Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-11
Prospect Brightens for
Anglo-Indian Accord

LONDON, January iO.-The most crit
ical phase Of the Indian Conference has
been reached this week and expectations
Of successful issue are more confident
than ct any period since the parley's
opening.
The wisdom Of approaching the crux
Of the question BY the consideration Of
subsidiary issues has been abundantly
justified. The method has served to
educate the mind Of an sections Of the
conference and to create a atmosphere
Of tolerance and enlightened under
standing Of the problem.
From the beginning 1t has been real
ICED that the fate Of the conference
depends on the measure Of agreement
In regard TO Q responsible government
ct the center. This issue has been OBJ
scured by the Hindu oslem difficulties
on the question Of representation, which
Is still unsolved, but behind these diff
ferences the fact has grown increasing
ly clear that whatever may be the do
nestle disagreemsnt Of the Indian rep
resentaton, their unAnin2ty On the
vital issue Of salf-EoVeTnment ct the
center Is absolute and unqualified.
This unanimity has had o profound
effect, not only on the British delega-
ton but also on public opinion, a. evil
denced by the marked change In tone of
even the conservative press. Had Sir
Tel Sapru put forward his demand In
the early stages Of the conference, the
negotiations would have been gravely
imperiled: but In the changed COMPLEX.
ION Of affairs the issue has emerged as
. natural and inevitable completion Of
the new constitutional structure.
y y
This correspondent 10 disposed TO
dispose TO- think that Lord Readings
speech, with the practical acceptance Of
the Sapru claims, will be remembered
as the turning point, not merely In the
conference but in the history Of India.
It marked q significant advance Of Lord
Readings previous attitude and In thin
respect represented q remarkable change
In British opinion on the subject. His
acceptance of . responsible government
at the center, with the army and for
eign relations alone reserved, and with
agreed safeguards on the subject of
nnance ana commerce, may be taken az
expressing the unanimous view of tl1e
Liberal and Labor delegations: and 10 Il
anticipated that the government win
make an announcement Of policy On
these lines, TO be followed BY q produce
ton bill which 10 practically sure Of
passage through Parliament.
1t Is expected, Of course. that there
will be Conservative opposition and the
attitude Of the House Of Lords may be
hostile; but the Conservative delegates
to the conference have visibIy shifted
their ground under the influence of the
conference and II n fact that the old
die-hard spirit has practically disap-
peared from the press and that the pub
lie mind Is clearly reeonciled to any
reasonable policy which win dispose OF
the Indian problem ~ effectively as
home rule has disposed OF the Irish
problem. Certainly II the Conservatives
tried to make the Indian question the
subject Of an appeal TO the electorate
they would invite o decisive catastrophe.
Assuming, as we may, that the con-
ference adopts q new constitution, what
viii be the effect on the extremists I'm
India? Doubtless there viii be irrecon-
cilable elements in India, Is In Ireland,
but 1t Is dimcult to imagine that the
new constitution which Is taking shape
at the conference, and which gives COM
plete autonomy to the provinces and
financial and legislative responsibility,
with safeguards, ut the center, win not
satisfy the aspirations Of India and
achieve paciacation. -
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