That Mr. Balfour's words should have caused any surprise is
a remarkable proof of the short memories of our politicians. Just at this time last year the problem of a Poll of the People was very much in the air, and was being widely dis- cussed as a solution of deadlocks between the two Houses
For example, on April 30th we began a leading article with the words "The proposal to employ the Referendum as a solution of the present Constitutional crisis is attracting more and more attention." We went on to give a draft schedule for putting the Poll in operation and a model ballot paper which differs very little in form, and not at all in principle, from the schedule and model ballot papers contained in Lord Balfour of Burleigh's Bill and in Mr. Cave's resolu- tions. We proceeded to urge that the way then to meet the Parliament Bill was for the House of Lords, when it received the Bill, to add a Referendum clause, declaring that it should not come into operation till a Poll of the People had been taken thereon. We took the unusual step of sending a copy of the Spectator containing this article to every peer and every Member of Parliament in order that our specific pro- posals should be sure to come under the attention of the whole body of legislators.
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