DISORDERLY CONDUCT

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 146, 21 June 1924, Page 16

DISORDERLY CONDUCT

HOUSE OF COMMONS DISCIPLINE.

Mr. Speaker's announcement of his determination to restore and maintain the discipline ci thu House of Commons floes not come too suun, though it would bo exceedingly unfair to the present Hpuse to assymo that it is unique in the history of Parliament in respect of disorderly interruption, writes a correapondenfc of the "Manchester Guardian." There are always people ready to assert that the democratising of our institutions produces a' siead'y decline in public manners; but we have plenjy of evidence to rebut airy such." acfmsaUpn in the matter of the House of Commons. The truth seems to be that, in every century, there are some Parliaments in which discipline is slacker than in others, but there is certainly'no progressive decline in good manners. A notable Father of the House, Sir John Mpwbray, used to say that there was," he thought, 'more cock-crowing, more trouble generally in the 'thii-ties, than there has ever been since." It is certain that political and social observers thought the Parliaments of the 'thirties detestable in the point of manners • statements to that effect may be found in (jreville and elsewhere, and these complaints of disorderly conduct, gross misbehaviour, and so on, suggest the real explanation of the recurrent failure of that sense of discipline which rests, after all, on the goodwill of the Hqusb itself. It s,eems certain that periods of disprderliness cpincide nearly' always with new departures in political life.' The first Reform Act was followed by disorderly periods, the coming of the Irish Nationalists as a definite party produced another period of' disorder, the further widening of the franchise has had the same effect. Nearly always this disprderliiiess is due to the influx of a number of members, not well acquainted with the traditions of the House. Speakers and Chairmen of Committees make allowances, other members demand the samo lenience, and so disorder increases till it reaches a point demanding stern action. Discipline is restored, members of . all rpai*bies discover thai debate!; are more pleasant when conducted in orderly fashion, and a period of decorijn sets in, continuing, very likely, for many years.