THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, MARCH 13, 1922. INDIA’S CLAIMS.

Wairarapa Age, 13 March 1922, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, MARCH 13, 1922. INDIA’S CLAIMS.

The offence committed by the ’Secretary for India adds another to the grave problems which seem every day to' multiply upon the shoulders of the Prime Minister of Britain. The British Government has had its work cut out during the last few years to resist the growing demand of a section of the people of India, led by Gandhi an 1 others, for complete self-government. It has been the policy of the Government for ten years past to grant selfgovernment step by step. Some steps have been taken—quite as much as most people think safe for the time being, but not sufficient to satisfy the Indian home-rulers. The Mohammedan race, in India, in Turkey, and in Egypt, has been a very strong facto-* ir. the agitation, and the agitators b?ve used every pretext to cause discontent amongst them. There is to be a conference shortly on the Near East question and the settlement of Turkey. With so many Mohammedans under her own rule, Britain’s part at the conference will be sufficiently arduous without adding new difficulties This the Government of India and the India Office have now contrived to do. Despatches have been passing to and fro on the question of settling Indian opinion. In one of these despatches fie Government of India, of which Lord Reading as Viceroy is the head, expressed the view that Constantinople should be evacuated, that Thrace should be restored to the Ottomans, and that the Jriiiltain should have suzerainty over the Holy places. Tho last clause in particular must be abhorrent to every Briton who had anything to do with the liberation of the Holy Land from Turkish rule; and the first two clauses are only less abhorrent. But the despatch might have done no harm if it had not been published outside the British Cabinet. Instead of that Mr Montagu, without consulting his colleagues, has given the despatch out to the world, to the huge delight, no doubt, of the Mohammedans in India and Egypt. Mr Asquith has hastened to repudiate the suggestion that Turkey should ever again be given control over Christian populations. This is necessary when one recalls the part played in the Indian self-government movement by his erstwhile colleagues. Lord Morley wt ,! the Secretary of State whb first enunciated the policy of granting it. Lord •Reading, now. Viceroy, was a close col league of Mr Asquith, and Mr Montagu was also one of his Cabinet appointments. All three are men of outstanding ability, but it looks as if «a different policy will be required to pacify India.