Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-13
The United States of India.


With rapidity which casts fresh
1uster upon Britains invincible genius
for compromise, where the fate of the
empire is concerned, the London Con-
ference on India has come TO conclu-
sions. The realm of the rajahs is to
be federalized under a constitution of
its own into a self-governing common
wealth which will in effect. comprise a
United States of India. The outlines
of this history-making scheme wee re-
yealed yesterday.
AS Americans learn of the organic law
proposed for Britannia's "crown jewell
they will observe the analogy between
the constitutional system set up by our
own founding fathers at Philadelphia in
1883 and the Magma Charta now prof.
ected for India. The resemblance is
rather to our legislative than to our
executive organization. midas federal
Parliament is to consist of two cham
bers. like that of the United States.
The upper and smaller house, also
like our own, is referred to in Lord
Sankey's preliminary report as the
SENATE" No official title for it has
been determined. Borrowing yet an
other Upper House idea from us, the
Indian Senate will have an element OF
continuity in its membership, because
the terms of all its members will not
expire simultaneously. The Senators"
from British India, who will be either
100 or $50 in number, are to be elected
by the provincial Legislatures, just as
formerly United States Senators were
chosen, not by popular vote, but by the
State Legislatures.
midas Lower House, the name OF
which is still to be selected, is expected
TO number $50 members, all elected for
I'VE years, unless the Chamber should
be dissolved by the governor general.
Whether the more popular branch OF
the Indian Parliament viii obtain ONCE
by direct vote of the people or other
wise is also left for future decision.
Lord Sankey's report, which repre-
SCENTS the composite views Of both the
British and native Indian delegates at
the London round table, specifically
leaves many Indian questions underlined.
On the cardinal issues Of foreign policy,
defense and finance authority Is def
niteIy vested in the governor general,
who will personify the king-emperor and
be guided, of course, by the views and
instructions Of the imperial government
In London.
For the rest, it is already foreshad-
owed that the United States OF India
fronts at the very outset sea OF I'M
certainties such as even the well estab-
lished United States of America, despite
nearly 100 years of that noble expert
ment, has never ceased TO face. Para
mount among these issues is the
boundary line between Federal and
States rights. But controversy in India
may be less acrimonious and be more or
less short-lived because it is planned
that the governor general in crisis
shall be clothed with something Ike
autocratic power.
~ 40 q AOAN6OAAC NSA4NANDANA- 1890
this wide measure Of political indie
pendence for India will fail to satisfy
the extremists who follow the banners
of Gandhi. Dominion status" is not
what they want. They clamor for an
india for Indians" They crave SOW
ereignty unalloyed. Even while the
Sankey report was becoming public
property in London, symbolically wild
disorders In Poona and Bombay ragged,
in consequence Of the execution OF
Indian rioters found guilty Of murder
during political disturbances last year.
For the present, at any rate, the world
viii not withhold its recognition of a
gesture to India by John Bull, which
loses nothing in magnanimity because
Of its soporific intent.