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Defense. Questions were asked in Parliament. Sir Patrick Hastings, tall and slender, his jet black hair giving him an almost youthful appearance, took his place in the front bench to "give the House every available detail of the Campbell case." He read from a voluminous mass of briefs, stated that he had found that Campbell had a good war record, had been wounded, and was engaged only as acting-editor of the Workers' Weekly. "What sort of a figure would I cut," he demanded, "in prosecuting for sedition as a dangerous Communist a man who could hardly hobble into the dock?" Then in his peroration he asked: "What have I done wrong? I will answer any question put by any member of the House." But the fears of the Opposition were not calmed. Conservatives gave notice of a motion of censure on the Government. The Liberals offered an amendment to the Conservative motion calling for a Parliamentary inquiry.
Premier. Before the Premier had stepped into the House of Commons, a general election was almost certain. At Queen's Hall he had declared: "We will surrender nothing of the rights of Government. If there is to be an election, the responsibility is not ours."
Defeat. After a whole day of debate, which T. P. O'Connor, "Father of the House," characterized as "a miserable tempest in the tiniest little teapot that was ever introduced into political life," a vote was taken for decision on which motion—Conservative motion of censure or Liberal amendment motion— a vote should be taken. By 359 to 198 the House decided to vote on the Liberal suggestion that Parliamentary inquiry be held. The vote on this measure resulted in the defeat of the Labor Ministry by 364 to 198 votes—only twelve Liberals voted with the Laborites.
Critics. It had not been expected that the Labor Ministry would fall on the legal issues arising from the suspended prosecution of James Ross Campbell. Political observers felt that their fate was to be sealed at the conclusion of the debate on the Anglo-Russian Treaty, scheduled for November. After the vote, they swore by all their gods that the Government had virtually fallen on the Russian issue and what the trivial issue of the dropped edition charge had been seized upon because it was favorable to Liberal and Conservative election interests.
Palace. Dressed in frock coat and top hat, Premier Ramsay Mac Donald called upon King George at Buckingham Palace, conversed with him for a whole hour, departed, and later announced to the House of Commons that the King had granted his request for a dissolution.
Royal Power. When a ministry is defeated, the Prime Minister* must either resign With his Cabinet or request the King to dissolve Parliament. In the first case, he and his ministers deliver up the seals of office—emblems of their authority without which they cannot transact the business of the King's Government. It is usual for the outgoing Premier to advise His Majesty on the choice of a successor.