GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

Evening Star, Issue 19725, 28 November 1927, Page 5

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

THE STATUTORY COMMISSION APPOINTMENT ADOPTED RESPONSIBILITY STRESSED. (British Official News.) Prea( Association—By Wireless—Copyright. RUGBY, November 25. In the House of Commons to-day Earl Wintertou, Under-Secretary for India, moved the appointment of the Indian Statutory Commission. He said there were two points to consider. The first point was that_ upon Parliament lay the responsibility and ultimate decision upon issues to be raised by tins inquiry, responsibility which it would neither share with nor hand over to any other country. The second point was that the composition of the comuiittco and every detail of method contemplated for its inquiry formed one integral whole, which .stood or leu to "ether. He recalled the circumstances under which the Montague-Chchnsfoid Act was passed in 1919 with the assent of all parties in the House. 1 arliameut would not, he said, be doing rhdit, but wrong, if it divested itself of° responsibilty by repudiating its duty under flic Act. There was, no thought, much talsilied history ieoardiug the situation which the British found when first they went to India. The British saved India at the tune from going into a welter ol anarchv. When they assumed this responsibility they assumed it as trustees tor tho present and for the luture or the Indian people, specially as trustees for the various minorities in that country By the declaration of 1917 and by the Act of 1919, which implemented that declaration, the Government of the day, on behalf of tho people of tins country and with the support of all parties in the Elon.se, stated that they were prepared gradually to hand over the trusteeship to the _ Indians themselves when they were in a position to exercise it with duo regard to the interests of all concerned. Attempts had been made to draw a comparison between the conditions prevailing in India, and the conditions prevailing in Southern Ireland or Egypt. Anyone who had any knowledge of these countries would know that such a comparison was profoundly fallacious. Both E>vpt and Southern Ireland were lar more homogeneous than the great subcontinent of India bad ever been. With reward to the composition of tho Commission, Earl Winterton pointed out that the Act of 191 J nas silent on that point. It merely laid down that tho members Avorc to be elected with the concurrence ol Inrltnment. Obviously it was very desniible that the Commission should not be nmvcildy in numbers and that the members should bo moved by the same fundamental conceptions of the duties which the Act of 1919 imposed upon them. Would a mixed Commission batisfv that consideration? . Referring to the proposal made in some quarters that one or two tepusentafivo Indians should bo appointed on the Commission, Earl Winterton said that they could do no more to aid the Commission in its findings. 1 bat would bo done by their generous fellowcountrymen, who Avon Id assist the tommission with evidence and advice. I hey could not do as much to assist tne Commission as ivould properly acci edited representatives of the Indian Legislature, avlio Avonld have every opportunity ol pressing and emphasising their case. If Ins contention rvere accepted that the responsibility of 1 ailiament avhs supreme, Avas it really contended that Parliament could not carrv out its obligations under the declaration of 1917 and under the Act of 1919 of surveying and reviewing the Indian situation through the agency of tho Commission and taking the necessary action? It was absurd _to say that the Commission containing representatives carefully chosen irom both Houses or Parliament, Avith a chaimau avlio was in the A'cry centre of the front rank both in Parliament and in the legal profession, Avas not an instrument whereby Parliament Avas able to discharge its responsibilities. Coiu.7T.mg, Earl Wintertou said it Avas perfectly possible to bo a realist in this matter of high policy without abating one iota or one tittle of conscience! Were the members of the House avlio Avere going to be the members of the Commission loss likely to bo sympathetic to tho Moslem minority or the millions of “untouchables” than to the Brahmin or the Hindu majority? Clearly, also, the committee of central Legislature and the committees of provincial councils avoukl he more than mere witnesses. They would be able to prepare a case for further self-government as it appealed to them and present it to the Commission, they would be available for consultation with the Commission, and would all be elected non-official members- Ho refused to believe that the Indians would not assist Parliament in the formidable task of revising and’ reinlorcing tie constitution of an empire Avithin the Empire, Avhich India Avas, SUPPORTED BY LABOR. Mr Ramsay MacDonald, The Labor , Leader, supported the appointment of the Commission. Ho said that the Labor Party’s only concern was relative to tho statu s_ of tho Commission and of the committee of the Indian Legislature. It had been suggested that the Indian Commission avouUl be in a relationship of inferiority to tho Statutory Commission. He urged tiiat it should be emphasised that there would be no such sense of inferiority. Other Labor and Liberal members yryif# to she .same effect.

