The Wanganui Chronicle FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 1927. THE SALE OF TITLES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19788, 11 March 1927, Page 6

The Wanganui Chronicle FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 1927. THE SALE OF TITLES

Where did Mr. Lloyd George get his political fund, sai<? to amount to two millions sterling? According to Mr. E. Thurtie, Labour member for Shoreditch, he obtained it through the sale of peerages and such-like honours when he was Premier. This statement was made by the Labour member when introducing in the Commons a Bill making it illegal to confer any title of honour in return for a donation to political party funds. The practice referred to by Mr Thurtie old one and neither the Conservative nor the Liberal parties has much reason to be proud of its record in this respect. At the same time it has been done more or less openly; there has been no secret about it, though that does not make it any less reprehensible. The practice has been that the money donated in exchange for a title has been paid into a trust fund for the party receiving it, being controlled by the party leader and the chief whip and by Jhese alone. It is mostly expended in election expenses, but no details are ever disclosed, which makes it difficult to ascertain clearly the extent of the practice. Mr Lloyd George’s fund was built up during his term as Coalition Premier. Although heading a coalition, he it was who had the power of recommending the bestowal of titles, and he was, therefore,, in the position to secure all donations for the Liberal Party. This is the secret of his extraordinary influence among the members of that party, even though he has lost his popularity in the country. He holds the sinews of war.

It cannot be denied that the sale of honours was more extensive and, it is asserted, more flagrant, during Mr. Lloyd George’s last term as Premier than at any other period before or since. During six years he was responsible for bestowing 87 new peerages, 235 baronetcies and 1947 knighthoods, a prolific shower of honours never before known in British history. Some allowance must be made for the fact that a certain number of these were war honours, but even when this is made it remains that honours were showered in quarters where the recipients had no record of public service of any kind. They had the money, paid it, and got what they purchased. The control of this £2,000,000 fund built up by the sale of honours has been the real cause of the disputes among the British Liberal Party, and of the attempts made by Lord Oxford and Viscount Grey to push Mr. Lloyd George out of it. The Liberals once had another fund distinct from Mr. Lloyd George’s. But three unsuccessful election campaigns have exhausted it, and appeals for more have been disappointing. Helice the attempt to jettison Mr. Lloyd George and at the same time secure the £2,000,000 vested in him. But he has held tight. The party could not induce him to reliquish control.

So, as the Liberals cannot win another election without Mr. Lloyd George’s financial aid, they have had to retain him in their ranks, to the disgust of Lord Oxford, who has, in consequence resigued the leadership. Mr. Lloyd George, not only stays in the party, but he governs it. Also he still administers the fund. Therefore the party obeys him, because it must. It is all a rather sordid business and it is to be hoped, for the future credit of British politics, that the attempt to wipe out this scandalous practice of trafficking in honours will succeed.