A B C of modern socialism

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House of Industry? Let us assume that the House of Industry passes some measure it deems necessary (its procedure would probably be similar to the House of Commons), the next stage would be to obtain the consent of the Commons. It is suggested that the measure should lie on the table of the Commons for a prescribed period. The Commons might pass it without discussion, and in nine cases out of ten probably would. The tenth case, however, might raise far-reaching problems of public policy. Citizen rights might be invaded; large expenditure affecting the Treasury threatened; and a sharp division of opinion with the House of Culture indicated. The proposal is that the Commons, following the precedent of the Church Discipline Act, should either accept or reject, but not amend.

Functional Problems Demand Functional Solutions The reason for this is not far to seek. Any amendment to a functional measure is either functional in itself or affects function. The Commons ate obviously not competent to amend an industrial measure which is almost certainly the result of considerable functional discussion, and, finally, of industrial balance and calculation. But they are clearly competent to reject on grounds of public policy. They might reject without reason given; they might reject by a reasoned amendment; a Commons Committee might be appointed to confer with a Committee of the House of Industry. In problems such as this the British genius is supreme.