IN FACE OF THREATS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 24, 29 January 1932, Page 7

IN FACE OF THREATS

GOVERNMENT IN INDIA

NO REVERSAL OF POLICY

STATEMENT' BY HOARE

(BrHlsli Official Wireless.) (Received 29th January, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, 28th January. The latest reports from India confirm those received earlier. The extremist movement is much less active than might have been expected, and there is a general absence of trouble in rural areas, except in the NorlhWest Frontier Province, arid even there the Red Shirt movement seems to be thoroughly shaken. In Bombay and Allahabad, two centres of picketing, support behind Congress seems to be falling. In the United Provinces, the centre of the no-rent campaign, the situation is settling down, .rents and revenues are steadily corhing in, and country life is resuming its normal course. Sir Samuel Hoavc, Secretary for India, in. a broadcast talk to-night, represented tho present state of affairs almost in the actual words or reports ho was receiving. He expressed satisfaction that Lord Irwin, the ex-Vice: roy, had agreed with the present Viceroy, Lord Willingdon, that it was essential for. the Government to. push on the work of the Conference, but also that it was no less vital for the Government to safeguard the forces of law and order. He believed that there would be a general agreement that the severe they were forced to 'impose in tho face of the throats to civilised Government had been carried out with commonsense,*modoration, and impartiality. Lord: Irwin's speech completely disposed of tho ehargo that there had been a sudden reversal of Government policy. If further evidence was needed it would bo found in the departure for India of distinguished public men who, within a few weeks, would bo continuing the work of the Round Table Conference on the lines that Indians on the Conference desired, and they would have as their colleagues some of tho most representative Indian public men.

The Government would not be deflected from their, cauuc by evil forebodings or mischievous threats. Tho policy was simple, straightforward, sympathetic— a policy of progress combined with firmness.