SIR JOHN WRITES

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 28, 1 August 1930, Page 9

SIR JOHN WRITES

REASON FOR REJECTION TO MAKE CONFERENCE MORE JOPEN British Official Wireless. ' (Beceived Ist August, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, 31st July. In the House of Commons to-night Sir Austen Chamberlain said that he had intended to make a further appeal to the Government regarding their decision not to invite representatives of the Statutory Commission on India to be delegates at the Bound Table Conference, but this morning he had received a letter from Sir John Simon, chairman of the Commission, which altered the situation. In it Sir John said that lie would have welcomod the opportunity to serve on the Conference had the Government so wished, but the Prime Minister had stated that there were very strong reasons which made it undesirable. Of course, it will be difficult for the Commission's report to receive fair or adequate treatment in a eonforonco which includes no one who can cither expound our recommendations with authority or explain on behalf of the Commission the considerations or evidence which must be weighed before a criticism of the report can be regarded as well founded, but I can well understand that by this arrangement it is hoped to attract to the conference some Indian elements which might otherwise be unwilling to conic. . Sir John added thai the opportunity, however, would remain even for the Commissioners to take part in discussions which must follow. Sir Austen Chamberlain warmly praised the tone of the letter, and said fhat obviously he could now make no further appeal to the Government to reconsider its decision for the consequences of which the Government would be wholly responsible. He paid a warm tribute to tho services of the Commission. The Secretary for India, Mr. Wedgwood Benn, associated tho Government with this tribute and said that the Government's decision was based on the simplo grounds that at the Bound Table Conference British delegates would moot the Indian delegates with an open mind. Tho work of the Statutory Commission was done, and its conclusion presented. The conference would consider that among other matters. The absence of the Commissioners from the conference was, ho contended, a perfectly, nntnval and proper thing.