FEAR OF SNAP DIVISIONS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2114, 3 April 1914, Page 10

FEAR OF SNAP DIVISIONS.

HOUSE OF COMMONS TACTICS ' Turning; up his coat collar to fcido his face and glancing furtively to right and left, a- Liberal M.l', loi't the. District liaiiway Station at Westminster one day recently (relates a writer in tho "Daily Mai!.' ! )f and walked by tte underground ■ .pasjagd into palace Tarn. There lie paused, in this shadows to reconnoitre. Two policemen paced slowly to aud fro; an' innocent-looking stranger stood by Olio of the arches absorbSi apparently in watching tiio_ pigiwns. flying round'; two taxi-cab drivers lounged by their eab.s. i ■. ■ Hurrying 0)1 and keeping closo io ilio wall, ho turned in by a little-used door, walked with silent, footsteps through Several un?d.ergrottnd passages, 'aiid so at last emerged ill tho central lobby with a, sly air of triumph. There lie niet a Liberal Whip, and tho following eunvfirsatin;! took place*.— Libera! M.P.: ]la, ha. J beat you that time-. l T oii didn't know I was iii, did ypu i Liberal Whips Oh, yes, wo did. Your ; plug is out. Collapse of tho if,P. Tuo conversation, requires explanation. In the passago loading tjj tho Liberal Whips 1 loom tliero has appealed this . session a now' and instrument. .Written 011. a long board is tho -name of. every member of tho Bouse,, and. by each name is a small plug. "When the. owner of tho name is awav from WV:>tmiustei: his plug is pushed right i'li'to its hoie. When lie is on the premises i£ is pulled .out to a length of. about an iiieh. Coalition plugs are or.o colour; tJnioti---ist plugs ate. another, A .g'laneo •.#.<|h.o beard, therefore, shows the Whips tho stati" of parties in. the House.. If the number Of Unionist plugs out exceeds ibr total of Coalition plugs out and a division i:'s. fearer!, some loquacious henchman like Mr. TTandel Booth will bo givv.ii, tho order to make a SpOeoli until the danger is over. . This is part- of tho Liberal system to overcome their terror of snap divisions Another feature ot the system, as tho freedom-loving M.P. has discovered to his cost, consists li? tlm placing of spies at. all tho entrances to the House*. Every . door iS new watched liy tho eiiiisssrics of tho Liberal Whips, who send fr.fr-: (juont reports to tho mail in charge, of the p!ug machine. The Liberal M,P. is now wondering whether it n-a? the.. innocent sirangcr 01"'_ih<? tasi-cab-driver who reported his arrival.