July 23.
The misguided efforts of a certain section of the British press to throw the Indian ques tion into the arena of party politics have been to some extent countered by the categorical announcement that both Conservative and Liberal opinion will be represented on the Conference to take place in October, on the constitutional future of India, Thus Mr, Ramsay MacDonald has maintained the policy which Jed him, last year, to consult the Opposition before authorizing the Chairman of the Indian Statutory Commission to include the relations of the Indian States to British India in the scope of the Commission's report and which actuated Mr. Baldwin in securing for the Commission, on its appointment, nominees of the then leaders of the Opposition: Mr. Ramsay MacDonald and Mr, Lloyd George. The Government ther taken steps to minimize the mischief of tententious messages from India and the consequent reaction on the critics in London, by reaffirming the importance of the Simon Report and thus rebutting the suggestion that either they or the Government of India, intend to shelve that historic document. They have also reassured reasonable opinion in India by emphasizing the freedom of the forthcoming conference, their open mind on the issues. involved and—their endorsement of Sir John Simon's own description of his Commission as rapporteurs. The official appreciation of the situation in India indicates that Lord Irwin's speech of July 9 has had a good effect on moderate opinion, "hitherto paralyzed by the fierceness of the revolutionaries' onslaught on the peace and order of India. Lord Irwin certainly went far in soothing anxiety over the possible effect of the Simon Report on the discussions of the Conference. It may be open to doubt whether adhension to the Conference on the basis of the full implications of his emollient may not be dearly purchased. When in England that Report is considered to be "a great State paper of permanent value" and in foreign countries its findings are being treated with unfeigned respect, it is most undesirable to encourage the view in India that it can be flippantly dismissed as unworthy of consideration. To some extent Lord Itwin's own government are blameworthy for, during the last few weeks, press messages irom Simla: shave hinted broadly that the Central and Provincial Governments are now prepared to go-beyond the Proposals of the Simon Commission. It should have been the care of the Government of India to issue a prompt disclaimer of an attitude which would justi-lably be interpreted as weak-kneed acquiescence in the arguments of violent revolution. They probably were deterred by the fact that the "Daily Herald"—theoretically the organ of the Labour Government—had _mischievously lent its authority to similar notions, Mr. Wedgwood Benn has seen the danger of the development and the statement to which reference is made above should clear the air and stimulate political correspond. ents in Simla to the exercise of more discretion and lees flam-boy ance.
That the road is now entirely smooth for the London Conference it would he idle to pretend, The British Government have secured the Westminster Will Lord Irwin obtain really representative body of Indian opinion? If Pandit Motilal Nehru and Mr, Gandhi could be induced to put: themselves in a position to be invited the Conference would gain in political significance, It might not be so productive of reasoned agreement, While therefore it is understandable that earnest folk in England and India have been endeavouring to persuade the recalcitrant leaders to adopt'the Peaceful role of delegates, must be frankly admitted that the prospects of their success ai remote, particularly in regard to Mr. Gandhi who shrewdly knows that, although he is now confronted by an impasse of his owa creation, his reputation would dissolve into thin air round a prosaic table in London, Ne theless Lord Irwin still ho) that he can send to England sound collection of Indian representatives. Reports - from India suggest that the number is likely to be exceedingly large—sixty is the figure quoted in some quarters—and that may tend to convert the conference into a miniature assembly, The dangerous influence of rhetoric, in such circumstances, may intrude to the detriment of business-like discussion.
It is most unfortunate that the Conference has to meet in the shadow of sinister happenings in India, The latest official review of the situation is not discourage ing but, obviously, the comments on the' Bombay débicle must arouse uneasiness, Bombay, for the last two or three years," has been in the throes of grave trade depression following an unprecedented boom. There has been a foolish tendency to mix politics with business in attempting to cope with this depression, First Bombay led the way in political contumacy over the stabilization of the rupee at 1s. 6d, Lately her Indian merchants—faced with a serious communist_menace—have "shown a curious disposition, on the one hand to bemoan its baleful effects and, on the other, to obstruct all efforts of the Government to deal with it, The Governorship of Sir Prederick Sykes has been marked by hesitations which have unnerved the executive in its maintenance of Jaw and order, Admittedly Sir Frederick succeeded to an unhappy legacy bequeathed by Sir Leslie Wilson who acquired popularity by light treatment, -of responsibilities, which his predecessor, Sir George (now Lord) Lloyd manfully shouldered. On the whole Bombay has found trouble owing to the weakness of the personal equation in the Government and outside. This does not mean that the whole of India is in like case. And, on this point, when pessimists are apt, on the strength of the neces-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.