On Tuesday, in defending the determination of the Govern- ment
to adopt this procedure, the Prime Minister disclaimed any desire to provoke a conflict with the Lords, or to shut the door against compromise. He was anxious to know whether the Leader of the Opposition wished to slam the door on conciliation, or keep it 'open to save the Bill. Mr. Balfour in his reply strongly condemned the course taken by the Government. The Government, he believed, were afraid to face the debates that would arise, on the proposals made by the Lords, for those proposals could be defended point by point out of the mouths of Ministers themselves: The
procedure adopted was insulting to the other House, and yet the Prime Minister wished his Resolution to be regarded as an olive branch. For his part, he did not want the Bill to survive in the form in which it left the Commons. After amend. ments claiming separate treatment for special clauses had been rejected, the Premier's Resolution was carried by 317 votes to 89.
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