FUTURE OF INDIA

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 11406, 6 January 1931, Page 3

FUTURE OF INDIA

IMPORTANT STAGE IN - CONFERENCE,

LONDON “TIMES” REVIEWS

PROGRESS,

COLOSSAL PROBLEMS.

TIME NOT WASTED OR CRUCIAL

ISSUES AVOIDED

(British Olffelal Wireless) lIUCIIY fan< 4. . Yesterday- tlid liioiiiii Gbhferehee reached an important siagd Gfits discussions. and the progress of the' l(i§t few days has been such as to give hope of an early and favorable conclusion o.f the proceedings. A good number of the Indian delegates have arraliged it) l'etill'U home towards the end of Jatiiirtijii A loader in tile “Tunes’' review* the progress of the conference, find refers particularly to the impression in some quarters that the conference is procrastinating, or failing. It states (hat the delegates themselves are not dissatisfied hOf despondent, and informed outsiders Onil Oiily he amazed by what,*hi fact has hecil achieved. Never before in all history was ft conference faced with problems .-u colossal, complicated, and independent. Thanks to the statutory commission’s report ayd Other documents a basis of discussion Was ready, hut even so, and allowing for tho infinite variety of interests represented, and the gift of oratory possessed by most of their exponents, it must remain a remarkable accomplishment that a bare month and a half should have produced -so largo a measure of agreement on so many elements in the futurei constitution of India. The (jiitsbion of' Burma is practically decided, and the problem of the ■ North-West Frontier Province has passed .through a, sub-committee with a minimum of reservations. A report exists on the future franchise and provincial constitution. ~ - T The “Times’’ believes that the Hni-du-Moslem tension, strained almost beyond endurance by partisan propaganda from India, now shows signs of yielding to generous statesmanship, and adds: “Let it never be lorgotten that the business of the conference is not to nroduce a draft constitution in detail, but to sec ucfoic Parliament in outline the largest possible area of common ground. Many difficult problems remain, and that of the federal structure, including the vital question of the character of the central executive, and the resume ibility to the central legislature, will take a few more days m committee, though they were so far placed in proper sequence yesterday. these difficulties are not removed, but are very materially diminished, by the new prospect of an all-India federation being an immediate possibility. “The chances of a stable legislature arc far greater than they were, and the whole trend of the round-table discussion lias been to reveal unanimous agreement on the necessity for a strong government. Nor does anyone seriously challenge the ease lor what are commonly called reservations and safeguards, which was admitted with the utmost frankness by Sir Tez Sapru yesterday.” The leader points out that the whole theorv of the round-table was that it was a\ common meeting ground of fellow workers terms, and claims for the conference, the valuable result of bringing all .its members down from the clouds. The habit of working together lias grown, and there is incomparably less of that suspicion which Lord Sankey has deprecated as an impossible foundation for future peace. It concludes that the conference may fairly claim that it has neither wasted time nor avoided crucial issues, SACRIFICED LIFE FOR COUNTRY DEATH OF MOSLEM DELEGATE. APPEALS FROM DYING BED FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING fIJP.A, by Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, .lan. 4. Tho death has occurred of Mauluna Muhammed Ali, a Moslem delegate to the Indian Conference, from neart failure, from which he had suffered for a long time. Mr. Wedgwood Benin, in a tribute, says Muhammed Ali courted death. Although he knew he was a dying man he gladly crossed the seas to serve India, in defiance of his doctor’s orders. He entertained ~"esv, on New Year’s Day from liis death bed. pleading for a better understanding. WORLD CATASTROPHE! IF SELF (GOVERNMENT NOT GIVEN. (U.P.A. by Elec. Tel Copyright) (Received Jan. 5, 7.40 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 4. Pundit Kunzru, an ex-member of tlio Indian Legislature, addressing the International Congress of the League of Nations Societies at Glasgow, said the failure to meet the Indian demand for self-govern-ment would load to a world catastrophe. If the peasantry . began a refusal to pay land tax, it would, be said, spread like a contlagratiou throughout India, which, no power was capable of extinguishing. Britain might rule by sheer force for five or ten years but, after that, there, would be permanent conflict between East and West —a conilict of race, and colour. NEW CHAPTER WILL SOON BE OPENED. EXTREM l STS WILL BE DEFEATED. (D.l'.A. by Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Jan. 5, 5 p.m.) LONDON, Jam 4. “By wise, and timely concession, British statesmanship might yet enable the Indian Kerenskys ’to crush itlie potential Lunins.” said the Commoner Mr. Isaac Foot, a Liberal delegate to the round table conference in a speech in his constituency. . He added that before the session closed there would be a declaration of British policy which would open a Hew chapter of Indian history. It would bo’ one of the cardinal events in the. history of the Empire. There was.no doubt that control of .Indian) jaffairs must pass to i the people of India. Although the time arid method might r bo. a matter of controversy, the extremists could be defeated not by British machine guns,-- 'but- -by •" responsible - Indian politicians. . _ . : c ■ •