London, July 21.
The scene in the House of Commons on July 17, when Mr. Fenner Brockway, Independent Labour Labour member for East Leyton, and Mr. John Beckett, Independent. Labour member for Peckham, were suspended, was recalled in' the House to-day at question time.
Mr. Brockway, it will be remembered, persisted in making a speech about India after the Premier had already replied to a.question on the subject. As a result the Speaker named the Member and a motion was put to the House that he be suspended.
When the result of the division reported to the Speaker, was noted by many members that, neither Mr. Beckett, nor Mr. W, J.
Brown, Labour member for West Wolverhampton, who acted as tellers, bowed to the Chair, as is customary on such occasions. Instead they stood nonchalantly by the Table. Suddenly Mr. Beckett shouted: "It is a damned grace!," seized the great gold mace off the table and, lifting it to his shoulder, tried to force his way through the amazed crowd of members standing at the Bar, apparently intending to walk out of the House with it. An attendant, however, seized he mace and, after a moment's confusion, restored it to the Sergeant-at-Arms, Captain Fitzroy.
Mr. Beckett's action evoked protests on all sides. A motion for his suspension was immediately pur to the House and carried by 324 votes to 4, most of the Left Wing Labour members abstaining from This incident was recalled to-day when a Conservative suggested that Mr. Beckett should be suspended Until he apctogized to the House.
Replying, the Premier, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, said that many representations had been made to him showing the strong feelings all Parties held at the gross affront to the House.
He added that it seemed to him the very careful consideration, jo by the standing order (five days? suspension for Mz, Beckett), July 23, 'A mosting of the Parliamentary' Labour Party, by 90. votes to 28, to-day recorded strong diezpproval of the incident in the House [Commons en July 17, when Mr. John Beckett, the ' Independent Labour member for Prekham, removed the great cold mace from the Table and attempted to make his way out of the House with i This action followed the suspention of Mr, Fenner Brockway, the Independent Labour Member for East Lyton, who persisted making @ speech about India after the Premier had already replied to question" on the subject. Mr. Beckett, who acted as one of the ion on the motion ly incensed at. the elveree result of the division, which hho characterized as a "dammed dis-attempt to make off with the mace evoked pretests on all. sides. 'A motion for his suspension was immediately pat to the House and cartied by 324 votes to 4, most the Left Wing Labour members abstaining from voting.
At their meeting te-day the Parliamentary Labour Party, in recording. thole strong disapproval of Mr. Beckett's action, declare? that it brought diserotit upon them und. constituted a grots a: front to Parliament.
The meeting decided to report the matter to the National Executi of the Latour Party and to call on Mr, Beckett to apologise to. the House of Commons.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.