MALTESE CRISIS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 35, 4 November 1933, Page 7

MALTESE CRISIS

State of Emergency MINISTRY DISMISSED British Policy Disregarded “DELIBERATE EVASION” (British Official Wireless.) Kugby, November 2. “The Governor ot Malta has found it necessary to dismiss his Ministers, and, the Secretary of State for the Colonies being satisfied that a grave emergency has arisen within the meaning of Section 41 of the Malta Constitution by letters patent, the Governor has assumed the powers which in that event are vested hi him by Constitution,” says a statement issued by the Colonial Office, “For some time past his Majesty's Government has viewed with Increasing concern the policy pursued by Ministers in Malta. It will be recollected that the restoration of responsible Government in the summer of. 1932 was made subject to certain definite provisions with regard to the language question, and particularly to the .teaching of languages in schools. These, provisions had the full approval of both Houses of Parliament. It was the essence of these provisions that languages to be used in public elementary schools should be Maltese and English only, adequate provision being made for the teaching of Italian in the secondary schools. “It has become increasingly apparent that since their accession to office the Maltese Ministers have embarked upon measures the object of which is in effect deliberately to evade this policy. Financial Administration. “A further source of anxiety to his Majesty’s Government is the manner in which the finances of the island have been administered. It Is clear' that these finances, which were taken over in a sound condition in 1932, have already been gravely prejudiced. “In these circumstances the Governor was authorised to warn Ministers that the-policy which they were deliberately pursuing was contrary to the spirit of the Constitution and gravely detrimental to the Interests of Malta, and to make plain to them the consequences Which must inevitably follow, unless their policy were radically altered. “He subsequently presented them with a detailed list of the measures adopted by them since their accession to office, which he regarded as objectionable,’ and which, both in the interests of sound administration and as a proof of their compliance with the policy of his Majesty’s Government, he called upon them to revoke.” • Examples are cited as an illustration of the nature and extent of the acts'to which his Majesty's Government took exception, and the statement proceeds: “There have, moreover. been in the ordinary day-to-day administration a number of instances indicating that the Ministers have neglected few opportunities, however small, for displaying their disinclination to work in harmony with the policy of his Majesty’s Government. The cumulative effect of these and similar acts is UnmistakableMinisters have been given an opportunity to amend their policy upon •these matters. They have declined to do so, and have accordingy been dismissed, and the Governor has again assumed administration of the island.”

STATE OF EMERGENCY Dissolution of Parliament Malta, November 2. The Governor has proclaimed a state of emergency and dissolved Parliament. LANGUAGE PROBLEM People Divided Into Two Camps EMBITTERED POLITICS The pew Maltese Ordinance prohibiting aliens from taking part in educational work brings to a head the most debatable subject the Island has known lor 60 J'uirs, wrote the Malta correspondent of ‘file Times" last month. The language question has divided the people of Malta into two camps, has brought about the rise and fall of constitutions, and has embittered political life in this otherwise peaceful place. In accordance with the advice tendered by Lord Askwith and the members of the Royal Commission of 1931, the Letters Patent of Muy 2, 1932, steered a middle course in the matter of language. The Constitutionals led by Lord Strickland wished to ostracise the Italian language in Malta; the Nationalists raised the cry of “Hands off Italian!” The Commissioners limited themselves to the elementary schools and the Law Courts and left the secondary schools and the university to themselves with both English and Italian as obligatory subjects. They held that in the law courts those who wished to have their eases heard in Maltese should be entitled to do so. In elementary schools only English and the home language •liould be taught. The Letters Patent followed this advice, mid the Secretary of State did not even consider it “advisable that opinion upon the subject should be more clearly expressed in Malta.” This change has been not only a burning subject of Parliamentary debate during the past session but the keynote of many of the Government’s actions and of its attitude toward the Imperial authorities. Sir Ugo Mifsud. the Prime Minister, has stated that in whatever part of the Empire he recounted the political vicissitudes of Malta, the advice was always to ‘•fight." A Prime Minister of New Zealand had urged him “to keep on clamouring until he succeeded,” and a Canadian Chief Justice had expressed the opinion that England only granted liberties when she could not squeeze a country any more. Quoting Mr. Gandhi. Such advice has not fallen on deaf ears, and early in the'session the Government of Malta outlined a policy of opposition to the Imperial authorities. This policy was supported by Dr. Enrico Mizzi, the Minister for Public Instruction. “We are convinced,” he said, “that nothing is more certain than the final triumph of the Italianity of Malta. We were proud to call ourselves Italian when Metternich styled Italy a mere geographical expression ; we are even prouder to-day when the Italy of Vittorio Veneto dictates to the world principles of peace and progress with traditional Roman wisdom.” . . . When the Constitutionals warned their Opponents that their policy might lead to the withdrawal of the Constitution and charged th&m with disloyalty, the Nationalists retaliated by quQtins Mr- Gand-

