Evening star., 1934-12-09

~ URING the coming Winter
India is going to be in the
news again. 1t is quite pos
- Sible that the reading public
may not find that news SO
amusing as it was when Gandhi and
his goat figured in it; or so exciting
as when, few years ago, unarmed
Hindus were lying down across the
Bombay tram lines or getting beaten
up in police charges. But it is going
to be a good deal more important,
fundamentally, than these things were.
For, after nearly 20 years considera-
ton of the problem, the British gov
ernment is going to have to decide
whether it is going to give self
government to India; and, if so, how
much.
Since the latter stages of the World
War, when the question of Indian
self government first became a live
one, half the world has overhauled its
governmental machinery. In many
nations the process has been carried
out more than once. When it started,
in 1918 and 1919, the whole apparent
trend was toward a broadening of
political liberties. Kings were being
succeeded by Presidents, hereditary
mobiles by elected parliamentarians
The announcement of Britain's in
tention eventually to confer home
rule upon its Indian subjects seemed
completely in keeping with the spirit
of the times.
Throughout the 1920's reaction
staged a comeback. until today's die
tatorships, or at the very least "au-
thoritarian" governments such as our
own are the rule rather than the
exception. Have the British managed
to stand out against this tendency9
And are they now going to give a
practical demonstration of their per-
sistent faith in democracy?
Some Concession Due.
The answer is, yes and no. BY
next Spring India in all probability
will have been legally endowed with a
considerable measure OF Self-govern-
ment, but rather less than she would
have got had the final decision been
taken 10 years ago. The machinery
Of Western parliamentary democracy
is going to be set up; but it will be
fitted out with quite a lot of brakes
and safety devices. For good many
years to come the Indian politician
will be rather in the position of
pupil in dual-control airplane: he
will be manipulating the rudder, the
throttle and the other controls, but
in the other cockpit there will be an
instructor ready to take over" when
ever he deems it necessary.
Whether the Indians will like 1t
or not is of course another matter.
The Indian National Congress, which
speaks so far as any one agency can
for that complex of races, religions
and languages, which really consti-
tutes a continent, rather than a
nation, declares that the British pro-
gram 'in no way expresses the will OF
the Indian people and has been more
or less condemned by all Indian polit-
ical parties"
On the other hand, Gandhi early
this year agreed that the congress
should abandon its then policy OF
civil disobedience (non-co-operation,
refusal to pay taxes, etc. and that
his followers should seek representa-
ton in sucn Indian legislative as
semblies as already exist. No secret
is made Of the strategy Of this move,
which arises less from @ desire to be
helpful to the British Raj than from
a determination to use the British
established machinery to work for
greater independence.
Scheme Has Often Worked.
But the British, wise in govern
mental technique, are definitely
pleased by this decision. They have
seen wild men" descend upon their
own Parliament with intentions very
similar to those of the Indian politi-
clans; and have noticed how the in
surgents generally become so tanned
by the parliamentary routine, so Sc
duced by the honors it bangles before
them that before long they are roar
ing as gently as any sucking dove.
They are willing to take the chance
that the Indians will follow suit.
That is, some of them are. The fly
in the ointment is that even in Eng
land, the citadel of democracy, the
strong farm methods now popular In
other countries have had a certain
appeal. Ten years ago the average
Englishman would have given it as
his casual opinion about India that
''if the blighters want to leave the
Empire. let 'em 60, and the sooner
the better" Today, having had
skillful propaganda directed upon him
for some years, he is a little dubious
and rather more inclined to revive the
white mans burden" talk.
Observing this. and observing also
that the various Indian factions are
again as incapable Of agreement as
ever they were, the die-hard colonels
the old boys who sit in the best
armchairs in the club and splutter
that 'Damme, sir, it's preposterous!"
have been vastly encouraged. So
much have they been encouraged that
they, together with various other ele-
ments in the Conservative party, only
q few weeks ago were able to muster
40 per cent Of the votes at . party
conference in favor Of . resolution
politely telling Stanley Baldwin. the