Evening star., 1924-10-09
MACDONALD GIVEN
KINGS CONSENT TO
APPEAL TO PEOPLE
Election October 29 to Fol-
low Labor Premier's De-
feat in Commons.
CABINET WILL REMAIN
IN OFFICE AD INTERIM
Dissolution of Parliament and Ex-
pense of Balloting Blamed on
Opposition Parties.
By the Associated Press

By the Associated Press
LONDON. October 9.-King George.
waited on by Premier Macdonald this
morning following the government S
defeat in the House of Commons last
night. agreed to the dissolution OF
Parliament
Mr.. Macdonald left buckingham
Palace after an audience which began
at 10 o'clock and lasted an hour.
1t was officially announced that he
had asked the King for the dissoIu-
ton of Parliament in line with his
previously announced policy of ap-
pealing to the country through a gen
eral election TO approve the course
pursued BY his government
Cabinet Not to Resign.
1t was understood that the ques-
tions of the resignation of the cabinet
were not touched upon at the con-
ference at the palace.
In informing representatives of the
press, after he had left the King.
that dissolution had been decided
upon, Mr.. Macdonald said:
Il am sorry events have turned
out as they have. but every one
knows the situation is not one Of
the governments seeking. but has
been forced upon il. Personally !
should have been very glad if tn
Labor government had been allow
to carry on it's policy, a policy whi'
| ntain has been one of hon.
politics and of the promotion OF ~
interests to the commonwealth"
Regrets Election Expense.
The premier said the governu-
would have preferred to have say
the country the expense of anOti
general election, but. Struggling II
shoulders, he added: That is II
situation and there it is
MIR. Macdonald, after leaving -.
palace. returned Immediately to
10 Downing street for a cabinet mrc,-
ing. AS he made his way into Ii
narrow street a crowd which HI
assembled in front of the prime min
isterial residence cheered him an
there were shouts of Good O!
Macr'
Defeated 364 to 1913.
The governments defeat came i,
the form of the passage, by a vote Q,
364 to 19s. of a Liberal motion de-
manding investigation of Attorncy
General Hastings withdrawal Of
prosecution in the case of James
Campbell acting editor of the com
munist Workers Weekly, who was
charged with melting his majesty's
forces to sedition. A straight mo-
tion of censure, fostered by the Con-
servatives. previously had been de-
feated. 359 to 1913, to make way for
the Liberal amendment
During the debate, which at times
brought scenes of excitement. the
ilr n CO nlai n rr,a 4
the part of the Labor government for
the Communists or their policies, and
announced that passage of either the
Conservative motion or the Liberal
amendment would be taken as a vote
of lack of confidence in the govern
ment.
1T will be the end" he added, "of
what members on both sides of the
house will agree has been a high ad-
venture of government, which, j
think. has contributed to the honor
of our country and to our social sta
bility, and. when the country has the
opportunity of passing verdict upon
it, it will come again."
Election in November
Formal dissolution may be delayed
few days to enable the government
to pass the Irish boundary commits
sion bill through it's final stages and
clear up other business, but it is gener-
ally expected the usual machinery will
be set going to fix the election for No
vember s, or at the latest Novem-
Der Is.
The House of Lords last night
passed the second reading of the
Irish boundary bill without amend
ment. but by a vote of II to 3S car
ried Lord Salisbury's declaratory mo-
tion that the House takes note" Of
the opinions expressed in Parliament
and elsewhere that Article MI of the
treaty contemplated nothing more
than a readjustment of the bounda-
ries. This amendment is not to the
. bill itself and has no effect.
Sir Robert Hornes speech in NOV
ing the vote was an attack on Attor-
ney General Hastings conduct of the
Campbell case. He accused him of
lack of candor and asked whether he
knew that Campbell was elected a
member. of the Red Internationale this
year and was affiliated with the Mos
cow 1nternationale.
Militant Defense Speech.
The attorney generals speech in
his own defense was strongly mill
tant He declared that he was not
an apologist and would take exactly
the same course again he tnen
placed before the House long state
ment of everything concerning the
case from beginning to end and
sought to show that precedents for
his action had been set by his pred
ecessors in office.
Sir John Simon, himself a former
attorney general, then moved his
amendment calling for select COM
mittee of investigation. He protested
that the Liberals wanted only a fair
and impartial inquiry. which mighI
take any form the House desired, and
he contended that such demand was
no case for a general election. If the
Government resisted an inquiry, he
declared, it would be acting like a
man required to produce a document
from a desk who preferred to burn
down his house rather than produce It,
The prime minister followed. Re-
calling the governments record, ne
said the government was prepared to
continue, but the House must in al
fairness grant it a measure of con-
fidence. Sir Robert Horne's motion
was a straightforward motion of cen
sure, and if it represented the mind
of the House, let the House say SO.
The prime minister characterized
Sir John Simon's amendment. on the
contrary. as possessing much mean