TRAFFIC IN HONOURS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2144, 9 May 1914, Page 4

TRAFFIC IN HONOURS

3, Theue is something repellent in the idea that- honours and titles may '• be bought and sold, and yet it lias been suggested—indeed, it has been " emphatically asserted in the* British liouss of Lords—that there has of ii years been a sinister connection » between tho party funds and the honours list. The matter was discussed in the House of Lords a few woks ago, and a cablegram, pubi lislied in a recent issue of. Tjie Dominios, announced that- a Bill had been introduced in the House of Commons by Mr. Locker Sampson, si a Unionist men;her. to provide that i- if a Minister corruptly recommends 0 the conferring of a title or honour <i he shall be liable to very severe pen' i- allies, j, T'lie definition of corruption i- includes the. payment of money to party funds. There does not- appear v to be any great anxiety to have the f measure plated, upon the Statute i s Book, for a Bill preceding it on the o. Order Pap.-r, authorising health rec sorts to use local rates for advertis- i i* ing purposes, wag debated at such f great length that Loud Hoheut Ckch. y- complained' that the object was. to i s. block discussion on the proposals 'for i ,- preventing traffic in .honours. No. ' y one for a moment suggests that His 8 Majksty_would lend his countenance s to anything that might tend to jower) a the value-and dignity of the • titles :» he dealers ou any of his subjects, but j •- there is a very strong feeling abroad' that in the recorti.mendation of i e najr.es to the Kixo for recognition iii') .- this way too much consideration is e, given to the state of tho party funds, - \ or, in other words, that there is a j connection between the two things, t which ought not t-o exist.. The Libe erals that a similar slate of 1 affairs prevailed when their oppon- [, cuts were in office; but however that i may be, it is quite certain "that two i wrongs do not make a right, and the a sooner nil. suspicion of money in(r iluen.es oil the conferring of honours' 'fi is removed, the better for' all cond corned. • ' . . * , . The. recent debate in tjie House of Lords showed that the evil js a real ii one, ; and though the general opinion i .Seettied tq be that its extent has been i 'exaggerated, the fallowing re sol uir I'ion, moved by Lord Selbdjisk, was i carried tiiianimously : — to jiariy fjiwW. . sliaiiid 4 not to a ron-ideration to ■\ w JTiiii.it.Pi' when he recoituflisnds any naiiid for $ii honour to His ilttv ' that it. is desirable that eil'oce .tu-ai rnea?iire3 be. taken, in order io asstlrs - the nation that Cte.vernnienf.s, from whatever poliheal nafty they are drawn. s will .jet- aeesording to this tuie; aiid that I this House requests Hie concurrence of 1 the IJoUSe of CfliilTOOTis in tte foregoing 8 resolutfeni , j Perhaps the endorsement of the above resolution i>y the House' of 1 Commons woaikl have been a better I course to pursue than the passing of ". a Bill containing heavy penalties " such as that introduKod by Mr. J LocKßrt-S'ASfp'soK. The test of .'dealing with this matter is to insist up Mi a higfier standard being set in " eiMinectiorf with the bestowal o! . hmiours, and to create a tradition 3 vvhieh would cause any tra'lic in 1 titles for party ■ purposes to be f branded' as mean and dishoiiourable. - The whole thing should be lifted as ; far as possible out of the arena of | piir'ty politics. ,lf honours are giveia, ' for any other reason than as an ac-' ' knowledgmi'nt; ,of distinguished services to King and ccrtmfry, iheir " value ca.nnot tail to deteriorate. In ; waving the above resolution, ■ Lord : SrABOKNE stated "that it "had no referV en.ee to the hongurs conferred by tho ■ Crown oil its own motion, or those given io the Civil Scrvice or the 1 \<r \ and Army, HWbought, henv- ' . ever, that a ehei'k was necessary on ' the present tendency regarding "cer- ' tain other honours." , -'I fear,'* he 1 said, "that unless that-' tendency' re-. " ceiys a cheek, the time will come ; when someone \yill offer to buy tho ; Victoria Cross." It is because most ;: people recognise that on the whole honours, add titles have been well and Wisely bestowed, and because of ' their loyalty to the Crown as the fount, of honour, that they are an- ; xious to put a- stop to the evils which ; have beep pointed' out. Everyone realises that it is a St and proper thing that some- means should exist s for rewarding outstanding service to the nation iu statesmanship. Empirebuilding, literature, art, arid 'science, and m tl e_ Ai iny. the Navy, and the Civil Service. .The British peerage, ■ past and present, .contains many spleedid examples of real merit 'appropriately rewarded. One has only to think of such names as Kei,v;x, : Lister, Miexbr, Tennyson, and Roukkts, and scores of others. It is Quite a niisfake to imagine that because a wealthy man receives a peerage or a knighthood that it is the result oi some sordid bargain. The : great captains of industry who have' done so much to extend British industry and commerce, and who have, accumulated riches in a perfectly proper and legitimate manner, deserve well of the nation, and are just 3 as much entitled to consideration !r eouncciioir with the hesiowal rvf i ' honours as sDl'dicrsj, scientists, adminis.trfitnrs, •• and men of letters. Tl:e groat disturbing element is party politics, and the financial necessities nf party machines; and j nartv managers are sorely tempted ' to fijake Use of the social ambit ions of : people with plenty of money in order : 'j to fill the. party's Coffers. . Lord ■, Mil.nf.r suggested that when honours are announced.. a brief statement ' should bCpjUiade ftf the reason why ! they ato conferred as is done in the • ca=e oi Civil Service pensions This ; ffiifrh't. have , a whoiesoms iriflue;ndo., ■ and put a check on tho evil com- i plained of* • ,