THE INCOHERENTS.
The reply of the Soviet Government to the Spa Conference was described by Mr. Lloyd George as "incoherent; the sort of document that might be drawn up by a committee composed of Colonel Wedgwood, Commander Kenworthy, Lord Robert Cecil, Mr. Bottomley and Mr. Thomas." It is understood that these hon. Members intend to hold an indignation meeting to discuss means—if any—of refuting this charge.
Monday, July 19th.—Opinions may differ as to the wisdom of the Peers in reopening the Dyer case, but the large audience which assembled in the galleries, where Peeresses and Indians vied with one another in the gorgeousness of their attire, testified to the public interest in the debate. At first the speakers made no attempt to "hot up" their cold porridge. In presenting General Dyer's case Lord Finlay was strong without rage. In rebutting it the Under-Secretary for India proved himself a grave and reverend Sinha, without a trace of the provocativeness displayed by his Chief in the Commons. Not until the Lord Chancellor intervened did the temperature begin to rise. His description of the incident in the Jullianwallah Bagh was only a little less lurid than that of Mr. Montagu. The Peers would, I think, have liked a little more explanation of how an officer who admittedly exhibited, both before and after this painful affair, "discretion, sobriety and resolution," should be regarded as having on this one day committed "a tragic error of judgment upon the most conspicuous stage," and may have wondered whether, if the stage had been less conspicuous, the critics would have been more lenient.
AN ARABIAN KNIGHT AT HOME. Lord Winterton.
For as long as I can remember the French have been partant pour la Syrie. Now they have got there, with a mandate from the Supreme Council, and have come into collision with the Arabs. As we are the friends of both parties the situation is a little awkward. Mr. Ormsby-Gore hoped we were not going to fight our Arab allies, and was supported by Lord Winterton, who saw service with them during the War. A diplomatic speech by Mr. Bonar Law, who pointed out that the French were in Syria on just the same conditions as we were in Mesopotamia, helped to keep the debate within safe limits.
Tuesday, July 20th.—The Lords continued the Dyer debate. Lord Milner confessed that he had approached the subject "with a bias in favour of the soldier," and showed how completely he had overcome it by finally talking about "Prussian methods"—a phrase that Lord Sumner characterised as "facile but not convincing." Lord Curzon hoped that the Peers would not endorse such methods, but would be guided by the example of "Clemency" Canning. The Lords however, by 129 to 86, passed Lord Finlay's motion, to the effect that General Dyer had been unjustly treated and that a dangerous precedent had been established.
The First Commissioner of Works was inundated with questions about the pylon and explained that it had been designed by Sir Frank Baines entirely on his own initiative. Its submission to the Cabinet had never been contemplated, and its exhibition in the Tea Room was due to an hon. Member, who said that a number of people would be interested. Apparently they were.
Asked if the scheme might be regarded as quite dead, Sir Alfred Mond replied that he certainly thought so. In fact, to judge by his previous answer, it was never really alive.