Manners in the Commons

Hokitika Guardian, 27 January 1923, Page 4

Manners in the Commons

WITHDRAWAL FROM THE HOUSE. MR JACK JONES, ALP. LONDON. Nov. .'SO A few days ago '.Mr Ben Tiiiiclt, Ai.l’.. rm-punded, at a City dinner, to the- toast. "The Houses of Parliament." and 1-ciMurketl that lit- K-|"'o-sentetl rather a formidable party—the I.: hour Party. Although some of the lu-w members might not he o! the dilettante order, there was a great tie.il behind their robustness which would have a fair field in the House ol ('ominous. There was plenty ol opport unity in the House, and he belay ed that in this period of world disliess, this great catastrophe ol the aftermath of war, Parliament would rise to ti e occasion. He believed that behind our countrymen and women there were forces potent, for good, which were represented and stabilised in the ( simmons, of which he was proud to he a member. He had never forgiven the ( ily for knocking Wat Tyler on the head a laughter)—hut he could asmre them that, so far as the Labour forces in Parliament were ecnirerned. they would do their best, on h a- that would help towards the great human uplift. The House wool 1 not disgrace the nation, but would do all that lay in its power to make the unrld better. (Cheers;. • DIRTY DOGS'."

After this, it was rather unlorhmiil e that a few days later Mr .Jack Julios, Labour AI.P. fur Silvertun. should have done his best to turn the lions.* into a hear garden—he distinguished himself to such a degree that ihe Speaker had to reipiest him to uithebaw from the Chamber. Politely lie relorted: "I don't care a damn whether I go or not. You are a dirty fi-i of dog*, robbing soldiers and starvii, ; women. The scene arose ever a .eric.- m question* out to the Minister of T i--'(•i !-. Maior Tryon. about ea t’ !v iifflic ted ex-Service limn who are now classified as pauper lunatics. Tie explained that only a small lliimhei of me>i were I’lfeeled. They were men wic.se c.l’iii lion mi* uol the result ef "DD CP EDIT." The House, however, wa* obviously ca.it<■ i! i• * I aboil! these men. Mr 1 layday a -cried Hint the po-itmu Mas "an •t• i n:.! d-1 . e !it to t !:<■ mit ion.” and Mr \u.-ten ( lit'niberlain a Mod the Cu-M'l-iim 'ii! to ri'i-oi'--Ider (lie matter. He argil d l!ial its the men were lew, the c..st could uoi he heavy, and declared that there Mr a widespread public i’-rh Ih.’t men who .ii ei pted lor -Ji, -h! |. (! ; rm,v ;e:i in pait- !" . lie a -y hen-.. .M: j.,r TiM'ii tried -to explain mat on - L-. -ti, in ; i lit re were emy eases oi limn -."ro m i ted "by mistake" i- remark Ibai drew ieei-.s from ;l> La' our I, •u.-l,o>. M'■ i. . a dei; v shouted : "Kit tor serve e. ni for pension,'' and Al r Jack loading i • ;• idiory ‘..hoh is teeiinienliy outside Hie House, shouted an in-t":-riin:inn. \'i-. i.mit Ciir/..ui asked if I 1 it! erd'-r hr a member to speak 1 1 oia ti e mall TV. and All Jones l.awlid : I'm mil in the gallerv! I'm in the stalls.” Major Try-on went mi to point out i i-n! limn;- of those men had boon 1 ie* 1 II • '. am! had been enlisfe I h- mist '!;■.*, but a they were lelea-'-'l i l‘iem tiie Army in a few day*; it was I Mol righi to regar'i them as mentally | : U’ee'.ed a* a result of the war. • Air Jack denes, amid loud cries of -"Di-der!" exclaimed, "Oh. you dirty j fi,e Sp-aker called on Mr Jones to I withdraw. Mr .lone*, pointing his rin--1 gel- excitedly ai tile Pensions Afinister. j cried. "U’e nn l not going to stand 1 lha t sort of t hing." I There were renewed call* of j "Th-der!" from the Government heilj chos, lo which Air .'ones retorted: j "Von can turn me out if you like. f I do’ care a damn if you do.” ! The Speaker asked Air Jones to i !-, it i: ■ '-hanilicr, and’ ibe meinber ! .or '■hiverioi! responded: "I am gltid to | d - 11 . A ia: are a dirty lot of dogs." Tiiei-e was renewed eommotion, mem I icrs shouting at Air .lories and 5 i!e latter shouting hack at them. He !m allied up ihe gangway to the door into one o! ihe division lobbies. When there he paused and made a iiiia! thrii-t before disappearing: 'AouT-e slobbering over dead soldiers and -i.irving the living ones." manners of the gutter. The "D-'ily Telegrapli" refers to tbe scene as an exhibition of brutal roar.se!.i>* cod Idatant vulgarity, and re- • •!'!!> anal her bit, much b'ss serious instance of the decay of Purliameiitary courtesy which took- place the other d. y. tin rising to put a question. Air George i.tiiisiiiiry was greeted witii I- if ":-p-.jik up!" wliirli is the orHi•■:s -i I \ n-i-eguised intimation that a speaker is being indistinctly beard. "You shut up,” was the retort, -‘and you will bear!" This was mere rudeness. nothing more, tint still it let down the House of Commons. Afr Tien Tillotl has just observed very justly some of lii* eolloagiies that they are "not all of the dilettante sort.” They are not indeed. But one need not be a dilettante to observe the decent civilities and courtesies of Parliamentarylife. The “Morning Post” comments:— "The fact is that Afr Jones fears, in the language well understood in his constituency, that his -pitch is being queered.’ He was practically the onlyrude man in the hist Parliament. which tolerated his rudeness until he became the chartered libertine of debate. The nppenrane of a Communist, who has been none too choice in bis remark*, In'* been a challenge—Glasgow against iSilverton —and Silverton has felt that it must maintain its nret minetice at nil costs. Just a little manoeuvring for place, but is it that for which Afr Jones is paid £4OO a yea >• ?" The “Daily Express”:—“The scene will bring home to all parties the wholesome truth that there is no gain of strength in borrowing the manners

