Evening star., 1934-12-09

an etching by W. 8. Bagdatopoulos.
hundreds of thousands of English
men in the civil or military services
of the Indian government and the
future prospects of a lucrative trade
As a matter Of fact, the present
scheme for the new Indian govern
ment simply bristles with safeguards.
The recommendations Of the Simon
commission and of the various round
table conferences as to the basic con-
stitutional structure have in the main
been followed out. India, that is. is
to become a federal state, comprising
both that territory now known as
British India and as many Of the
native states as desire to adhere to
the federation. These subdivisions are
TO enjoy a considerable measure Of
local autonomy.
Two Chambers in Legislature.
The ultimate governing body is to
be an all-India legislature. with two
chambers. The Lower Chamber, or
House of Assembly, is to contain 375
members, of whom 125 will be ap-
pointed by the native princes and the
remainder directly elected. The Upper
Chamber, or Council of State. will
have 260 members; some appointed
by the princes, some by the viceroy
and some elected from the provincial
legislatures. 1t is estimated that be-
tween 2 and per cent (between
seven and eight million people, of the
population of India will be given the
franchise.
But-there Is joker. Certain
functions of government-speciically,
the conduct of foreign affairs, of ma
tional defense and ecclesiastical ad-
ministration-will be directly con-
trolled by the viceroy, answerable only
to the British Parliament. And then
there are few other matters in
which the Indian legislators may oab-
BILE so long as they behave themselves
but no longer. Thus the topics in
respect to which the governor general
may overrule his legislators and his
cabinet. if he sees fit, include:
l. The maintenance Of internal
order.
2 The safeguarding of the financial
stability and credit of the federation.
8. The safeguarding of minorities.
T. The maintenance of the rights Of
state employees, British or Indian.
s. The protection of the rights OF
any native state.
6. The prevention of commercial
discrimination.
7. Any matter which affects the ad-
ministration of the reserved depart
ments' defense, foreign affairs, etc..
Most people would agree that this
is a pretty comprehensive list OF safe
guards "a particularly comprehen-
sive one, If one studies the seventh
clause, which seems to account for
anything that might have been over
looked. And, if that were not suffl-
cient, it is also proposed that should
he think it necessary the governor
general (who will ipso facto be the
viceroy) may personally assume any
powers vested by law in any existing
Indian federal authority.
Viceroy's Power Delegated.
No dictator in the world has more
potential power than it is proposed
to confer upon the viceroy of India.
Butt is O delegated power. The
governor general of the new fedora
ton may be more than king in
theory: in practice he must justify his
every act to the British Parliament.
British officials say-and there Is
no reason whatever to doubt their
good faith-that all these safeguards
are good deal like the small type,
which nobody ever reads. on the back
of a steamship ticket. That is, they
hope that the Indians will work their
parliamentary machinery to such good
effect that intervention will never be
called for, and that gradually the
formidable powers reserved to the rep
resentative of the British King En-
peror will fall into desuetude.
And here is the rub. The conServa-
tive opponents of the cabinets policy
don't think that the Indians will be-
have themselves. They say in effect:
"It is a lot easier to talk about
reassuming the functions Of govern
ment than it is to do it. Suppose,
for instance, you put Indians, on suf-
ferance, in control of the police and
the judiciary. All may 60 well for a
time; but when you finally decide 1t
is necessary to take back power IN
yOuT OWu 1IdIl0o. IlOW WILL you w Avs
Positive Policy Advocated.
Although they talk much about
"the policy of scuttle," and being
forced to clear out Of India" such
leaders of revolt as Winston Churchill,
Lord Lloyd and Sir Henry Page Croft
realize that a purely negative policy
Is not enough. Their present posi-
ton is well fpmmed up in Sir Hen1y's
own words:
I'VE are prepared broadly to accept
the principles of the Simon Commis-
sion with one reservation: That the
judiciary and the police shall remain
in British hands. That means that
democratic government will be granted
to vast provinces, with territory and
population in some cases as great as
the principal powers of Western Eu-
rope. But in these territories 90 per
cent of the people cannot read or
write. Is that not . gamble great
enough to satisfy the craving Of the
widest reformer?"
The battle on the Indian question
probably will be fought out in this
Y vIyiptarse sseciop ~ Do r1to nant