74 



APPENDIX " E." 



Editorial, " The Ceylonese," June i$th, 1915. 



(Under Censorship.) 



;< It was not our intention to revert to the subject of the 

 recent troubles till after normal conditions had been established 

 by the suppression of the riots and the punishment of the rioters. 

 But certain facts have forced themselves on our notice which 

 make it imperative that we should say a few words, as much for 

 the benefit of the authorities, who are trying their best to deal 

 with a difficult and serious situation, as in justice to the per- 

 manent population of this country, whose interests it is our 

 duty to watch and safeguard. 



" We have been scrupulously careful not to say or do any- 

 thing which would in the slightest degree embarrass the authori- 

 ties at this moment. Our sole endeavour from the commence- 

 ment of the trouble has been to render to them whatever assist- 

 ance lay in our power in the task of restoring peace. 



" We realise that an extraordinary situation has been 

 created, calling for extraordinary measures, and we have 

 nothing to say against the measures that have been adopted 

 with a view to suppressing the disturbance and punishing the 

 offenders. 



" Anybody who has had a hand in the dastardly and lawless 

 acts in question deserves neither sympathy nor mercy, and if 

 anyone who does not belong to the rowdy or the criminal class 

 is proved to have had any connection with them, his punishment 

 should be much more severe than in the case of members of 

 those classes. 



" In the circumstances, it is also, perhaps, inevitable that 

 a few innocent men, too, may have to suffer along with the 

 guilty. These must bear up with equanimity, if not with cheer- 

 fulness. 



" We have reason, however, to believe that endeavours 

 are being made by certain designing men to exploit the present 

 situation to pay off their private grudge or to advance their 

 selfish interests, and this is the matter to which we desire to 

 refer on the present occasion. 



