THE HOUSE OF LORDS.

Evening Star, Issue 21717, 11 May 1934, Page 8

THE HOUSE OF LORDS.

British people in Britain are slow to change their usages, customs, and insitnations. This inherent conservatism, which affects all classes, tends to stability. We have seen it demonstrated amid the turbulence in other countries in the post-war years. Successive British chancellors have followed the narrow and thorny path of economy and burdensome taxation, and to-day the condition of the country is an endorsement of their wisdom and forethought. There is one matter in particular in which reform lags, and that is in the constitution of the House of Lords. Few will dispute the contention that the exclusive hereditary principle now obtaining is an anachronism. It is true that the business in the Lords for the most part is conducted by staid and experienced members, but in an emergency a “ whip ” might bring together to vote on an important issue peers who have neither knowledge of tho country’s affairs nor ability and the inclination to deal with them. Perhaps the most important point of all is that the House of Lords on its pressent basis is in no sense representative of the people. In the years immediately preceding the war, when Mr Lloyd George as Chancellor was introducing drastic measures, there was an outcry about the obstructive tactics of the Lords and demapds for an alteration in tho constitution of the hereditary House. A small measure of reform was granted in the Parliament Act of 15)11, restricting the power of veto of the House of Lords and its power over Money Bills. Soon afterwards the war came, and tho energies of the people were concentrated on sterner issues. In the post-war years no Government has been seriously embarrassed by refractory action by the Lords, but gradually the agitation has been renewed for reform of the Chamber.

In the ’nineties the House of Commons. by a majority of two votes, passed a motion condemning the hereditary principle. Many methods haA-e since been discussed of placing the House of Lords on a new' basis. Lord Salisbury, no doubt recognising that a change is inevitable, last year introduced a Bill which, Avhilo containing radical alterations in the present Constitution, is so designed as to make the House a bulwark against the passage of sudden, revolutionary, and subversive measures. The Bill Avas discussed again in tho House'of Lords this week, Avhen its sponsor • said its aim Avas to give the House sufficient power to prevent the country from being hurried into vast changcs Avithout time being given in Avhich to consider them. Tho Bill is the result of the deliberations of a small committee of both Houses. Tho idea is to have a House of about 320 members, of whom 150 would be hereditary peers elected by their oavu body, Avith a similar number of members elected by county and borough councils grouped into electoral areas. This seems a reasonable proposal, for presumably the most suitable of those in the peerage would be selected, and the other half would be elected more or less by popular vote. This new Second Chamber would have little to do with the initiation of neAV measures or the conduct of the affairs of the country. Its chief function would be in another direction. It would have poAver to hold up general legislation for the considered judgment of the people at a general election, which in a small degree increases its poAver under the Parliament Act. The nomination system has been proposed as an alternative, but to that method there are many objections. Only the briefest account is given in the cables of the discussion on Wednesday. Lord Snell, voicing Labour, said Lord Salisbury Avas seeking statutory authority’ to make Toryism safe for eternity, and Lord Reading, for the Liberals, expressed his disbelief in tho value of the Bill. Lord Hailsham, representing the Cabinet, declared that a reform of such magnitude should be introduced, not by a private member, but by the Government. That remark almost suggests that Ministers are prepared to introduce measures to end the present anomalous position.