On Friday week the House of Commons discussed in Committee
the Trade Disputes Bill. The first clause, pro- posing to amend the law of conspiracy and to give Trade- Unions the non-liability to civil actions under this category which they already enjoy in regard to criminal, was carried by 313 votes to 30. The second clause, which legalises "peaceful" picketing, was vigorously opposed by Opposition speakers, who advocated some numerical limitation. The Attorney-General, in answer to an appeal from Sir Edward Carson, promised to consider before the Report stage was reached whether it was possible to introduce some limitation of number into the construction of "reasonableness." After the Closure had been moved, Clause II. was carried by 319 votes to 49. We sincerely trust that this course, which we have always urged, will be followed, for it seems to Us essential that picketing should be limited numerically if it is to continue to deserve the epithet of "peaceful." To leave such a question to the discretion of a jury would simply add to the litigation during a strike. Committee proceedings on the Bill were adjourned till yesterday, when the highly controversial later clauses came up for discussion.
