CHANCE FOR INDIA

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 120, 14 February 1935, Page 9

CHANCE FOR INDIA

Step Toward Partnership In Empire MR. SPEECH (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, February 12. The second reading of the Government of India Bill was passed in the House of Commons late last night. In accordance with tlie standing order, only one division was allowed, and this took place on the Labour Party’s amendment, which was rejected by 404 votes to 135. Conservative opponents of the Bill, numbering about 84, voted with the Labour Opposition. Both Ministerial and Opposition Liberals supported the Bill. In December, when a motion for the approval of the report of the Joint Select Committee, upon which the Bill is based, was put to the House of Commons, the voting was 412 for and 129 against, including 80 Conservatives. In winding-up the debate, Mr. Stanley Baldwin announced that an agreement had been reached between all parties regarding the time to be devoted to the committee stage of the Bill. The Government proposed to allocate 30 days for it, of which 2G would be apportioned under time-table resolution, so that the House might work to a definite programme, Article 4 to be drawn upon if any particular apportionment proved inadequate. In reviewing the main issues raised in the debate, lie said that the whole House was in agreement regarding the importance of social reforms in India which the British Government could not touch because the problems were rooted iu the religious life of India, and they were being transferred to Indians to (leal with. Britain had given much to India—unity, public services, and public credit. Indians would not willingly allow these things to deteriorate or deprive themselves of further help. But the great fact was that the pressure of population upon the means of life could only be met by profound changes of the old customs, which only Indians could change.

Tlie proposed electorate, numbering 35,000,000—the largest yet manageable —would, he was sure, soon learn how to use the vote.

Dealing with the question of trade, he said that they had begun with India, as with the Dominions, to attempt to make trade - arrangements freely by goodwill and in accordance with mutual interests. From what he saw at the Ottawa Conference he was certain India, as much as Britain, desired to take her full part in trade agreements inter-Imperially with Britain and the Dominions. That was a right line of development, and he was not upset by setbacks that had occurred. Dealing with the whole subject more generally, he said that all official advices from India were that the Bill, which was a complete scheme, would be worked.

Concluding, he said that they were offering India an opportunity of making a considerable step forward to the day when she would be a full partner in the Empire. "Let us welcome the Indian peoples, the majority of whom, I am confident, have no greater ambition than to see their country play a worthy part in our Commonwealth of Nations. Let us in offering what we believe to be a-precious gift do it in no huckstering spirit.” (Note on Page 7.)