Evening star., 1924-10-09
MACDONALD GIVEN
KINGS CONSENT TO
APPEAL TO PEOPLE
Election October 20 to Fol-
low Labor Premier's De-
feat in Commons.
CABINET WILL REMAIN
IN OFFICE AID 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 II 4
morning following the governments
defeat in the House of Commons Iasr
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.
It was officially announced that -
had asked the King for the dissoiu-
tion Of Parliament in line with his
previously announced policy of ap-
peaiing 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 resignati 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
been forced upon it. Personally, l
should have been very glad if the
Labor government had been allowed
10 carry on its policy, a policy which
l maintain has been one of honest
politics and of the promotion of the
interests to the commonwealth"
Regrets Election Expense.
The premier said the government
would have preferred to have saved
the country the expense Of another
general election, but. Struggling his
shoulders, he added: THAT is the
situation and there il is"
Mr.. Macdonald, after leaving the
palace. returned Immediately to No
10 Downing street for a cabinet meet
ing. As he made his way into the
narrow street crowd which had
assembled in front of the prime min
lSteriai residence Chocred him and
there We're shouts of Good ald
Mac
Defeated 384 10 los.
The governments defeat came in
the form of the passage. by a vote OF
364 to 1SS. of a Liberal motion de-
manding investigation of Attorney
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. \ straight mo-
tion of censure, fostered by the Con-
serVatlves, previously had been de-
feated. 359 to 19S. 10 make way for
the Liberal amendment.
During the debate, which at times
brought scenes of excitement the
premier diSclaimed any friendship on
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 viii 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.
think, has contributed to the honor
of our country and TO our social sta
bility, and. when the country has the
opportunity of passing a verdict upon
it, it Will come again
Election in November.
Formal dissolution may be delayed
few days to Rnabe the government
to pass the Irish boundary commits
sion bill through its 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 Il to IS 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 Horne's 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 Internationale.
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 then
placed before the House a long state
ment of everything concerning the
case from beginning 10 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 a select com
mittee of investigation. He protested
that the Liberals wanted only a fair
and impartial inquiry. which migh-
take any form the House desired. and
he contended that such a demand was
no case for general election. If the
Government resisted an inquiry, he
declared, it would be acting like a
man required to produce Il 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 all
fairness grant il 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 msa"-
ness, and he proceeded to argue
against any parliamentary inquiry.
The ministers have done their