We welcome another sensible speech from Mr. E. S. Montagu,
the Under-Secretary for India, in which, speaking to his constituents on Thursday, he dealt chiefly with Mr. Mackarness's pamphlet on the Indian Police, and with the demand made by many Liberals that he should apologise to Mr. Mackarness for misquoting him. Mr. Montagu quoted many passages from Mr. Mackarness's pamphlet to prove that it was Mr. Mackarness who had garbled facts, and continued (we quote from the Times report)
"Even if there were no inaccuracies in the pamphlet, which was not true ; oven if the method of quotation employed by Mr. Mackarness bad been honest, which was not true ; even if he had been successful in attaching to the facts he deduced their fair value, which was not true ; even if his picture were neither dis- torted nor biassed, which was not true, his pamphlet would remain horrible and mischievous because it was written to convey, and did convey, this charge against the Government of India."
Of course no one denies that torture is sometimes practised in Indian prisons, but it is monstrous to say that it is not
discouraged by the European officials. The fact that it is the most difficult thing in the world to prevent the native police from resorting to torture is surely a remarkable commentary on Mr. Mackarness's belief that the Indian natives are fit for much more responsibility.
