Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-19
BRITAIN GRANTS
INDIA SELF-RULE
AS FARLEY ENDS
WELCOMED as Dominion in
Commonwealth, With Full
Responsible Government.
POLITICAL PRISONERS
ARE PLEDGED LIBERATION
$4,000 to Be Freed if Civil Quiet
Is Observation-Disclosures
Will Be Rushed.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, January 19.-Ramsay Mac
Donald today brought the Indian round
table conference to close, extending
a welcoming hand to India as a DOM
inion in the British commonwealth
of nations with full responsible self
government.
The work begun at London will be
continued without interruption, he said,
and the new Indian constitution will be
passed through the British Parliament
as soon as it is completed.
This announcement OF British policy
pledged Liberation to midas $4,000 po-
litical prisoners if civil quiet Is pro-
claimed and assured" In India.
Along Lines of U. S. Congress
In long declaration of British Gov
eminent policy, which the prime minis
ter read carefully, the weight of gov
eminent support was pledged to the
findings of the committees of the round
table conference which has been la
boring IN London for two months.
These envisage a national federal
government of India along the general
lines of the United States Congress,
with a senate and house of represen-
tatives, and with the executive power in
the hands of a governor general who
will have cabinet of responsible In
dian ministers chosen from the nation
al assembly.
The Governor General will WELD
authority as the British sovereign's
Na1 tfxyn iNN %ft nV ffcI1
dominionS.
During the period of transition the
financial powers of the new Indian gov
eminent and the fields of defense and
foreign relations will be safeguarded by
| reservations placing them within the
jurisdiction of the British imperial gov
eminent.
In Form of Federation.
The Indian National government,
Macdonald said, will be in the form of
an all-India federation with the spheres
Of defense and foreign affairs remaining
under the control of the imperial
British government. Certain reserva-
lions will be necessary, he added during
the period of transition.
He spoke for about an hour and con-
cluded his address amid great applause
with full responsible self government.
The prime minister indicated, after this
speech was ever, that he would confer
with Lord Wilmington, the new Viceroy
of India, as soon as he arrived from
Canada concerning means of conducting
negotiations for the working out of the
new Indian constitution. Lord willing
don Is due here within the next few
days.
Macdonald held out the olive branch
to Gandhi and the Indian extremists.
ho foE IN
permit all elements in India who wish
to do SO to participate in the negotia-
tons which began here.
Holds Safeguards Necessary.
The Indians, said the prime minister,
must settle their own communal dis
putes, for Britain is neither pro-Hindu
pro-MoSlem, nor pro-any section of the
Indian population.
The attitude of the British govern
ment," he told the assembled delegates,
is nothing more than an overpowering
desire to let you settle your own affairs"
He said he did not like the idea of
placing safeguards" about the proposed
Indian government, but he pointed out
that they exist in every constitution in
the world.
1T is not that we want to interfere"
he said, but such safeguards as the
financial safeguards which are proposed
are necessary to keep India right in the
eyes of the world"
He declared that all Indian commun-
tiles, small and great, must be safe
guarded in any constitution for India
He said also that the nece ssary steps
would be taken for the separation of
Burma from India. This was an out
standing issue of the conference.
Several Delegates Speak.
Several delegates spoke briefly before
the prime minister's turn came and
Sir Tel Bahadur Sapru, former presi-
dent Of the All-India Liberal Fedora
ton, brought round of applause with
an appeal for amnesty for all political
prisoners IN India.
Take courage in your hands" he said
to Premier Macdonald, and hold out
the olive branch to my country. In ask
ing for the release of these prisoners
speak not only for those of us who
are here, but for a large number of
men in my country who are expecting
some such gesture from you"
Lord Peel, the conservative spokes-
man. made what was considered one of
his partys first conciliatory gestures
when he said that If safeguards in India
can be made effective the Conservatives
would not hesitate to assent to a new
Indian constitution.
The delegates gathered for this final
plenary session in full Oriental regalia,
the Indian princess wearing ornate tur-
bans and flashing jewels, and the wom-
en- delegates clad in flowing gowns with
.multi-colored shawls
The task of solving the Indian prob