20 JULY 1918, Page 2

Mr. Task's opinions are, of course, almost at the opposite

extreme to those of Dr. Nair, and if the Government consistently took the view that all controversy about.India during the war was undesirable, we should heartily support them. In such circumstances we are sure that Dr. Nair and his friends would have not a word to say against the decision of the Government. Unfortunately it is quite impossible to discover any consistency in the Government's policy. To publish such a document as the Montagu Report at this juncture was to fling the doors open to controversy. The Government cannot have expected for a moment that the Report would be accepted unopposed. Even while knowing, however, that feeling must be deeply moved by such a critical document, they have taken the worst possible course. They have permitted the expression of opinion which is favourable to the Report, and refused a hearing to Dr. Nair, who is no doubt anxious to enlighten people in this country as to what he believes to be the true state of opinion in India. That is not an English manner of procedure. In practice, whatever the intentions of the Government may be said to be, the Press is nobbled in favour of the Government plan.