Debate on prohibition

THE debate that took place in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday on the subject of prohibition, the speeches that were made, as well the division in which it culminated are an eloquent testimony to the strength and virtual unanimity of Indian opinion in this matter of great national importance and the wide divergence between that opinion and the opinion of the Government and its natural allies, the non-official European members. Two things strike the dispassionate reader of the proceedings at once. In the first place, not a single Indian, whether official or unofficial, dared to raise his voice in support of the official view, and not a single European had a really good word to say about the amendments, one of which ultimately became the substantive proposition. Secondly, the majority in favour of this amendment was so decisive — 69 against 38 — that even in the absence of the division, it is safe to assert that few, if any, non-official Indians voted against the motion. As our readers are aware, the Government has behind it a solid bloc of 40 official and semi-official members and 12 nominated members. Making every allowance for absentees as well as for those nominated members who may have voted in favour of the resolution, it is no extravagant assumption that the 39 votes that were cast in favour of the Government consisted principally, if not solely, of the official votes and those of the natural and habitual supporters of the official benches. Of the debate itself, it is unnecessary to say much. The subject has been discussed threadbare and it is no matter for surprise that most of the arguments that were used on either side were old.