NEWS OF THE WEEK.
WE have stated at length elsewhere our belief that the House of Lords would be wise not to reject the Midget. We do this, not because our view of the injustice, inefficiency, and financial unsoundness of the Budget has suffered any change whatever, but because we hold that in the struggle which must ensue on the rejection of the Budget as a whole the enemies of Socialism would fight at a dis- advantage. We have come to the conclusion that, owing to the weakness of its moderate members, and the recklessness and unscrupulousness of those who compose the extreme section of the Cabinet, a change of Ministry is of vital import-. mice to the best interests of the country. In our opinion, in another six or eight months the inevitable reaction will have taken place, and an appeal to the country would be certain to lead to the end we so strongly desire. Just at the moment, however, and before the Budget has been tried, there is great risk that an appeal to the country may end in another lease of power being conferred on the present Government, though no doubt with a reduced majority. That is a risk so serious that it ought not to be run. The more, then, we realise the necessity of getting rid of the present Government, the more we feel compelled to urge that the appeal shall be made under no disadvantage.
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