The Dominion WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1907. MR. KEIR HARDIE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 12, 9 October 1907, Page 4

The Dominion WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1907. MR. KEIR HARDIE.

A good many people appear to be losing their heads over Mr. Keir Hardie's objectionable activities in India, and things are being written and said of him by usually sensible people which are as indefensible as his own reckless fanning., of the flames of Hindoo sedition. There is no occasion for these wild utterances, and no excuse for the attitude which regards Mr. Keir Hardie as a fit subject for persecution by the Dominions which he intends to. visit after he has completed his " angelic mission" to the Indian subjects of the King. An Australian senator has declared that the Socialist leader deserves hanging, and, without goiug so far ourselvds, we can easily agree that Mr. Hardie may be as proper a subject as Lala Lajpat Rai for some discouraging attention at the hands of the British authorities in India. There is a vast gulf, however, between even that extreme view of the duty of the Indian Government and the proposition of the Mayor of Parnell, who. urged that should be taken to prevent Mr. Hardie from landing 4 in the Dominion. The Parnell Borough Council, for all its indignation, was unwilling to proceed beyond a resolution in which it deprecated the bestowal of any favour upon the visitor by any Government or civic official, and denounced Mr. Hardie as " a person' utterly unworthy of the regard and esteem due to a member of the House of Commons." With the first part of the resolution we can easily agree; but as to the respectability, and worthiness of Mr. Hardie we do not feel- called on to express an opinion. There is ho need to do anything foolish to express this Dominion's regret at Mr. Hardie's attempt to undo the work which the Indian Government is doing: that regret may be taken for granted. There is also' no occasion for alarm at what Mr.' Hardie may say or do here. Indeed, it is very necessary.to take care that no limit, is set upon the freedom of his speech, beyond the limit which law and order has set for every one of us. At the same time, 'while this country must avoid the disgrace of attempting to gag a visitor who desires to talk, nothing is plainer than that no public , official countenance should be given to the mission of any political agitator from abroad. The Mayor of this city, it is understood, has been asked to pre T side over a public meeting to be addressed by Mr. Keir Hardie. Mr. Hislop has always displayed a ready courtesy to visitors lothe city, and the narrow restrictions of party politics have not been allowed to enter into consideration with him at such times. But in the present' case, to comply with the request lhadej would, under the special circumstances, be liable to give rise to the idea that the city gave its approval to the visitor's political beliefs, which would certainly 'prove distasteful to .a majority of citizens-. Let Mr. Keir Hardie hold meetings by all means, but let him do so under the aegis of those who share his opinions. . l