The Timaru Herald MONDAY, MARCH 22, 1926. WHO GOVERNS?

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 22 March 1926, Page 8

The Timaru Herald MONDAY, MARCH 22, 1926. WHO GOVERNS?

“If you intend to overthrow the ttovca-miuMit, do it immediately, declared. AL Briand in so bin i Hang his, ninth Cabinet for the endorsement of tlie Chamber of Deputies. Mainly as an expression of sympathy for M. Malvy, the Socialists supported the vole of confidence, •which was carried after a scene which resembled a. street row rather than the administrative Chamber of one of the leading Parliaments of the world. Unlike one of his foremost rivals, AL Briand is prepared to stake his political existence and risic Ids financial policy in the burly burly, of a. representative' Assembly which is morn jealous for its political life than' for the financial stability of the country. On the other hand, M. Caillaux, knowing the French politician as a piece of putty in the hands of the people who send him there, met AI. Briand’s offer of the portfolio of Finance with acceptance condidioiml on his being authorised to enact financial legislation l>v decree and not by the vote of the elective assembly. The French Prime Minister discerned the subtlety in that move. Doubtless AL Briand foresaw that, if AL Caillaux ' were permitted to enforce drastic financial legislation without awaiting the consent, of the Chamber of Deputies, he might try his hand in other directions and another Dictatorship come to Frauce before the elective assembly had time to see. through the cunningly designed plot to capture the reins of power without the consent of the people. 'Nevertheless the attitude of mind revealed in AL Caillaux's conditional acceptance of the portfolio of Finance is another' phase of a significant sign of the times. Modern pardiameularv government is on its trial everywhere., even in the land of: its birth. AL Caillaux might, have justified his attitude, by saying that in several countries the parliamentary .system now in vogue in France has already been tried and—temporarily, at least)—found wanting-. Half a dozen States in the south of Euro]re and in the east., many neighbours of France, have allowed representative government to be held in abeyance or superseded by personal rule, in Spain, Italy, Greece, Hungary, Turkey, Persia, the dictators are in power. Who will deny, that in Germany and in France (he elective legislatures and responsible executives are functioning very badly atul there are even uneasy'. , rumours of (hustle changes? .AL Caillaux, although imposing a condition on In's acceptance of office which was repugnant to a. Socialist like AL Briand, yet spoke out of the hearts of millions of Frenchmen who discern in political insecurity a. grave menace, to diplomatic, prestige and economic stability. Of Great; Britain it cannot be said that the people are quite satisfied. “We are not likely to deliver ourselves to a Mussolini or resort, (o a. coup ' d’etat/’ writes Sir Sidney Low in a recent review of the growing dullness and unimpressiveness of the Mother r.f Parliaments. “Still we feel that, the House of Commons, is no longer as authoritative., as efficient, or as interesting as it used to be. AV e do not, follow its debates with the a Iteri tier'll given to them in pie-war days. Nor do wo find in it, the commanding- or attractive personalities of -the past, before whose clashing swordsmanship and verbal combats we sat, enthralled. Some, ALnistors interest ms a good deal. AV e are all anxious to know wlmt, Air Baldwin is going to do about, coal and Air Churchill about taxes. But what the. House, of Commons may he doing- or thinking does not seem to matter very much." Early this month Sir Austen Chamberlain almost, demanded a free hand to go to Geneva to represent, Great Britain in one. of the most, important gatherings of representatives of the peoples of the. world that, have been held in history ! It was even suggested hat. the Foreign Alinistor would resign if the Imperial Parliament, directed him as to the course he should take in giving effect, to the definite obligations entered into by the Powers who signed the Locarno agreement.. .It would he unwise, lie said, for Parliament to instruct him and lie went, so far as to refuse to give the House, of Commons flic remotest, idea of what course lie intended to pursue! Even a Alussolini or a d - Rivera could not, have assumed more complete., powers. Aloreovc.r, it is known that the. British .Foreign AI iuis(i'r followed a. If in?, of action which was diametrically opposed to the considered opinions ol,' many of his Cabinet colleagues. Discussing this phase of the weakening of parliamentary control, Sir .Sidney Low sa v,s :

Formerly Ministers, at any rate, used to make a {rood show, for it was a point ol' honour for them to attend and support a eollenciic who' had a Rill or a motion on the paper. Xow a Alinistor rums his own department, and the other 19 or 2U members of a hip; modern Cabinet hardly know what he is dnin". It is a practice which should be altered and the sound principle of (olloetive responsibility restored. This would help to give back to the Mouse of Commons some measure of ils theoretical, toil noil' inett'eet ivo. control of administration, and especially of financial administration As tilings stand, the government could inflate the rurreno.v by issnin.n another hundred millions ot Treasury notes without. even eonsultinu; Parliament. '.Further, business and procedure should lie so resrralined as to ofi'er ilin general body ol' private members failopportunities lor discussion, criticising and mndifyiim Ministerial policy. I do not. know bow these reforms are to

be carried oat ; but they seem osson- [ ion il' Pailiiuiient is to regain its I'onnor prestige- and authority-and heroine once more the most vital and organic element in our r'ohsfltntional system.

Even in New Zealand there lias been a gTadiui] usurpation of the tunctious of Pariiament and the oeea.siouaL institution of rvhafc almost amounted to diefatorship. Inslam'e.s are hy no means rnre whore Prime Ministers., sometimes without ('.ons-ulting* eolleagaies or party, have taken a c<Mt-ain course and having' made the question one of ; roiifidtMice, ha ve forced Parliament to do their bidding'. Tims Cabinet.', both at Monro and in the Dominions, completely dominates the parliamentary assembly and conducts.—or neglects—business at i(,s pleasure. Im.st session in New Zealand many private members bilrmly complained that their rights and privileges were being rapidly taken away. The dominant .party ridiculed the .suggestion, but it. is nevertheless only ton patent, that Parliament is losing _ its authority. Government, is passing into the hands of the dominating members of the ruling party—sometimes one. member is. strong enough to dictate the policy to ho followed. Hence it is eminently desirable, as far as free and enlightened communities are concerned, that the “most vital and organic element in tne constitutional system’' of the government of democracies should not pass elected represen ta (ft cs of the people.