THE GOVERNMENTS ATTITUDE

Mr Stanley Baldwin welcomed the tone of the debate and the general acceptance of the Commission. Ho added: “It may bo as Avell that ’ 1 should say this: ‘Let the Indians dismiss from their minds any thought ol inferiority.’ They avIH be approached as friends and equals, but tho responsibility of Parliament remains, and no procedure Avhich suggests that that responsibility can bo formally shared with reprcsentatii-cs of another inr--1 lament would really advance the cause AA-hich tho Indians have at heart. Subject only to that proviso, wo can -and do identify ourselves with the remarks of the Leader of the Opposition.” The resolution Avas agreed to. Proceeding, Mr Bakhvin said that there should have been any misunderstanding Avas particularly regrettable, becausoHt had led to premature rejection of the proposal by distinguished statesmen in India avlio had Avorked and co-operated Avith the GoA'crnment during some very difficult years since reform first came into force. The Govormnent regarded tho scheme as a most effective means of satisfying the proper ambitions of such men to take part in the settling of the constitutional future of India. His Majesty’s GoA-crnmont earnestly desired that its opinions and the opinion of every man, whether Indian or British, who had anything to contribute to the very difficult problem of India’s future would bo acceptable to the Commission, and Avonld bo given the fullest voice in the conclusions of the Commission. Ho Avantcd to lay stress on one part of tho scheme. When the Commission had reported, but before Parliament avus committed in any Avay to its recommendations or tho Government acted upon them, tho Government proposed that tho question should bo referred to a joint committee of Parliament, and the Indian Legislature should have an opportunity by means of delegation _of examining the proposals and discussing them thoroughly with this joint committee. The Indian people would in this Avay be given an opportunity of taking part In the framing of their constitution Avhich had never been given before in the aa-Holo history of any people in a similar position.

INDIA TO BEAR COST

RESOLUTION CARRIED WITHOUT

DIVISION

LONDON, November 25. In tho House of Cnniinons_ Earl Winterton, in moving the appointment ol tho Indian Commission, said that India would bear the cost, but Britain Aiould contribute £2O,QUO. 'Combating the suggestion that the Commission should include representative Indians, ho offered tho opinion that it would he fantastic to imagine that any two Indians could possibly represent the various political, religious, and racial factors of India. Accredited representatives of the Indian Legislatures would be given every opportunity of emphasising their case before the Commission. No part or the Empire, before receiving partial or complete self-government, ever bad such an opportunity of directly inilncxicing Parliament. Air MacDonald, ju supporting the motion on holm I f ol Labor, regretted the lack of consultation Avith representatives of the Indians before tho announcement of a Commission. It ought to bo made clear that the Commission would meet committees of tlic Indian Legislatures on the basis of irco exchange of views. Mr Baldwin said that, the Government had deliberately Ic-lc the Commission a free hand to shape its o\\ n procedure in India, though ilie ilruisb Parliament’s responsibility _ remained. Tho Government associated itself with Mr MacDonald’s suggestion _ for the freest consultation with the sister Parliament. Mr Baldwin added: "it is an unprecedented path we are walking, but we are relying on the instinctive sense of justice deep in every Briton’s heart. Milton wrote: ‘When God wants a hard thing done lie tells it to his Englishmen.’ No harder thing lias over been told Englishmen than this matter. Wo shall do it with courage, faith, strength, and hope.” The" resolution avus curried Avithout a division. —A. and N.Z. and ‘Sun’ Cable. AGREED TO BY LORDS. LONDON, November 25. In the House of Lords the Earl of Birkenhead, in moving tho Indian Commission resolution, pointed out that Messrs Walsh and Attlee Avero appointed after discussion with Mr MacDonald. He emphasised that tho purpose of the Commission Avas to submit an independent report to Parliament, so it Avas not desirable to associate the Indians Avith the Commission, but to rely on men witliout pre-commitments of any kind. It Avonld have been necessary to appoint at least tAventy Commissioners in order to represent all sections of Indian opinion. The Marquess of Reading strongly supported the Commission, and Avarned the Indians of the danger of persisting in a boycott. Viscount Chelmsford similarly spoke, adding that there avus no intention ot shutting Indians out from a full expression of their views. Tho resolution was carried Avitlrout a division.