Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-27
Conferences Foreshadow
Crises in Great Britain
BY A. G. GARDINER,
England's Greatest Liberal Editor.


LONDON, July 26.-with the Kings
Thursday. which among its 10000
guests numbered so American bishops
now attending the Episcopal conference
mere, the London season came to an
END. With the rising Of Parliament in
Q few days, the great annual exodus to
the sea and mountains viii begin.
But behind the scenes the stage is
being set for the great events which
viii follow fast on the heels of the
the imperial and the Indian, which are
now imminent, that on India In Octo-
Der arouses the. deepest interest: For
with the failure Of the Conservatives to
overthrow the Labor government, no
revolutionary change in fiscal relations
within the empire is likely to be con-
sidered and the public interest in the
conference Is entirely overshadowed by
the hopes and fears regarding India.
y y "
The immediate concern turns upon
whether the Indian Congress VIII con-
sent to be represented at the round
table meeting here, for In the absence
o. such representation the possibility
OF reaching o solution disappears in
spite Of the fact that practically ali the
other Indian interests viii take part.
Inc attitude OF Congress depends mainly
on the decision Of Gandhi. With the
Viceroy's consent, Sir Tel Bahadur Sa-
pru and Mr.. Jayaker have visited
Gandhi in prison with a view of nego-
tlattng an arrangement by which the
1noian Congress may be induced to
send delegates. Hopes in this quarter
are not high, in view of Gandhi's in
nexible hostility to Western mechanical
clVlllZ0fi0I1 he - A.
revert to primitive conditions, but the
TACT that the interviews are continuing
suggests that prospects are not wholly
unfavorable.
Sapru and Jayaker propose also to in
terview the Nehrus, father and son. who
likewise are In prison, and should this
result IN agreement ON the terms on
which they win appear at the round
TABLE conference, the whole situation
VIII pe changed for the better. Pre-
Sumably the terms would involve. on
one side, an amnesty to prisoners and
on the other cessation Of the civil dis
opeoience campaign and propaganda.
ri y X
More confidence is felt In the apneals
70 the Nehrus, for though they have
been irreconcilabie they are men of
practlca1 intelligence, who are aware
tnat the present situation Is bearing
aiarmingly on the economic Condition
OF India and that 1t is creating a nosi-
ton, especially in Bombay, that threat
ems incalculahle social and industrial
Moreover. as practical politicians thew
cannot fail to realize that a policy ~
anstention from the conference IL fatal
70 tner object. It would surrender the
presentation OF the Indian case TO the
MoSiem representatives, the Indian
state, the liberal Hindus and the mi
nor1ty interests, such as the ''unto,,ch-
ape cast, as In the case of the Montagu
REFORMS, the findings of the conference
wouLu De put INTO operation regardless
OF their opposition.
In the face of these considerations II
Is inevitable that persistence In a non
cooperation policy would lead to the
Of the Nationalist Com
greSS party, which, however solid IL NAV
pe under the stress of emotional en-
tnusiasm, cannot be permanently held
togetner on the basis of sheer negation
ana Sen-exclusion from Indian affairs.
X
There is less excuse for this non
poSSumuS policy In view of the remark
ABLY enlightened attitude Of the viceroy
ano the extreme sympathy Of the Labor
government with Indian aspirations, No
conditions, SO far as British Sentiment
Is concerned, could be more Favorable
Tor the settlement of the future govern
ment OF India on the most liberal and
instructive basis than the present. and
lt Is felt that If the Nationalist insist
on pursuing the dog.in -ti1e-rnanrer
policy they not only harm midas fiI-
ture, but destroy their own moral an
khority in the country.
AZ does not, OF course, follow that the
presence OF the congress DELEGATES v,o,iId
.emove All difaculties. The task of the
conferences at best win be one Of nm
orecedented labor, for IL means an Az.
pertinent in constitution moneerinr on
: scale ana IN circumstance Of COM
Dlexlty Tor which there Is no previous
.xample;. But the presence of the rep
nously enhance the prospects of
lcnieving wise and acceptable solu-
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