The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 1931. THE FUTURE OF INDIA.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 March 1931, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 1931. THE FUTURE OF INDIA.

Tuk recent debate on India in the House of Commons showed that the question of th,,, steps which should he taken by the Government in pursuance of the recent eenserv.ations lias been fortunately lifted to a plane above dint of ordinary party politics. While Air Winston Churchill, whose views have received endorsement from Lord Lloyd and Lord Burnham, condemns the measure of lagreement at which the Viceroy and Mr Gandhi have arrived on the ground that it impairs the authority of British rule in India, Air Baldwin and the majority of Conservatives support the Government in .regarding the agreement as one that establishes a basis for future negotiations with the- Indian leaders of opinion. It is encouraging to learn that Lord Hardinge, Viceroy of India foi six years, who has lately returned from a visit to that country, supports the attitude adopted by Mr .Ramsay .MacDonald and Air Baldwin. ‘‘l am convinced,”- he is reported to have written to a Conservative candidate, “from all that I heard and saw in India that the policy Lord Irwin is pursuing offers the best hope for a peaceful solution of a very difficult problem.” Lord Hnrdinge’s statement, considers the Otago d imes, merits considerable respect, as it conveys the judgment of one who is entirely familiar with the problems which the Indian Government has to face, and, moreover, is approving a policy which, during his own term in Tndia. could scarcely have been thought practicable. In, recent years the British attitude towards the demands of the Indian peoples for a greater share in the government of their country has become much more clearly defined than it was during the time when Lord Hardinge was Viceroy, and tli? principle of eventual self-government has been unequivocally conceded, ft has come to he widely held that nothing is to- he gained by disregarding the ehi'inour for independence and that a first necessity is to meet the representatives of the Indian- people in Hitch of their demands ns may be entertained consistently with the maintenance of the authority of the Crown. The old notion that tiie British Raj can best he maintained by the exercise of force nlo”e is now discredited. The agreement that was the- result of Lord Irwin’s conversations with Air Gandhi has created an atmosphere in which the Round Table Conference may he resumed under conditions more favourable than could only a few liuv’tbs ago have been regarded as possible, and if Mr Gandhi should himself participate in the disr-inssion.s when they arc resumed the conference will be in a verv marked degree representative of all India. That the Government- is undertaking a task of the utmost delicacy and difficulty is recognised, and tho*e who, with Lord Hardinge. favour its policy arc probably not entirely sanguine concerning the outcome, hut it is at least certain that much more can. he accomplished hv negotiation than by the adoption of an uncompromising -attitude such as lias been struck by Afr Churchill.