THE NEAR EAST.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 March 1922, Page 5

THE NEAR EAST.

INDIA AND TURKEY. MINISTER RESIGNS. FLUTTER IN POLITICS. By TelegrajM..—Fret* Assn.—Copyright. London, March 9. Mr. E. S. Montagu has resigned the position of Secretary of State for India. Mr. Chamberlain, referring in the House of Commons to t the publication of the Indian Government’s telegram appealing for a revision of the Sevres Treaty, said that it was published by the Government of India with the sanction of Mr. E. S. Montagu, Secretary for India, but no other Minister was consulted. Mr. Chamberlain desired to abstain from comment on the telegram, although its terms exceeded those demanded by the wannest friends of the Turks. This was a matter for discussion at the conference in Paris. Mr. Chamberlain stated that the Government was unable to reconcile the publication of*the telegram on the sole responsibility of Mr. Montagu with the collective responsibility of the Cabinet, or with the duty which all the-Govern-meats of the Empire owed to each other in matters of Imperial concern. Such independent declarations destroyed the unity of policy which it was vital to preserve in foreign affairs and gravely imperilled the success of the pending negotiations. A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT. WHAT INDIA’S~STEP MEANS. HOSTILE CRITICISM. Received March 10, 5.5 p.m. London, March 9. Mr. E. S. Montagu’s resignation may further delay Mr. Lloyd George’s holiday. Lord Sydenham (an ex-Governor of Bombay), interviewed, says the Government of India’s step is a dangerous precedent which is thoroughly unconstitutional, though it is natural that, being in a position of the gravest difficulty, which Mr. Montagu’s guidance helped to create, the Government should grasp at any straw which it has been induced to think might help to save the situation. Lord Sydenham adds: *‘l do not believe the fulfilment of the demands of Lord Reading (Viceroy of India), which are impossible, would have the smallest effect in ameliorating the dangerous position in India, where the Mohammedan excitement has passed beyond control.” Genera) Sir O’Moore Creagh (a former Commander-in-Chief in India) considers Lord Reading’s proposals an absolutely cowardly surrender to Gandhi and opposed to the wishes of orthodox Mohammedan India.

Lord Islington welcomes Lord Readproposals, which are similar to his own recommendations made in the House of Lords. He says every effort should be made to stop Greece’s aggressive war against Turkey. It is, understood the Premier personally requested Mr. Montagu to resign. CABINET NOT CONSULTED. MR. MONTAGU EXPLAINS CASE. THE PREMIER’S REPRIMAND. Received March 10, 5.5 p.m. London, March 9. Mr. Montagu, in his letter to Mr. Lloyd George resigning, says: "After our’conversation this morning I feel it my duty to resign. In sanctioning the publication of the views of the Government of India I did not see much, if anything, which they had not said again and again since the Peace Conference. I have been fully seized with the grave difficulties which have resulted from the Treaty of Sevres in India and I felt I was doing my duty to do everything in my power to support the Government of India. When, therefore, I was assured that the Government of India regarded the matter as one of great urgency I felt justified in the action I took.’ I believe much would bp gamed and little lost by the publicity of these matters. I regret leaving the Government, but despite the present difficulties I feel the present policy of the Government in India will win through to success.” Mr. Lloyd George, replying, said: "I do not doubt you were actuated solely by a sense' of public duty. Nevertheless, without pressing the necessity, and without consulting either Cabinet, the Foreign Secretary, myself or anyone of my colleagues, you published a telegram raising a question whose importance extends far beyond the . frontiers of India, or the responsibilities oi your office. Sueh actions are totally incompatible with the collective responsibility of Cabinet to the Sovereign and to Parliament. I cannot doubt that on reflection you will share my view that after what has occurred we cannot usefully co-operate in the same Cabinet.” Mr. Lloyd George adds: "I must add that the right of the Government of India to state its views on the Eastern question is not in dispute. The Government has afforded Mohammedan opinion in India every possible opportunity of expressing their views. If the Governments of the Empire were all to claim the liberty of publishing declarations on matters vitally affecting the relations of the whole Empire our foreign policy would lw» broken and the very existence of the Empire would be jeopardised. The moment chosen for your action, moreover, is indefensible from the standpoint which must govern our action of broad, Imperial interests. A conference on the Near East is about to take place and the questions to be .discussed there are of the utmost delicacy. The weight of responsibility which the Foreign Secretary will have to carry will in any case be ’most serious and your action has added considerably to the difficulties of a task which is already difficult enough.” , A postscript adds that the publication of the telegram from Mr. Montagu to the Viceroy would aggravate the bad effects of the manifesto and the Government could not consent to such a course. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

NO SYMPATHY FOR MINISTER. QUESTION OF SUCCESSOR. Received March 10, 9.30 p.m. London, March 10. Members of the House of Commons are eagerly discussing the situation which has arisen as a result of the reBignation of Mr. Montagu. Not much sympathy is being shown for the fallen

Minister, the majority being openly delighted at his departure. Various names are mentioned as his successor, such as Lord Devonshire, Lord Derby, Lord Crawford and Mr. Winston Churchill.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.