Evening star., 1947-02-21
Civil War Warnings
Issued in Wake Of
India Freedom Plan
BY fhs Assoeioied Press

LONDON, Feb. 21.-The Brit
ish government left squarely up
to feuding Hindu and Moslem
leaders today the question Of
whether India intends to win
independence in bloody civil
war or through peaceful nego-
tiations by the time Britain ends
her reign over the rich sub
continent 16 months hence.
Prime Minister Attlee told the
world yesterday that Britain intends
to pull out of India by June, 1948,
and at the same time appointed
Admiral Lord Mountbatten, great
grandson Of the first British Empress
of India, as viceroy to hquidate 200
years of British rule.
Some empire minded <Conserva-
tives and sections of the British
press direly predicted that a bloody
struggle for power In India would
result from Britain's withdrawal.
Lord Templewood - Sir Samuel
Hoare before he became a peer
presented motion last night de-
claring that the end of British rule
'is likely to imperil the peace and
prosperity Of India"
Debate Set for Tuesday.
Debate was scheduled in the House
of Lords next Tuesday on the mo-
ton and in the House of Commons
the week after next. The delay was
caused because the House of Com
mons Is scheduled to debate three
other pressing British problems
flrst-foreign affairs on the eve of
Foreign Secretary Bevin's departure
for Moscow, turning the Palestine
mandate over to the United Nations
and government handling of the
grave coal crisis.
If TempleWood's motion-amount-
ing to vote of censure of the Labor
Government-is pushed to a vote,
it probably will pass in the Conserv-
ative-dominated House of Lords, but
Mr.. Attlee is sure of his solid Labor
ma jority in the all-important Com
mons, which previously had voted
approval of the idea of freedom for
India.
The Labor Governments attitude
on the question was summed up by
the comment of the Daily Herald,
the party organ, which said:
ITO the rest of the world it will
be final proof of the fact that the
British government is sincere in its
desire to see India ruled by Indians
and does not, as is sometimes sug-
gested, derive secret satisfaction
from the communal quarrels which
are delaying the transfer"
Mountbatten Is Issue.
The main House of Commons dis
cussion, however, Is expected to be
concentrated on the governments
abrupt replacement of Viceroy Lord
Wavell by Lord Mountbatten-an
action which brought angry pro-
tests from Winston Churchill yes
terday and from some British news
papers today.
The Prime Minister'S Office an
nounced that Viscount Waven was
to be awarded an earldom and that
bOLN N4Ou11I$abVCAL Wou16 AN oP-
pointed to the Privy Council.
Most London morning papers
called on Mr.. Attlee to amplify the
reasons for Lord Wavells replace
ment. The Daily Mail fatty de-
clared that the viceroy had been
sacked" because of disagreement
with the cabinet over his insistence
that Moslem League representatives
be retained in the interim Indian
government in spite of demands by
the Hindu dominated All India
Congress Party that they be ousted.
The. Hindus maintained that the
continued presence of Moslems In
the government is incompatible
with their continuing boycott of the
constitution drafting Constituent
Assembly, now in recess until April.
The first reaction in India, New
Delhi dispatches said, was that Brit
ish action had pushed the vast ma
ton and its 40O,O00,000 residents to
the brink of decision-civil war or
amicable settlement.
Congress leaders felt British with
drawal meant a victory for the
principles of the Congress Party and
some regarded Lord Wavells re-
placement as a step to placate
Pandit Jawaharlel Nehru, leading
minister of the interim government
and chief strategist of the Congress
Party.
Mahomed Ali Jinnah, president of
the Moslem League, said he wanted
to study the British statement be-
fore commenting, but other Moslem
leaders dourly predicted that civil