of the gutter. Decency is the first | of British instincts, and the man who j offends it wipes himself off the slate; so lar as inlhience goes in publicf af-j fairs. Although a Labour member was involved in fids instance, it has to lie acknowledged that nothing could be less typical of Labour’s Parliamentary recur:!. There are exceptions upon all sides, hut the Labour Party i ns shown as high a respect a* any for the cnnniis of orderly debate, and for He -.Ltialards which tire essential to elf-n speit and to clferlive argument. There is a clear line between interjections which do make lor the logical threshing out oi a point and explanations which are the fruit of mere illlemper. or which are intended lo discompose a speaker.” ||()\Y AIR .JONES PROFFERED AN A POLOOY. In the House lasi evening Mr .Jones apologised for his behaviour, lie said: —"ln the course of ye*terday’proceediiigs I lost my temper -the only thing I bad to lose. - I .'.tighter.) During that time I used certain language which, I believe, is considered unparliamentary. It is docker's English. ||.-,r, hear.) As I happen to represel'l a 11'Ustituelir y nil the r e : id'- ■ a Loud in. mostly inhabited by casual labourer.*, I thought I wa* using the kind of language they would have expi'. ssed under tiie cireiimstuiice.s w hen discussing the situation then existing. If ! !;;;, e .-.fi'ended against tile l ilies i.l .t; ~ | j | t"m leave to wit lidrtiu ; t'i.,, reniarks flenert’l cheer.-M- and In express my regret, i’ns.-ilily in the l"f.t-.:l'*’ I mav have an opportunity ol more ParhaUieiituiy l.itiguag no '"r simili't- eiri'iimstaiiei's. The .*pr;:l,er said no one wioild ro ..,,.( | ban I"- if I"- sl’.oul 1 ha Vito take strntiger measures than he P.'llk. The House laughed ft 1 hi siatemciil that, as he i-epre.-.-iite-l a i on-til uelley ii: If ~i t . ii, ; on .n 0..! ly inhabited by e - ..a! i. b illfc’-s. !’■■ fl-ouM't he v, as us'ug the.kind <■!' language ibey would uc in the i■!■ • umslnin-cs. Mr June* has "a way with him"" "lieu be like--, ' ami las! evi'ioilg Unit vay "a- to tinlii, ing of ti'- I !i.-lis;-. z:-rw:t&Tr