20 FEBRUARY 1926, Page 2

On the other hand, as was pointed out by Sir

John Marriott, although the contest between Crown and Parliament is ended its place has been taken by a modern contest between the Executive and the democracy. The democracy should not yield any part of its control over the Executive. The Prime Minister summed up in favour of the Bill though he left thematter to a free vote of the House. He thought that the Qninquennial Act lessened the need for interim appeals to the electors. Further, the expense of a by-election made it too difficult for a Prime Minister to draw freely upon the services of men of every class. The present system, indeed, attached a financial disability to office. On the whole, we agree with Mr. Baldwin: