FUTURE OF INDIA

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 41, 14 November 1927, Page 9

FUTURE OF INDIA

COMMISSION’S DIFFICULT TASK BRITISH PARLIAMENT’S RESPONSIBILITY Rugby, November 11. Sir John Simon, in a letter to the chairman of the Liberal Party in the constituency he represents in Parliament, refers to the grave and difficult task before the Indian Statutory Commission, of which he is chairman. He says: “The British Parliament has a tremendous responibility to the peoples of India. It is a responsibility which caunot be denied or evaded, for it is rooted in history and in the facts of the world to-day. If, therefore, the future of India is to be one of peaceful progress, as all men of good-will both in India and m Britain intensely desire, this can come about only by the action of . the British Parliament, combined with the co-operation of India itself. Both these are provided for by the scheme of investigation and consultation, of which the work of the Commission is the first stage. The Commission does not go to India .with any idea of impoing Western ideas on constitutional forms from without We go to listen, to learn, and faithfully to report our conclusions as to the actual conditions and varying proposals from within. When the Commission lias reported the scheme provides for that full and final consultation between the representatives of the Legislatures of India and Britain which is an essential condition to be fulfilled before reaching a decision upon which so much depends. The task of the Commission calls for the highest qualities of sympathy and imagination, as well as for endless patience, strict impartiality, industry, and courage. J enter upon my part of this duty intensely desiring to be of what service I can to India and to Britain, and while I am deeply conscious of my own shortcomings I am going to do my best.’’—British Official Wireless.