Douglas Daily Dispatch

A Commoner Number 16 Is Ejected By British

Laborite Member of Parliament Attempts to Steal Mace.

Motive Is Based On Colleague's Suspension

Precedent Set in English House By Slight to King.

LONDON, July 17 (R)—A member of parliament at today's session of the house of commons ran off with the mace, almost sacred symbol of parliamentary authority, that rests on a table below the speaker's chair.

The incident created a scene without precedent in the history of the mother of parliaments since Cromwell declaimed: "Take away that bauble," and the mace was removed.

The miscreant was John Beckett laborite. His action, which he accompanied with the words, "it's a damned disgrace," was in protest against suspension of a colleague, Fenner Brockway, by almost unanimous vote on motion of Premier MacDonald.

Overstepped Bounds

Brockway had overstepped his bounds by trying to make a speech on India during question time.

Beckett did not get far with his trophy. An attendant tackled him as he reached the door of the house and returned the mace to the sergeant-at-arms, its official custodian, who, with the speaker, was the only man who remained unmoved in a chamber seething with excitement.

Eyes On Speaker

All eyes were turned on the speaker to see what action he would take in this unheard of emergency.

He rose to the occasion, gravely pronouncing the time-honored formula, "I name the honorable member for Peckham for disorderly conduct."

Whereupon the suspension of Beckett was duly moved by Premier MacDonald and carried.

Beckett is the member who recently married the actress Kyrle Bellew, over the historic blacksmith's anvil at Gretna Green.

On leaving the chamber the two suspended members walked into the
(Continued on Page Seven)