Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-22

TIME following Is prieI summary
of the most important news OF
the world for the seven days
4 ended July 81:
might be excused for inferring from
general press comment that the idea of
reform Of the House of Lords. which
last year found expression In the tenta-
tive plan of reform submitted to the
Lords by the government, had come
straight out of the blue. Apparently
II has generally been forgotten that
very able committee Of 30, drawn from
both houses of Parliament and under
the Craftsmanship of the late Viscount
Bryce, thoroughly debated the subject
for six months, commencing IN the
Autumn of 1917, and submitted report
presenting their conclusions.
with only three dissentients. the
committee declared for purely electeu
upper chamber, except for the bsnops'
who would remain. tThere are 20 spirit
ual peers-the Archbishops OF Can.er-
bury ard YORK, the Bishops OF LONDON,
Winchester and Durham ana the ~
other active bishops. 1t may De.
think, taken for granted that unoer any
plan Of reform that should nereai.et
commend itself, should the bishops re-
main suitable representation would De
granted to Christian organizations OUT
side the established church,
The non-episcopal members would DC
denominated peers of Parliament ana
would be elected for terms OF IL years
by the Commons-one-th third 10 retire
every four years. but eligible lot re-
election. For the purpose OF these eiec-
tions lin the expectation Of happy OPP
Grafton of local PRIDE the country
would be divided into l3 areas approx
mately equal TO each other In popuia-
ton. the Commons members lot tne
constituencies included in any SUCH area
electing the proper number OF peers u
Parliament Tor that area.
It cannot be doubted that wnen q. a.
plan for reform of the Upper HOUSE -
adopted. 1t will be found much us
holden TO the report OF the Bryce COM
mittee.
But reform Is perhaps even more ue-
sirable for the Commons than LOT Ln.
Upper House. Some months ago lna'
verv able sailor. Lieut. Cotndr Ken
worthy. who recently left the Liberia
for the Labor party, contributed an In
teresting article on the subject 10 q
monthly His proposals apply 10 tne
Upper as well as to the Lower bfancn
House. but less Importantly TO the lot
mer. Like many thoughtful Britons' ths
commander favors devolution.
probably" he says. 'the most work
able arrangement would be the NAM
tenance OF the present Parliament TOT
imperial affairs. defense. foreign poiicy
and matters affecting the whole ma
ton irrespective of locality, including,
OF course, finance, but local parliaments
should be established for Scotland,
wales, the North Of England. the MID
lands. London and the home counties,
and the west OF England Every year
the business OF Parliament becomes
| more and more congested. and some"
| thing OF this sort will have TO be done
sooner or later II tthe Westminster
Parliament Is to maintain Its position
and the government OF the country
| is TO be freed from congestion"
| But even more important, In Comdf,
Kenworthy's opinion, than devolution
| Is reform OF the procedure OF the West
minister Parliament, He advocates adop-
ton of the French and American COM
mittee system as the best solution IN
| sight; most particularly as regards
money bills He asserts that under tbs
! existing antiquated system, "the most
/ important Of all Parliament's functions,
| the control of finance, has virtually dis
! appeared. The great civil war was
! fought In order that public expenditure
could be controlled by elected represent"
ativas Of the people. There Us no such