New Speaker

The First Commoner of the Realm, the Rt. Hon. John Henry Whitley, Speaker of the House of Commons, resigned last week, thus leaving that potent assemblage "voiceless and without mouth."

Entered pompously, in this traditional emergency, Sir Thomas Lonsdale Webster, Clerk of the House. Gesturing in dumb show, he pointed to Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, who then had leave to say that His Majesty would graciously permit his Faithful Commons to choose a new Speaker.

Gesturing again, the silent Clerk pointed to a Conservative M. P., Sir Robert Sanders, who promptly nominated for the Speakership another Conservative, Captain the Rt. Hon. Edward Algernon Fitzroy, son of Baron Southampton, and onetime Page of Honor to Queen Victoria.

Thus far the Clerk had gestured only toward benches occupied by supporters of His Majesty's Government; but now he pivoted, like some mighty marionette, and faced His Majesty's Loyal Opposition. Pointing, he designated Laborite Charles Bowerman who obliged by seconding the Conservative nomination, thus preserving the tradition that "Mr. Speaker," like the King-Emperor, is above parties.

Acclaim. The Commons, warming to a ceremony which would last for many hours, elected by acclaim as Speaker onetime Queen's Page Fitzroy, now a grizzled War veteran of 58, wounded at Ypres and Klein Zillebecke. He, with a coy modesty demanded by ritual, first demurred at the too-great honor, and then submitted himself to what is known as the Superior Judgment of the House.

Still faintly resisting in dumb show, Captain Fitzroy was then led by his Conservative Nominator and Laborite Seconder, who jointly conducted him to the Chair. He was now the Speaker-Elect. The Sergeant at Arms, Admiral Sir Colin Keppel, could and did remove the enormous Mace from under its table and placed it upon the table top.*

During the next 24 hours Speaker-Elect Fitzroy became Speaker--very gradually. He listened and replied to speeches of grandiose laudation from all Parties. He was appraised by His Majesty's Government that the Sovereign had approved his election. Donning court dress, he marched to the Bar of the House of Lords and conveyed news of his election to Their Lordships. While he countermarched back to the House of Commons, famed Joy Bells rang out from St. Margaret's Church across the way. Finally Sir Edward Algernon Fitzroy donned over his court dress the robe and wig of office, rehearsed to the Commons at length all that had happened, and took the Chair as Speaker.

Authority. Depending on his temperament, a Speaker may either dominate the House by a smashing exercise of his authority or sink to the obscurity of a mere preserver of order. Last of the titans was

Arthur Wellesley Peel (1884-95), youngest son of the great Prime Minister, Sir Robert Peel. Naughtiest was Charles Shaw Lefevre (1841-57) who delighted to cite precedents which did not exist, and would solemnly intone, according to ritual, that his most outrageous decisions were justified by "the well known practice of the House."

John Henry Whitley, 62, who resigned last week as Speaker because of authentic ill health, may claim to the great achievement of having gradually educated into a liking and respect for the traditions of the House most of those once truculent and uncouth Laborites who were first returned to Parliament by the leftward shift after the World War.

The title of Speaker has become, after five centuries, an almost complete misnomer. His duty is not, and has never been, to speak in debate. But originally he was the official who "spoke the opinion of the House" in its then frequent contentions with the Crown. Today the Speaker : 1) Decides points of order; 2) Interprets rules of the House; 3) Guides the debate and keeps it to the point; 4) May, on rare state occasions, still speak the opinion of the House.

New Speaker. Captain Edward Algernon Fitzroy, whose diligent soldiering has not prevented him from holding the same seat in the House for 24 years, will now enjoy the following potent stipends, privileges and immunities; a salary of -L-5,000 ($24,300) per year. An allowance for costumes and effects of -L-1,000 ($4,860). Rent free occupancy of a sumptuous stone palace which forms one wing of the Houses of Parliament and overlooks the Thames. Immunity from national and civic taxation--an immunity denied to the Prime

Minister. Annual presents of a buck & doe from His Majesty's Master of the Buckhounds, together with "a generous width of the best broadcloth" from the Most Worshipful Company of London Weavers, etc., etc., etc.

Old Speaker. John Henry Whitley retires on a pension of -L-4,000 ($19,440) a year, will be, as is customary, created a Viscount. He passed his youth as a common spinner, rose to become a cotton manufacturer, inaugurated the industrial council system which bears his name, entered Parliament in 1900, became Speaker in 1921.

His is the gentle gift of warming the hardest heart that may be turned against him--for example the heart of Britain's sole Communist M. P., famed Shapurji Saklatvala, a rich Indian, who has savagely attacked Speaker Whitley's decisions for many a year. Last week Mr. Saklatvala cried to Mr. Whitley, across the floor of the House: "My friends and countrymen of India who have come in contact with you invariably have gone away with the impression that they have met the finest gentleman in Great Britain."

After a long moment of general stupefaction, Communist Saklatvala received, for the first time in his career, Conservative cheers. The Speaker, even more than the Sovereign, is above all parties, beyond every creed.

* As every Briton knows, the position of the Mace determines the status of the Commons. When it lies upon the table they are a Legislative House, when below they are a Committee. But when the Mace is carried away and locked up in the Tower of London they are in recess and totally impotent.