Exit Sir Ugo

It is Sir David Graham Muschet Campbell's favorite boast that by Gad, sir, he knows how to ride a fractious horse. A Major-General, a K. C. B., Governor of the colony of Malta, his proudest moment was that spring day in 1896 when he won the Liverpool Grand National, a gentleman jockey, on The Soarer. In 1931 he was sent to handle a very fractious horse indeed, the island of Malta. Malta is Britain's most important naval base in the Mediterranean, but Malta is only 60 miles from Italy. Hundreds of Italian emigrants have settled there; most Maltese speak Italian.

Three years ago squabbles between the pro-Italian clergy and erratic Premier Lord Strickland of Sizergh Castle ended with dissolution of Malta's Parliament and direct government by the Governor (TIME, May 19, 1930 et seq.). A compromise was reached in 1932 whereby the Maltese were allowed a new general election with the understanding that whatever government was elected would forbid all teaching of Italian in primary schools, would oppose efforts to Italianize the Maltese. Nationalist, pro-Italian Sir Ugo Pasquale Mifsud promptly was swept into office with an impressive majority, began to dodge the agreement by lowering the age limit so that at the youngest possible age Maltese bambini might enter secondary schools, where Italian is permissible, and by sending Maltese school teachers to Italy for training.

Last week Governor Campbell abruptly suspended the Constitution and fired Sir Ugo and his entire Cabinet.

"Moreover," read the Governor's pronouncement, "there have been in the ordinary day-to-day administration a number of instances indicating the Ministers neglected few opportunities, however small, of displaying their disinclination to work in harmony with the government of His Majesty."

Beside Italian and English, Maltese have a language of their own and this the British Government has attempted to encourage as a means of fighting further Italianization. In London last week Lord Strickland, former Maltese Premier, prepared to hurry back, possibly to resume office. He discoursed briefly on the language problem:

"There is a curious tendency among many Maltese who have listened to Italianizing propaganda or suffered from a sort of snobbishness, to regard their ancient speech, which I believe to be a living relic of the language of Carthage, as a form of Arabic. Being good Catholics they easily got the idea that Maltese linked them with African infidels, while Italian linked them with Christian Europe. Against this tendency I have fought throughout my political life."

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