Evening star., 1922-03-10
INDIAN CRISIS MAY
|NV0LVEPREM|ER
Dismissal of Secretary Likely
to Hasten Lloyd George
Resignation.
By the Associated Press.


LONDON. March 1o.-Removal of
Lord Reading as viceroy of India. it
is believed in some quarters, will be
the denouement to the publication of
the Indian governments note. There
is nothing tangible on which to base
this belief. but it is not improbable as
a sequel to the virtual dismissal of
Edwin S. Montagu as secretary for
India.
The probable effect in India of Mr..
Montagu's resignation is the subject
Of much curiosity. and there are some
misgivings lest the removal of the
champion of Indian political reform
have a dangerous repercussion there.
The Earl of Derby. former secretary
taryship for India. according to re-
pcrts in the parliamentary lobbies to-
day. In the event of Lord Derby's re-
fusal the Duke of Devonshire is men,
toned as the likely appointee.
May Affect Lloyd George.
Equally momentous from the do
mestic political point of view is the
effect that the whole affair may have
on the fortunes of the government,
especially as to the position of Prime
Minister Lloyd George. Some believe
the chances that the premier will
make good his threatened resiena-
tion have been considerably increased.
and .aet. if he also takes the view
that American abstentien from the
Genoa conference lessons the pros
ri
may soon learn of his definite ar
rangement.
1t is still unknown whether he in
tends to begin his holiday today, but
in view of the threatened lockout in
the engineering and shipbuildlng
trades it is thought likely the evil
genius which prevented his attend
ance at the Washington conference
will again upset his arrangements.
The successor to Secretary Montagu
must be appointed soon, in view of
the dangerous situation in India, but
the post is difficult to fill. The opinion
in the lobbies overnight was that
Winston Spencer Churchill, who was
first mentioned as likely to be ap-
pointed. is too intimately concerned in
the Irish settlement to allow his re-
moval from his present Office as Sec
retary for the colonies.
Other Names Mentioned.
Talk is mostly centering about the
Duke of Devonshire, former governor
general of Canada, although other
names are mentioned. The duke is a
conservative. and should he be chosen
it would make the third replacement
Of a liberal minister by a conserva- :
tive within ten days. This would give
I, I,s =:
tive complexion, which would become
still more pronounced il the rank and
file of that party brings about the re-
tirement Of H. A. L. Fisher as min
lister of education and the appoint
ment of conservative in his place.
for which there is now some agita-
ton.
All the newspapers give prominence
to the Montagu incident and comment
on his retirement.
AS might have been expected. the
conservative press raises paeans of
joy. but it is noteworthy that the
liberal newspapers agree that his
made impossible by recent events.
The Daily News, one of his warmest
supporters, while expressing sorrow
at the retirement as ''oAe of the best
secretaries of state India ever had"
SAYS
Ihe dtmculty OF the Moslem prob
lem in India hardly justified wanton
complication of the no less difficult
situation in the near east and cannot
justify the formal announcement to
France that our policy in Asia Minor
is determined by the exigencies of
of cur position in India. In this
criticism lthe News includes Lord
Reading"
The Westminster Gazette, formerly
another cordial supporter of Mr.. Mon
tagu, condemns him on similar
grounds. The Times, while approv-
ing his removal. says:
The circumstances which led to his
resignation reveal deplorable lack
of coordination in the government,
power to deal coherently and firmly
with the greht issues of the imperial
policy"