The Lords' debate on India showed how admirably suited the
Upper House is to discuss matters where experience is required to weigh probabilities. Lord Lothian and Lord Reading were the best4 of a generally impressive contingent of supporters of the White Paper, mainly because they refused to be too apologetic. Lord Zetland took the curious course of accepting the White Paper in principle and destroying it by piecemeal criticisms. Lord Lloyd was most dramatically menacing in the Churchillian vein. Lord Irwin made an effective summing up of the debate, which left the impression that the White Paper appeals more to those who ought to know modern India than to those who think they know it. In the Commons, the critics of the Govern- ment showed an accession of strength in the voting on the personnel of the Joint Select Committee, And might have done even better if the Churchillian group had not pontifically refused to serve. It must be remembered, however, that the voting did not represent a criticism of policy so much as the view that Ministers 'ought not to serve on a Committee which is supposed to be the independent agent of Parliament in redrafting the Government's proposals,
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