SCENE IN COMMONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18295, 11 January 1923, Page 7

SCENE IN COMMONS.

LABOUR M.P.'S MANNERS. WITHDRAWAL . FROM . CHAMBER. / A SUBSEQUENT . APOLOGY. [PROM our OWN correspondent.) LONDON, Nov. 80. A few days ago Mr. Ben. 'lillett, M.P., responded at a city dinner to the toast, "The Houses of Parliament,'" and remarked that he represented rather a formidable party—the Labour Party. Although some of the new members might not be of the dilettante order, there was a great deal behind their robustness which would have a fair field in the House of Commons. There was plenty of opportunity in the House, and he believed that in this period of world distress, this great catastrophe •of the aftermath of war, Parliament would rise to the occasion. He believed .that behind our countrymen and women there were ■'. forces potent for good, which wore represented and stabilised' in the Commons, r.i: which he was proud to be a member. iHe had never forgiven the city for knocking Wat Tyler on the head, but he could assure them that, so far as the Labour forces in Parliament were concerned, they would do their best on lines that would help toward the great human uplift. The House would not disgrace the nation, but would do all that lay in its power to make the world better. - " After this .it was rather unfortunate that a few days later Mr. Jack Jones, Labour M.P. for Siivertown, shouild have done his best to turn the House into a bear garden—he distinguished himself to such a" degree that the Speaker had to request him to withdraw from the chamber. Politely he retorted: "I don!t care a damn whether I go or not. You are a dirty lot of. dogs, robbing soldiers and : starving women." The scene arose over a series of questions put to the Minister for Pensions, Major Tryon, about mentally'afflicted exservice men who are now classified as pauper lunatics. He explained that only a small number of men were affected. They were men whose affliction Was not the result of serviceThe House, however, was obviouslyconcerned about these men. Mr. Hayday , ; asserted that the position was "an eter nal discredit to the nation,'' and Mr Austen Chamberlain asked the Government to reconsider the matter. He argued that as the men were few, the cost could not be heavy, and declared that there was a widespread public feeling 'that ' men who were accepted for service should riot now be put in pauper ; : lunatic asylums. Enlisted "by Mistake.*,* a Major Tryon tried to explain matters ; by saying there were many cases of men who were enlisted "by mistake"a re- ; imark that drew jeers from the Labour benches.. He added that they were only . sin. the Army a very short time. ; ; Mr. Lansbury shouted: "Fit for ser- - i vice, fit for ;■ pension," and Mr. Jack Jones, who was standing in a gangway . . Heading to a gallery, which is technically./ ■ Outside the House, shouted an interruption. Viscount Curzon asked if was in' order for a member to speak from the gallery, and Mr. Jones bawled: ''I'm mot in the gallery! I'm in the stalls." J; Major Tryon went oh to point'out that many of these man had been lunatics-' before,, and had been enlisted by .mistake^'','" , but as they were released from the Army ; : In.' a few days' it was not right- to regard. -\-K them as mentally affected as . a result of ■ the war. ./-,". . . ; ', --.-.: i- Mr. ■ J;ick Jones, amid loud cries of.; \ "Order exclaimed: ; " Oh, ' you dirty ■'-'" dog!" !!;■.-% . .= : . _ • .•;• ; : ;';.■;. / -.:.• The- Speaker called ; on .Mr. ■.-,■. Jones to ■■■■•■ ■withdraw. .Mr. Jones, pointing his, finger : >:'■ excitedly at the Pensions Minister, cried, / "We -are hot going- to stand, that: sort '\ of thing." % There were renewed calls of "Order!'' .. from the Government benches;' to which. ; Mr. Jones retorted: " You can turn me - out if you like. I don't care -a damn :. if you do." ' , jt The Speaker asked Mr. Jones to leave ;■:>-, the chamber, and the member for. Silvsr- .. ton responded: " I am glad to do so. V 'You are a dirty lot of dogs." ' . / !;V There ; was renewed commotion, members , shouting at Mr. Jones and the .latter '..'■; ishouting back at v them. He walked up i the gangway to the door into one of the division lobbies. When there he paused ';'. and made a final thrust before disappear- , .?-. ing: "You're slobbering over, dead -sol-1; diers and starving the living ones." ■ • Rebuke from y the ; Press. ; !;■ The Daily Telegraph refers to the scene fas " an exhibition of brutal coarseness and blatant vulgarity," .. and --recallsvan-;.. other but much less serious instance; of ; /'--'-/;■ the decay iof Parliamentary courtesy which took place tho other day. On■-■: rising to -, put -a question, Mr. Georg*> . Lansbury was greeted with cries of -: ■-;' : "Speak ; up!" which is the ordinarily, recognised a intimation that a - speaker is I being indistinctly heard. "You shut sup,'*,: was the retort, *"' and you will .hear.!" - : This was mere rudeness, nothing more, but still it let down the House- of Com- '"■'..'*.- mens. Mr. Ben Tillett; has just observed very justly of some of his colleagues that they are "not all 'of.. the dilettante sort.", ! They are not indeed. But; one • need not ; be a dilettante to, observe the : decent). i civilities and courtesies of Parliamentary life. ■: V.' '. '■ The Daily Express says:—"The scene will bring home to all • parties . the :-, I wholesome truth that there is; no gain V - I of ■:". strength .in borrowings the 1 ; manners, of. the gutter. ','■. Decency is the first -oil: British : instincts, , and ; the man ; who of-; -."'...', fends it wipes himself off the slate so fatas influence goes in public 'affairs. Alji: though- a Labour member was 'involved in this instance, it has to be acknowledged that nothing could be less ; typical; i~i of Labour's Parliamentary record. There r are exceptions upon all sides, -.but the f Labour Party has! shown as. high a re- . : spect as any for tlie canons of orderly debate and for the .'standards which are essential to self-respect and to "/.effective ; ; argument. There is a clear line between '/ interjections which do. make for-the'logi-..!' : . cal threshing-out of a point, and exclamations- which are the '-:'fruifc.-of.-''.- mere ill-.'■■•':; : ' : "!;' i temper or which are- intended to discom-;; ' pose a speaker." ; .';-;■ -.-.' '.■■■:- ":■■■'..•-.-•...'■.■■■■: ; How; Mr. Jones Apologised,- ,i ■■'. ■ In the House last evening Mr. Jones . apologised for his behaviour. He said:. — In the course of yesterday's proceedings I lost my temper only thing Iv : ■ had to lose. (Laughter. During that ■time . I used certain language which - , I believe, is considered unparliamentary. It is dockers' English. (Hear, hear.) As I happen to represent a constituency on the; east: side of London, mostly I inhabited -bv casual labourers, I thought I was using the kilid of language they would have expressed under the circumstances when discussing the situation then existing. If ; I have offended against the rules of the House, I beg leave to withdraw the remarks—(general cheers)—and ;! to express ray regret. Possibly in the future I may; have ah; opportunity of using!, more! Par- : . liamentary language under similar,! cir- ■: ' cumstances." (Cheers.); . k! - ' The Speaker said. noons won regret more than he if he should! have tdbtake stronger measures than ■he took. ; ;?■!; 'v The House laughed at his stat.ijqnenC ; that as he represented a . constitueni&y in : y! ■ ; East London mostly inhabited by casual , labourers * he thought he was .' using. ■■.■ the kind of language they would use in the / circumstances. Mr. Jones has "a way with him" when he likes, and last evening that -way. was to the liking : of the, House. - -./ ;". ■■ ' - . "