AN APPEAL FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM. [To TER EDITOR OF TER
"SFECTILTOR.”1 SIR, —The passing of the Parliament Bill means the breaks down of the Constitution which this country has long enjoyed, and which has served as a model for nearly every foreign country and British self-governing Dominion. It is now clearly demonstrated that the old division of powers between King, Lords, and Commons is at an end. The power of the King has passed to the Cabinet ; the power of the Lords has disappeared ; the power of the Commons is represented by the will of the predominant party caucus as expressed by the Cabinet. In effect this country is now, whichever party is in power, governed by a secret committee of men acting upon motives which need never be disclosed, and subject to influences of which the nation is necessarily ignorant. Provided that this secret committee refrains from grievously offending any large section of its political supporters, or providing that it pur- chases a sufficient volume of support by the distribution of honorary titles, paid appointments, or legislative favours, it can exercise an absolute dictatorship. It commands the organized forces of the State; it can pass what laws it pleases ; it can suppress debate in the House of Commons ; it can reverse judicial decisions by Acts of Parliament. All the liberties for which our fellow-countrymen in past generations have fought are now at the mercy of this secret committee.
Unless our people have completely changed their character they will not long acquiesce in the continuance of the risks to which their liberties are now exposed. New safeguards must be created to replace those which have been destroyed. Writing on behalf of the British Constitution Association- s body which includes members of both political parties—we, the undersigned, venture to urge the importance of concen- trating political effort on the following points :— 1. The establishment of the Referendum, so as to give to the people themselves the final power of veto which was formerly possessed by the Crown.
2. The reform of the House of Commons, so as to get rid of the present geographical inequalities of representation, and so as to secure the adequate representation of minorities as well as of majorities.
The members of the British Constitution Association also recognize the desirability of reforming the House of Lords and of giving to that body, when reformed, powers at least equal to those possessed by other Second Chambers.
These reforms are vital, for they affect the very heart of the nation's sovereignty. We therefore appeal to our fellow- citizens to assist the British Constitution Association with money and with personal service in the active campaign which it proposes to conduct on behalf of these reforms.
(Signed) HAROLD Con, President ; AVEBURY; BALFOUR OF BURLEIGH; BEDFORD; WILLIAM CHANCE; CROMER; HARDWICKE ; MARK H. JUDGE; PHILIP MAGNU5; GUILFORD L. MOLES- WORTH; JOHN MURRAY; J. ST. LOE STRACHEY.
British Constitution Association, 20 Tothill Street, London, S.W.
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