Evening star., 1943-02-27
Britain Will Keep Her Promise
To Free India, Writer Declares
independence Won't Come During War
And Time Will Be Decided by EnoIond

opeIleu. lney even were ready to
join the war effort and leave its di-
rection in the hands of the expert
enced British and Allied command.
However, repentance obviously had
come pretty late BY that time. too.
the government had the disorders
we'll enough in hand SO that it ex-
pressed complete confidence in its
ability to keep the lid on. Moreover,
the Allied victory in Africa, and
other United Nations successes, had
created a sense of security which
wasn't calculated to encourage pan
lcky concessions by of1cialdom.
In short the government was so
thoroughly fed up with the political
position that it was decided to let
the whole matter rock until after
the war. Observers even expressed
the fear to me that England might
get disgusted and quit India alto
gether.
found nothing to support this
Idea OF withdrawal, however. It isn't
one of John Bulls characteristics to
quit under fire.
AS a matter Of fact, despite the
All India Congress invitation to
Britain to quit India in the heat of
last summers political battle, most
Indians with whom 1 talked would
consider it disaster If England
Withdrew her support and guidance
before a new constitution had been
drawn up and a national govern
ment was functioning properly.
Some think it would take 10 years
to reach that point.
Britain to Garry On in India.
So the indications are that John
Bull intends to carry on until he has
completed his task in India. And
that still leaves unanswered the
question Of whether John is stalling,
as alleged, in order to continue his
rule.
think 7 know the answer to that
question, but shall have to depend
on my own impressions and my own
judgment as to whether certain
statements made to me in informed
quarters were sincere. This Is one
of those cases where you can't quote
anybody.
Should you say to me that it would
be human nature for England to be
reluctant to give up India, I won't
argue with you. If you tell me that
she has in past years pursued the
divide and rule" policy I shall say
I'm not interested in the past, but
only in the flaming present and the
adventurous future.
If such policy has been followed,
in full view of the warning Indian
factions, then those disputants can't
claim to have been very smart in not
getting together and spiking the
common enemys guns. Anyway, let
the dead bury their dead.
Full Independence Promised.
To my mind, the all-important
TACT is that England, whatever may
have been her inclinations, actual
ly has given her bond to grant full
independence to India. I accept her
bond, and the meaning of that bond
has been described to me thus:
Britain intends to go forward and
hand over government to the In
dians at the earliest possible mo-
ment
Obviously the earliest possible
moment" is indefinite, since it must
be the time which England con-
SlderS feasible for the transfer. I've
already made it clear that she
doesn't regard it as feasible during
the war, but the indications are
that she doesn't intend to protract
the agony.
While it would take lot of sound
argument to persuade her to change
her mind and reopen the negotia-
tions Immediately, my understand
ing is that her mind is not closed
to persuasion. I am told that she
will move Immediately an opportune
opening appears.