Bottomley--who in former ,
houses was q boycotted figure but
in this one Yields a noticeable infln-
cree owing to his popularity with the
military rank and file-found him
self equally in tune with the major
itv when he demanded that the house
of commons mass upon the peace
treaty before it is ratified. Thus at
a word tho plenary powers conferred
on the british peace delegates were
blown to the winds, and at the in
stance of Bottomley.
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