Evening star., 1934-10-21
Indian Issue Menaces
Stanley Baldwin's Rule
BY A. G. GARDINER.

LONDON, October 20.-The most
ominous shadow that looms over the
British political landscape is the
question Of self-government for In
dia. It has been darkened by men
acing vote Of the Conservative eau
Gus, which threatens such a rupture
on the subject within the party as
would bring the government policy 10
the ground.
There is no doubt that II free vote
Of the Conservatives were taken
either In Parliament or in the coun-
trv. 1t would be decisively hostile 70
the policy Of the government. Only
the prestige of Stanley Baldwin has
so far kept the party in q sort OF
suIlen agreement with the proposed
constitution.
But it Is becoming doubtful whether
even his influence can prevent fatal
rupture. The vote OF the Conserva-
tive conference at Bristol Is the
heaviest blow his authority has yet
received. The die-hards Of the party
proposed q resolution warning the
government Of the dangers Of their
indian policy and came within an
ace of carrying it. Indeed, on the
show of hands, it was believed that
it was carried, and when the ballot
was taken it was defeated by only SAB
votes to $40. The disquieting fact Is
that the result shows something ap-
preaching a landslide against the
government policy among the rank
and file, for only a year before, at
the conference in Birmingham, the
die-hard resolution was defeated by
737 to 344.
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It is not easy to forecast the issue
of the struggle between Mr.. Baldwin
and his rebellious followers. He went
down to the conference the day after
the vote and made a speech, but it
was eloquently silent on the one ques-
ton that was in everybody's mind,
that of India. His only distant allu-
sion to the vote was his declaration
that so long as he was leader of the
party, he would exercise the authority
of leader. He has undertaken to con-
suit the Conservatives at party meet
ing before committing the party to the
support of the government, but he
will not do this until the report OF
the Joint Select Committee, which Is
formulating the constitution, has
been issued. This Is expected to oc-
cur next month.
This depends wholly on whether
Mr.. Baldwin or Mr.. Churchill wins
in the struggle between them for the
soul of the Conservative party. Mr..
Churchill undoubtedly represents the
feeling of the majority, and he Is not
only the most formidable debater in
the party, but he has a very special
reason for using all his gifts to the
maximum in order to overthrow his
nominal leader. Mr.. Baldwin is
mainly responsible for the unforgiy-
able offense of excluding him from
the government.
+ 4 =
Apart from the two brief Labor
governments, this Is the first cabinet
in which Mr.. Churchill has not had
q seat since 1906. In the interval he
has sat more consistently on the front
treasury bench than any Of his con-
temporaries and has filled more first
class Offices than any man In history.
He had come to regard office as his
almost inalienable right and the ulti-
mate succession to the premiership
as an indisputable claim.
His exclusion from the national
government, therefore, was much
more than a disappointment. It had,
in his eyes, the character Of per-
sonal insult, and no Churchill is
accustomed to take an insult lying
down. The Indian issue has put q
powerful weapon in his hand for
the achievement Of his revenge. It
has made him the exponent Of the
real feelings Of the Conservative party.
But that party does not trust him.
Mr.. Baldwin, on the other hand,
Is personally respected and so far
he has carried the Conservative ex-
ecutive with him. He has never be-
fore tried II so hard as he Is doing
now. He Is profoundly In earnest on
the Indian issue and has staked his
political existence on 1t. He is con-
vinced that the only alternative to
the government policy is a complete
and final breach between Britain and
India, and If he is beaten he will
disappear from public life and the
national government will disappear
with him.
Faced with this certainty, I still
think that, when next month the final
stages Of the battle begin, the rank
and file Of the Conservatives will
come to heel-sullenly and unwillingly,
but effectively. But 1t is q near
thing-how near thing the vote
at srftol has shown;