HOUSE OF LORDS ON INDIA

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 275, 13 August 1908, Page 8

HOUSE OF LORDS ON INDIA

LORD MORLEY'S REPLY TO LORD . ; r; CURZON, : ■ X' BRILLIANT DEBATE. India was! the'subject of a notablo debate in 1 the House of Lords on tho ovening of Juno 30,' Lord Curzon, tho ex-Viceroy, reviewed the situation, and Lord Morley, the Secretary for India, made a vigorous speech (his maiden, ono in the Lords) in reply, outlining his policy.

Peeresses "lined- tho sido galleries. There was a large l attendance of Peers on the scarlet benches on either side. Members of the House, of Commons, deserting tho Old Age Pensions debate! filled tho. 6cats reserved for them. A score of Privy Councillor.! ; woro on the steps of tho Throne, and in .front 'of"them stood Mr. Asquitli gripping the,'.handrail which kept him from tho-'floor of- the House. Among other interested listeners was tho dusky Prime Minister of. Nepal, who gave a touch of colour to the diplomatic gallery with his scarlet cap. It was an impressivo setting for a great scene. 'With his tall, commanding presence, his ringing voice, and air of authority, Lord Curzon dominated the House. No word of his was-missed. Ho regretted the . raid from Afghanistan in ' the recent trouble on the frontier, especially in view of tho Anglo-Russian agreement. Ho knew the opposition and intrigue the Amir had to meet, but what had occurred was nevertheless ' very: disquieting in view of the privileges, and concessions we had accorded him. ' Lord Curzon then turned to tho unrest in India. "Grave symptoms havo at last culminated in a condition menacing not merely the government, but the structuro oh which Indian society is based."

Lord Curzon thundered with his fist on the 1 ' dispatch-box. "It is evident that there is a'inovement in existence in India which is' backed by powerful and unscrupulous organisations,; which is supported by funds not-springing from any local or isolated cause, but-part of a deliberate campaign conducted against British government in that country."

< "Itinerant Orators." ,He feared that'the rmrest would bo permanent. . It arose partly. from the education which'WD tad given to the people. "Western civilisation has sharpened their intellect without forming their characters." Part of;,tho was 1 duo to tho victory of Japan'.'over Russia, the first occasion for centuries in which in open conflict between East and ■ .West, Asia had triumphed. Ho denied that there, was any difference in tho manner of • the/ Englishmen to the natives compared with that in the past. Tho action of English agitators stirred up unrest. These were, disappointed Civil Servants, . some English M.P.'s, some journalists;, and some "itinerant orators who in the course of a few weeks' visit tell tho people in India what , they should do and como back and toll us what we should do.

"A small knot'of'Englishmen," exclaimed Lord Curzon with , infinite scorn, "who. denounce the Parliament which some of them have served, and pour contempt on the race from which they have sprung." Fiercely he .referred to tho evil wrought by some of th6' ,: nqwspapers. "There is a section of the Indiatf Press which exists only for. vituperation against the British Government. There. is. iibt a ■ country in Europe, not a republic in South America, where writ-' ing of this, sort .would. bo tolerated." Instead of the. new Press Act, with its rather cumbrous r proceedings, there should have been'authorised more summary action.- It was'not, wido eniugh. .

Power- to Indians. 'Viscounti Morley rose amid general cheers. A pallid, •• ascetic-looking man, with stooped shoulders, he was a great contrast to ".'the ''stalwart who had pre-, ceded him'.' ll;; ''But^ho-began his specch with' unusual .animation.'' A touch of colour came to his face and-he slapped tho dispatchbox 'in front of him' as he declared that no question- of -popularity with the House of Commons. nor with his personal friends had prevented-him' from 'taking such steps as ho thought necessary to, preserve order in India. The' House cheered.''him. It cheered him again whenVle ! "spoko' with a certain grim fierceness 'if'people'with "sinister gleams in their eyes and ' infatuated • dreams in their hearts."

He roused Lord Curzon to protest by saying that his speech' had been of a party nature. .Then 'he- ridiculed tho idea that questions 'in tho House of Commons interfered with tho government of India. Ho decliued 'to follow closely the criticisms of Lord Curzon as to Afghanistan, and incidentally remarked that it would have been better not to havo dragged the matter into discussion. The Amir had done his best to act up to the'spirit of the' friendship cemented during his visit to India. He-accepted in the main tho ex-Viceroy's views .as to the cause of the unrest in India accentuating the victory of the Japanese in the- War with Russia. He was suro that Lord Curzon's policy was not, as it seemed, "martial' law and no d——d nonsense." '

The path of reform in India must still bo followed. Lord Morley spoke in fervent terms'of Lord Minto's "manful courage." "Between no two' servants of the Crown is there a better understanding and a greater sympathy than between the Viceroy and myself." He" indicated "the formation of schemes which.would give all grades of Indians some handling of their own affairs and some modified executive powers. He suggested their co-oporation. in aifairs of local and district government. , "Provided reasonable demands are lceot clear from madness and wicked crime there is no fear of the demands not being complied with."