The Government of India Bill was read a second time
in the House of Commons on Thursday week and referred to a Joint Committee of both Houses. Mr. Montagu made a long speech In defence of his Bill, with a very brief reference to what he evidently regards as the trivial difficulties of education, race, religion, and caste, which, he said, are "on the way to being solved," as they have been any time these two thousand years. The Indian Government was to be freed from unnecessary control by the India Office, and the secretariat system was to be reformed on the advice of Sir H. Llewellyn Smith. Mr. Montagu replied to the severe criticisms of the Provincial Governors ; they were, he admitted, the "moot experienced administrators in India," but he was none the lees sure that he knew better than they did. He concluded by saying that "
India" wished "to achieve nationality once again "—a remark which will amaze any one who knows that India-since the dawn of history has always been a medley of races. It is a pity that the very serious question of Indian reform &mid be treated with such levity. We have written on the whole subject elsewhere.
Previous page
