The India Committee The minority vote of 118 cast against
the Government in the division on the personnel of the Select Committee on India was swelled by the fact that the dissident Conservatives were joined by the Labour Party, which thought its own representation on the Committee inade- quate. Sir Samuel Hoare's defence of the selection made, having regard to the fact that Mr. Churchill and his friends declined to accept positions on the Committee, will satisfy all reasonable critics, the one arguable question being whether Ministers should themselves have seats on the Committee. As to that there can be no serious doubt, unless the Committee is to be deprived of knowledge and experience which are obviously indispensable to its deliberations. In spite of the little hit Sir Samuel made about Mr. Churchill's policy of non-co-operation, there is a good deal to be said for the view that men who, like the Member for Epping, are radically opposed to the policy presented in the White Paper, are justified in holding themselves free to criticise the findings of the Select Committee, and, if necessary, oppose. them, rather than fetter themselves by forming a dissenting minority in the Committee itself.
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