On Monday in the House of Commons Mr. F. E.
Smith moved the official Unionist amendment to the Address, con- demning the Government for not fulfilling their pledge to econstruet the Second Chamber, and declaring that it would be improper to proceed with measures vitally affecting the safety of the State while the country is still deprived of the ,afeguard of constitutional government. A great part of Mr. Smith's effective attack consisted of quotations from the Viet speeches of various Ministers in which they had pledged themselves to reform the House of Lords. Sir John Simon replied on behalf of the Government, and said it was a delusion to suppose that even if the Second Chamber were reconstructed it would make the passage of a Home Rule Bill any more difficult. "Whatever proposals we put forward they will not restore to the Lords their unchecked power of mischief." Mr. Barnes declared that the Labour Party was not in favour of reforming the other House.
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