Part of the debate – in the House of Commons am ar 27 Gorffennaf 1923.
I understood him to allege that this restored pre-War conditions. Obviously, to anyone reading the Clause, it does nothing of the sort, but if that was not alleged, then we really ought to have from the Law Officers of the Crown a serious defence of a change in the established practice of this country. Is there any argument that can be brought forward to show that a Judge without a jury should now take the place of a Judge with a jury, to which we have been accustomed throughout the centuries? If there are any arguments in favour of that, let us have them; if there are none, let us go back to pre-War conditions. On these grounds I hope the Government will see their way to accept the Amendment which has been moved, or else to give a pledge that, when this Bill goes to a Committee, a free vote will be allowed on the question whether this Clause does or does not, or can be made or cannot be made, to restore pre-War conditions. The pledge we have at present is a pledge of no value whatever. It is admitted all round that this is an improvement upon the existing conditions. So far, we are all at one, and when we are offered the opportunity of a free vote if it can be shown that the present Bill is not better than the present conditions, we are being offered nothing at all, because this Bill is, obviously, better than nothing. But it does not restore pre-War conditions, and, until we get those conditions, I think we are entitled to oppose this Measure.