THE PREMIER's SPEECH

THERE is not the smallest doubt that the Premier (Lloyd George) has done a disservice to England and the Empire as well as to his own reputation for statesmanship by his speech in the House of Commons on Sir Samuel Hoare’s motion regarding the pay and prospects of the Indian Civil Service. We do not know at the time of writing what view he expressed regarding the subject matter of the resolution. But he availed himself of the opportunity afforded by it to once more repeat his previous view regarding the experimental character of the Reforms. “The changes in India,” he said, “were in the nature of an experiment and they must be treated as an experiment—a great and important experiment, but still an experiment.” As Colonel Wedgwood, who followed Mr. George, pointed out, “this was beyond question a new declaration of policy and one difficult to square with the declaration of August 1917”. That declaration did not contain a word which could suggest that the Reforms were of an experimental character. It said categorically that “the policy of His Majesty’s Government, with which the Government of India is in complete accord, is that of the increasing association of Indians in every branch of the administration and the gradual development of self-governing institutions with a view to the progressive realisation of a responsible government in India as an integral part of the British Empire.” The terms were cautious, but so far as they went, they were absolute, and not contingent. We do not think it can be the intention of the British Government to go back upon this declaration, nor do we believe that not to speak of Indian opinion, which is rapidly rising to a consciousness of its omnipotence in Indian affairs, even the better mind of England will for a moment permit it to be so treated.

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