Evening star., 1949-04-24
Indiu ond the Commonwealth

A good motto for the conference OF
Commonwealth Prime Ministers now meet
| ing in London would be the old saying:
Where there's a will, there's q way" For
this meeting Is being held to discover q
way Of doing something which al the
participants seemingly desire. That
something" Is how to keep India within
the framework of the Commonwealth and
at the same time satisfy the Indian desire
fox republican independence.
The recently drafted Indian constitu-
ton specifies that India shall be a COM
pletely sovereign republic. II thereby
fulfills q pledge cherished by Indian
nationalistS as the fulhllment of their
long struggle against alien rule. But far
sighted Indians are reluctant to forgo the
advantages inherent in Commonwealth
membership. Yet how can a republic be
fitted into an association whose sole legal
and constitutional link is a common and
entirely voluntary pledge of loyalty to the
British Crown? That Is the problem con-
fronting the current London conference
q problem even more emotional than tech
nical in character.
Faced with the same problem, Ireland
found it insoluble and has just cut herself
of not only from Britain but from the
Commonwealth albeit with obvious regret
for the latter necessity. India has stronger
practical reasons than Ireland for want
ing to retain Commonwealth membership
1t is more exposed in dangerous world
and 1t has horrible example of what
isolated independence may mean in
neighboring Burma. That country was
the first to cut the ties with Britain and
the Commonwealth. 1t has since made
complete hash of its independence and
faces impending chaos. with the likelihood
OF eventual Communist domination. In
dias best minds, including Premier
Jawaharlal Nehru, have no wish to fol-
low down that dark road. And the
benefits OF Commonwealth membership
could 60 far toward averting the danger.
Cnhand, 1t might seem that formula
could readily be devised. Yet closer
examination reveals that a satisfactory
solution is not easy The Commonwealth
Is highly flexible. 1t has even dropped the
word British" in difference to the new
Dominions OF non-British origin, such as
India, Pakistan and Ceylon. Incidentally,
those last two members are content with
the present formula and join with the
British origin charter members in disliking
one prominent suggestion for "two-tier"
commonwealth, composed of what might
be called full and associated members, the
full members being those which continued
allegiance to the Crown. The objectors
believe that such an arrangement would
De unavoidable technically and that 1t
would dangerously complicate and weaken
commonwealth relationships
The most pragmatic attitude Is that
enunciated by Premier Malan of the
South African Union. DR.. Malan is him.
self ideologically a republican and was
elected by party which theoretically
advocates South African Independent
republic. Yet DR.. Malan has stated that,
as the world now wags, he and his party
prefer to see South Africa remain within
the present Commonwealth-on the clear
understanding that it can become a repub-
lie any time 1t chooses. But that choice
has been open to all Dominion members
ever since the passage of the famous
Statute OF Westminster a generation ago,
and Ireland has just proved 1t by exer-
cising the statutes escape clause"
The London conference is meeting in
secret and Is Enthusiastically informal.
What will emerge from those frank and
free discussions is anybody's guess But
1t is to be hoped that its collective wisdom
Will supply the answer needed for the
good of all concerned