Evening star., 1923-08-22
Rig ght-of-Search Bill Is
Agitating ALI Englishmen

of the very strong opposition to the
much discussed and contested clause
g of the British government criminal
justice bill, the measure Will eventu-
ally pass both houses of parliament
and receive that sanction of King
George which is necessary in order
10 convert 1t into the law of the land
II VIII be interesting to observe
the influence which IL is likely to
exercise upon the innumerable vice
suppression societies on this side of
the Atlantic and upon the restrictive
laws, municipal, state and national.
Lord Readings strongly voiced pro-
i,test, contained in his amazing vice
regal proclamation to the people OF
India, against the decision OF the
imperial government in Downing
street with regard to the claims OF
Indian immigrants into British East
Africa to the same rights as the
white British colonsts, has rendered
hts continuance as governor general
OF King Georges huge oriental eIn
pire extremely difficult. Still, Lord
Reading can put forward some kind
of a precedent for his action.
Lord Harding, who retired last year
from the post of ambassador to
France, obtained, while viceroy OF
India, a good deal of cheap popu
larity among the natives by violent
speech on the discriminating treat
ment OF Indian immigrants in South
Africa, where they are the reverse
of welcome. But there he was criti-
cizing the South African Union gov
eminent of the late Gen. Botha and
of the present premier, Gen. Jan
Smuts.
While the executive ruler of the
great oversee dominions OF the en-
NHv-A IN 81
to eye with one another. particularly
when the interests OF their respective
administrations and countries conflict
1t Is always unfortunate when they
attack one another, since n implies
riffs in the confederation embraced
In the empire.
But when the viceroy of India, the
executive and representative OF the
crown, in a land OF over 300. 600, 600
natives, who are being urged by
native politicians and agitators and
by wrong headed foreign champions
OF national liberty and freedom. 20
rebel against that British rule TO
which alone they owe the preserva-
tion of law and order and the pro-
lection of life and property, goes
out of his way to publicity assaf,
in the form of a proclamation to the
natives, the policy of the crown which
he represents, and to condemn the
measures which, after the most care
full conside ration, II has been led to
adopt, when he himself countenances
native Indian disapproVal of the
policy that has received the approval
of the king-emperor and OF his gov
ernment in Downing street, then the
viceroy's usefulness must be consid
cred as being at an end.
Therefore, the return of Lord Read
ing to England and the appointment
of a new viceroy may be looked for at
an early date. the more so as he was
far, too closely identified with the
policies of Edwin Montagu, the former
secretary of state for India, and who
had to be ousted from Office, to meet
with the approval of the present
cabinet. Montagu, 1t may be remem'
bered, favored the substitution of ma
tive rule for that of the white man
throughout India, even to the extent
of appointing natives to the governor
ship of provinces and to the high
commands of the army. 1t was Lloyd
George who dismissed him from Of
flee, with the approval of the entire
coalition. cabinet. But those members
thereof who were most bitter against
Edwin Montagu, notably the Marquis
of Curzon, himself a former viceroy
of India, are included in the Stanley
Baldwin cabinet.