Evening star., 1933-04-02
Britain Adopts Plan for
Indian Self-COvernment
BY A. G. GARDINER.

LONDON, April PARLIAMENT this
| week was the scene of one Of the most
| momentous debates in its history. For
three days, in Sir Herbert Samuels
phrase, it was engaged in debating in
Westminster a future constitution for
$50, 100000 people living thousands of
! miles away in Asia.
The subject of debate was a motion
setting up q joint committee to con-
struct constitution for India on the
lines laid down in government white
paper. The scheme, which is the cul-
mination of the India round table con-
ferences, provides not only for a large
measure of self-government for the
provinces, but for a responsible govern
ment at the center on federal basis.
Included in the scheme are safeguards,
vested in the governor general, which
are designed to preserve the financial
stability of the country, military security
and internal order.
The proposal was attacked from two
extremes. The die-hard Conservatives
under the leadership Of Winston
Churchill denounced the governments
lurid colors Churchill pictured horri-
BILE fate descending on India and
warned his fellow members not to lay
up somber self-reproaches in the eve
ming of their lives. At the other ex-
treme the plan was asSailed by Com
munistS and Laborites.
X X
The main Conservative attack was
directed on two pointS-frst, that a
centralized government on a federal
basis should be abandoned and SELF
government be tried first in the prov
inces only; second, that the British
i 4y-ol Nf he
police to the Indian legislatures.
These proposals If adopted would re-
duce the scheme to practical nullity
The essence of the government scheme
is the incorporation of the states OF the
Indian princes in federal scheme.
Without this, the consolidation OF In
dia into q unitary system OF govern
ment would be impossible and the con-
cession of self-government to the
provinces of British India would be
merely a negligible and illusory reform.
The scheme of autonomous provinces
with an irresponsible center would
probably break down before it was well
started and would certainly be repudi-
ated by Indian opinion.
1t is agreed that risk is taken in the
transfer of control of the police to the
provincial legislatures, but the case OF
the government is that risks must be
taken and that only by this transfer
can a sense Of responsibility be expected
to develop within the provincial legis-
latures themselves. Only when the
Indian legislatures have been charged
with the daily maintenance of public
order will it be impossible for them to
lay the blame for their own incapacity
on British officials.
he accaiIad
from behind by its own supporters, 1t
was also assailed in the front by
Laborites. who argued that the reforms
were inadequate. James Maxton, leader
of the Communists, protested that
Great Britain ought to leave India, bag
and baggage, apparently regardless OF
the fact that such a course would bring
the whole structure Of the Indian
system to the ground and release
sleeping hostilities between the Hindus
and Moslems which have only been re-
strained by the stabilizing element OF
British authority.
The debate ended in a remarkable
triumph for the government. The Die
hards and Communists together sue
ceeded in recording only 43 votes
against the governments 449. This Is
a remarkable achievement in a House |
of Commons Overwhelmingly Conserva-
tive and indicates that so far as Brit
ain is concerned the victory for Indian |
self-government is won beyond the pos
sibility of challenge.
1t remains to be seen what the atti- |
tude of responsible Indian opinion will |
be. The general tenor of comments by |
Indian leaders is critical OF the scheme
as being excessively cautious, but this
was expected More serious is the
question whether the Indian princes
will implement their undertaking to
in the federal scheme. This
cooperation Is vital Without them
the proposal for a responsible govern
ment at the center would be imprac-
ticablel The princes of the chief Indian
states are believed to be still favorable
10 the plan. but opposition is threat
ened by the princes of smaller states.
!