hi’s reasons for being anti-British. Within the limits of the Constitution the Maltese Government decided to resort to any expedient in order to teach Italian. How,,far such limits extended and how the Letters Patent were to be interpreted were matters in which the Nationalists did not see eye to eye with Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister. The Secretary of State for the Colonies, who has been described here as a political chameleon, did not interfere when secondary education was extended; nor did he object to the sending of elementary and secondary teachers for training in Italy, or to the subsidising of private schools on condition that Italian be taught in them. He refused, however, to permit the teaching of Italian in elementary schools as a voluntary subject outside school hours, notwithstanding continued protests sent to him by both Maltese Houses of Parliament. With regard to Maltese, the Minister for Public Instruction laid down that, “as it contains nowadays a very large number of Italian words, or words of Italian origin, the teaching of the vernacular should be such as to enable students to learn Italian with greater facility. The Italian alphabet is to be used and the Italian origin of a word pointed out and explained to the pupils.” Contracts. One of the numerous Acts which were placed on the Statute Book during the past session was "The Notarial Profession and Notarial Archives Act,” which stipulated that contracts are to be drawn up in Italian, but, with the concurrence of all the parties thereto, English may be used. If one of the parties objects the contract is to 'be drawn up in both English an<l Italian. > With regard to any other language, Maltese included, an Italian translation must always be added. Requests by the Opposition to raise Maltese to the level of English and Italian were negatived by the Nationalist majority. The language question is not the only bone of contention between the Maltese Government and the Constitutional Party. The church conflict is still fresh in everybody's memory, and it is unnecessary even to outline the course of events which involved England in dispute with the Vatican. The present Government iu Malta has carefully avoided giving umbrage to the ecclesiastical authorities. Immediately after last year’s elections a deputation which went td London to see the Secretary of State at the Colonial Office made a point of paying homage personally to HjH. I’oipe Pius XI at the Vatican on their way through Rome. They showed in other ways their anxiety to bring about a rapprochement between Church and State. According to an Ordinance of 1522 ecclesiastical bodies had to sell any property within a year from the date they acquired it. This has now been set aside under certain conditions acceptable to the ecclesiastical authorities. The teaching of religion has been extended in the secondary schools, and now figures in the syllabus of every class. Much has been written here about Italian activity in Malta. Italy makes no mystery about her attitude toward the affairs of the Bland. She considers it oue of the terre irredente. Italian children are taught from their earliest years that it is such. During recent years Italians have been pursuing a policy of cultural penetration, aiming at the spread of the Italian language and the knowledge of Italian history, literature. and art. Italy has her Casa del Fascio in the centre of Valletta, her Balilla and Avanguardisti. She maintains an Institute di Coltura. in which lectures are held and courses are conducted by some of the most eminent men in Italy, sent here continuously throughout the year. She has schools and evening classes in Valletta and elsewhere, including a good Montessori school staffed by representatives of the l>CHt teachers of Italy. At these establishments Maltese children are welcomed as pupils, and everything possible is done for them. This summer pupils who distinguished themselves in their studies were taken to Italy to spend a month in the Balilla encampments in the valleys of the Dolomites and given a first-rate holiday absolutely free of charge. Italian ships are in and out of Valletta harbour: and an Italian air service links the town with Rome. The people of Malta are fatalists. A folk-story relates how n peasant girl was quite unperturbed nt dropping a basketful of eggs. “If God wants (she said) He will certainly nut them together again.” Her attitude represents the mentality of the Maltese. They let | everything take its own course, one * thing excepted, the question of language.