INDIAN PROBLEMS.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20411, 4 December 1931, Page 11

INDIAN PROBLEMS.

POLICY OF BRITAIN. DEBATE IN THE COMMONS. (BBITISB OFFICIAL WIRELISS.) RUGBY, December 2. Tho debate in the House of Commons on the motion approving of the declaration of the Government's Indian policy was begun this afternoon in a ciowded House, and will be continued to-morrow. The motion was submitted by the Prime Minister (Air liamsay Mac Donald), who said his statement at the concluding session of the conlereuce on Tuesday had tho full assent of Cabinet, tie observed that none who sat at the India Round-Table Conference could doubt that political capacity in India was soild and widespread, and had enormously increased in recent years. The value of the conference had been that it enabled them better to understand whai> was the Indian "mind," and what were the big problems in translating that "mind" into a working constitution. The next stage obviously was to submit the oustanding questions to detailed nnd constructive examination, and they accordingly were being referred to several committees working in India. There were certain points that the conference desired should be specially studied, including the questions of franchise and safeguards. Alluding to the communal question, Mr Mac Donald said the Government took the view that it '-voijld not bo justified, in allowing failure to agree on this point to stand in the way of putting into operation a constitution on which otherwise they had reached rough general agreement. Mr Mac Donald said he wanted to impress on the House his conviction, without reservation, that the work so far accomplished could never have been done except by the method of cor-operativa consultation, and if they tried to change that method it would destroy the chances of continuing in agreement and co-operation with India herself. But if they succeeded it would be one of Great Britain's greatest contributions to democratic: institutions and human liberty. Tho Prime Minister criticised an Amendment standing in the narne of Mr "Winston Churchill-and four other members, and made an appeal, which was later repeated by Lord Winter toil, for its withdrawal. '

OPINION IN INDIA.

POLICY SPEECH WELL RECEIVED. (Received December 3rd, 11.30 p.m.) CALCUTTA, December 3. Mr Ramsay MacDonakl's speech in winding-up tho India Round-Table Conference was well received by the Press of India. There is great satisfaction over Mr MacDonaid's assurance at the final session that the Government would proceed with the Federal plan with all possible speed. Tho plan contemplates the fullest responsible Government in tljo provinces as soon as the Act has been passed through Parliament, and in the meantime an examination by committees in India of the problems of machinery not solved in London. Among National' - . Indians there is a disposition to w; until Mr Gandhi declares himself. he consents to the Government's policy, there will probably bo a split in Con stress, and the secession of the Left Winp: led by Pandit .Tawabarlal Nehru in order to restart the eamoaitrn of non-payment of taxes. Should this prove correct, the Government of Tndia will likely talce drastic steps against the instigators. 1 I

REPRESENTATION.

OUTSTANDING DIFFICULTY. MR CHURCHILL TO MOVE amendment. {Received December 3rd, 7.20 p.m.) * LQNDGN", December 2. At the India Round-Table Conference Mr Ramsay Mac Donald said India s chief outstanding problem was eomr munal representation. <f l tried *ny best, and only one eomipunj! seat stood in the way of complete w./i'eement, but I failed. The Government's view is that it would not fee justified in that failure to stand in the-way of putt ng intq operation the constitution / which otherwise was gcnerally agreed upon. If the Government sajd it could do no thing, failing communaLlnlfbe(£ being agreed upon, it would be cje nounced by the. whole of -Indiajn the ground that it never meant to carry out sun* ■£«vS thereunder by the same machinery whkh appUed 7 to Canada, Australia, ai Mr* l Win?Sn'Churehi)l amendment to-morrow which will pro vfde that nothing in Government's policy will commit the House of Com jjjons to the establishment of a ■j?°? un ' ions' Constitution by thfl Statute of Westminster; and that there must bo safeguards for British trade in India from prejudicial discriminations; also a provision that aipcriiuiH lf -government m no extension or sou-h p arlia . India will impair the .t".; 1 ®" .„ T a f hp •mpnt'a ultimate responsibility for the peace, order, and good government of India.

UNREST IN PUNJAB. INCREASING LAWLESSNESS. (xra ITBP PBGS4 ASSOCIATION BT Et-aCTKIC (ÜBITKD TELEOBAPB— copvhiqht.) CALCUTTA, December 2. Recent riots in Srinagar, and. subseqvent Moslem agitation against the Kashmir Hindu Government, are hav/Jia+firbin? effect in. tbo Punjap, the traditional MosiriTwnln enmity are likely to bjeak out at any '"°" ie T There" is tion is menacing at Lahore. J-here is increasing lawlessness in the Peshawar district, and murders for robbery women, or revenge, have grown to one murder a day. ... 41 The Congress agitation among the „4aants in the United Provinces, urging them not tp pay taxes, is steadily growing. ___________