POLITICIANS AND THEIR PAY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 934, 29 September 1910, Page 5

POLITICIANS AND THEIR PAY.

■ : 9— ; DISCUSSION IN BRITAIN. ' ■i. ■ 1.. > ■ I ATTITUDE OF THE UNIONIST PARTY CANVASSED. A SUDDEN CONVERSION. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. London, September 27. Amongst members of the House of Commons who support the proposal that members of the British Parliament should be paid is Mr. F. E.' Smith, Unionist member for the Walton Division of Liverpool. Mr.-Arthur Lee, Unionist member for Fareham, Hampshire; opposes the proposal. (Rec. September 28, 10.25 p.m.) London, September 28. Wide discussion is taking-place in political oircles on the question of payment of members.' Mr. F. E. Smith,' in a letter to the newspapers, says the' Labour." party, is threatening to prevent Liberal and Conservative working men from earning a living unless they finance political ■ doctrines which they dislike. He is'therefore reluctantly forced.to the opinion that payment rof members is the only alternative. , : - Mr. Arthur Lee recalls the fact that the Unionist leaders repudiated a proposal for the payment of members in . the debate in Parliament on May 12, 1909. The 'Daily News", (Liberal) twits the Conservatives with their ; sudden conversion, and adds that it regards the Osborne judgment - and. payment of members as only a temporary palliative. / " The "Daily Express" (Unionist). states that payment of members is open to objections, but is the lesser of two evils. '" -. x The "Manchester Guardian" (Liberal) congratulates Mr. Smith on'the persistency of his efforts to galvanise the corpse of Tory democracy. It suggests that ho is doubtless inspired by the hope of a great increase in- the .number of Tory Protectionist working men candidatures., "The Times" is not convinced that payment of members is inevitable, Still lees desirable. It agrees with..Mr. Lee,..that such a oynical exhibition of opportunism would do the Unionist party harm at the polls. . ' .