In the ensuing debate the Opposition at once began to
show signs of their determination not to listen to Liberal speakers. While Mr. Pollock was speaking Sir W. Bull called Mr. Asquith repeatedly a. "traitor." Being called upon by the Speaker to withdraw the phrase, he refused to do so, and was suspended. Sir Rufus Isaacs was quite unable to make him- self heard. The Speaker therefore suspended the sitting for an hour. At 8.30, when the House reassembled, the Attorney- General was again refused a hearing. '_The noise of confused shouts was tremendous, although there was nothing that the Speaker could single out as unparliameiatary. He could only appeal for silence—an appeal which was entirely ignored- After a few minutes he summarily adjourned the House. As the Ministers filed out they were pursued with abusive cries. Some order papers were thrown across the House at them, and Mr. Ronald McNeill threw a book of the Standing Orders which struck Mr. Churchill. ,
Previous page
