The Washington herald., 1922-08-06

peers of England, Great Britsin
and the United Kingdom take their
seats on reaching the age of 81 and
retain them for life without risk
of being unseated or option OF res
ignation.
Just how to modernize the House
of Lords Is a question on which
scarcely two people agree. The
older type OF political thinker in
sists that the mere fact that a peer
does not have to worry about get
places him above monetary and
possibly unhealthy" agitation and
scares, and renders him filter for
impartial revising Legislative work.
Esehew Financial Laws.
For many generations IT has been
an axiom of British politics that
the Lords may not interfere with
national finance or taxation.
Premier Asquith's liberal govern
ment came back with a small ma
jority after the 1910 election. and
proceeded to pass the Parliament
Act''-more popularity known as
the Lords Veto Bilr'-which spe-
cifcally barred the Lords touching
any measure certified by the speak
err of the house of commons as a
money bill" 1t also limited the
Lords veto to delaying the pas
sage of any bill more than two
years-provided no election inter-
vencd and the House Of Commons
still desired to enact the measure.
The House of Lords only con-
sented to pass the veto BIZ" un-
der the threat OF Asquith who an
nounced that he had King Edwards
promise to create enough Liberal
peers to swamp the anti-govern-
ment vote.
One of the pledges Lloyd George
had to give to the Conservatives,
in order to secure their support to
his coalition government after the
war was to introduce a measure OF
real reform" Of the Lords and
since then he has been able to side
step the question as the cabinet
was apparently unable to agree
what form that reform should take
For example, Lord Chancellor Bir-
kenhead desires to have a partly
elected, partly-nominated senate
with supreme revising powers,
something along the lines OF the
United States and Continental SEN
ates.
Others Insist on Present System.
Others insist on the retention OF
some form of hereditary system
A gain others point out that in a
real upper house, not only tie
Church of England. but other re-
ligions , should be represented
among the clergy-if indeed, they
are to be retained. This. however,
would cut right across the estab-
lished state religion.
The first move, towards reform,
was made when the government
introduced a series of resolutions
(Which will have to be submitted
to and approved by the king. in
order to get round constitutional
rocks) providing for partly cleo
tive. partly nominative house.
whose membership would be limit
ed to $50. 1t was also proposed to
abolish the mandate as to what
constitutes a money bill" and to
leave decisions on this point to a
joint committee of both houses.
Promptly Liberals and Labor men
raised the cry that this would give
the Lords power to tamper with
taxation and expenditure. Liberals.
in fact. are strongly opposed to
any alteration of their beloved
Veto Bill" Laborites are also
suspicious of any body on which
they fear they would never obtain
a strong representation.
An election is regarded as inev-
table before any definite steps can
be taken. This would necessitate
the whole scheme being gone into
again-according to the viewpoint
of the party successful at the polls.