On Clause IV.—" extended facilities "—the Lords adhered to the
mandatory form, and to the abolition of any distinction between urban and rural areas. They, however, struck out the bare majority, and substituted a majority of two-thirds, calculated on the number of parents who actually vote. This is, of course, a very great lowering of the Lords' demands. For ourselves, we think that to give a veto over extended facilities to a third plus one of the parents voting is by no means unreasonable. It is impossible to speak as if there were a special sanctity about any particular fraction, but mankind has generally regarded a two-thirds majority as an overwhelming majority. For example, in the American Constitution a two-thirds majority is required to pass a treaty through the Senate. The Lords adjourned at this point, but if we are to judge by Lord Lansdowne's speech, they mean to stand firm for the present on Clause VIII. That is, they will insist upon the teachers being free to give or not to give the denominational lesson in Clause III. schools. Lord Lansdowne made it clear that he will advise the Peers to adhere to their decision to delete the clause creating the special Education Council for Wales.
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