Equality in Commonwealth: All-India Federation Suggested TPPHE Indian Round-Table Conference is now in fall owing after the opening of the second plenary session ju London on Monday.
The Prime Minister has been elected President, Lord Sankey, Deputy President, and a panel of six chairmen has been appointed representing the British, Indian States and British India delegations.
Sir Tei Bahadur Sapru delivered an important speech on the issues before the Conference and declared that India was determined to achieve a status of equality with other members of the Commonwealth. The Maharaja of Bikaner rejected the idea of a unitary state and suggested a federal system of government for the country. Mr, Jayakar asserted that if were given Dominion status the cry for independence would die naturally in a few months.
London, Nov.17.
The second plenary session of the nian Round Table Conference opened with Mr. Ramsay MacDonald jexkorting the delegates concerning the need for ce-operation one another and a determination to ueapering discussion at the plenary "session. today" Sit Te} Bahadur Sapra (the British Indian delegate who, with Str. Jayakar, on the eve of the Conference. vainly tried, to" mediate between the Viceroy of India and Mahatma ]Gandhi) emphasized the change that aad taken place in India during. the past decade and the gravity of the Chil disobedience movement.
He expressed the opinion that Kamentary overcignty really meant the sovereignty of half, a dozen then in England and half a dozen men in India." Indians, therefore, naturally sought for freedom as an integral" pare of the British om.
He declared that the average Ealishman asked what it meant when Indians used the forbidden phrase /*Dorninion Status." "Did the average Englishman," he continued, "ask that question: in 1865 an regards Canadas or in' 1900" an regards Australia, or in 1900
South Africa?"
Sir Tei Bahadur Sapru asserted that India was determined to achieve status of equality' with other members of the Commonweath. He declared that—India's Central JGovernment must be made respon ible to the Legislature and he ion of India as a sigla whole, each part autonomous and absolutely independ. ent within its own borders, bat by proper relations with He strongly urged all-India Federation which the Indians considered "a real live issue Indian Danders than had teen made in dealing with recurrent agitations of the past 25 years. As regards commerce, he said, Indians had no wish to rob Europeans of their capital. They would welcome any surges: tions the Europeans might offer to safeguard their rights and interests.
Sir Te Bahadur Sapra admitted the difficulties in connection with defence, but Indians merely asked for the opportunity to frs their own men. "By all means," he added, "keep the British Army in the hands of the Viceroy. We. fon our part, are willing to provide the funds and to agree to statutory charges in respect to the amy He repudiated the suggestion no British offer would. be will fo serve ander an Indian fellow subject and said "there should be no feeling of superiority or inferiority; otherwise India would never be contented." (cheers).
The Maharaja of Bikarer, on be half of the Indian Princes, re-affirmed their unflinching loyalty to the! Throne and to the person of the King-Emperor and he declared that,
faltering adherence to the British ced that loyalty, was an Commonwealth of Natio He stated that the Indian States must be influenced by the development of political ideas and institu. tions beyond their frontiers but pointed out that India was a land of some diversity and he expressed the opinion that a unitary State, with a Sovereign parliament at] Delhi, fo which the whole people would look for small and large kings, was Impossible, "There would not be room, in such la Constitution for. the ' Indian States. Moreover," he continued, "such a Government would crack under its own ponderability.
'The Maharaja reconmmiended a federal system of Goveramen', com reset of the tnlia States and Eyitish India... At the same time, the Prinese es require to Ibe more precisely defined. He em-Iphasized the importance of the crtablishment of a Supren" Court adjudicate regarding Treaty rights.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.