- The programme which the Government were understood to have
decided on, and which may fairly be regarded as the only course open to them, was first to get the Budget through, and then either by Resolution, or by a statement of policy made ad hoc, to outline the principles on which they intended to - deal with the question of the House of Lords. Their pro- ' posals, it may be presumed, would attempt to combine reform of the House of Lords with some limitation of the powers of the Second Chamber in regard to finance. The reform of the structure of the Lords through the elimination of the heredi- tary principle, and the introduction of an elective element, must, of course, strengthen the powers of the Peers over ordinary legislation; but it has been argued that such strengthening is not inconsistent with the definition of the powers of the Lower House over finance which, while - preventing tacking in any shape or form, would give the Executive Government complete control of the finance of the year. As to the soundness of such a scheme we say nothing for the present, or, again, as to whether the country would be likely to accept it; but at any rate the proposal is one not in ' itself absurd or irrational.
