Churchill Sees Hope

Northern Advocate, 4 June 1947, Page 5

Churchill Sees Hope

This would be without prejudice to the right of Constituent Assemblies to decide, in due course, whether or not the part of India over v/hich they had authorty would remain within the British Commonwealth.

Mr Churchill, rising after Mr Attlee finished, said that at the moment it appeared that the Government's proposals would fulfil the two conditions foreseen at the time by the Cabinet Mission, namely, agreement between the Indian parties and a period of Dominion status during which India, or any part of it, might freely decide whether or not to remain within the British Commonwealh.

If that were so all parties were fully pledged by the offers and declarations which had been made. It was true that the Indian parties’ agreement had only been achieved on the basis of partition, but should these parties, after a reasonable period ol deliberation and responsibility, decide to remain within the British Commonvvealth, the' theme of India’s unity would be preserved. Mr Churchill added:

“We must ask ourselves, evem at this early moment; whether, after matters have proceeded so far. any better way could be found of saving India from the bloodbath which may stand very near.

“At first sight, and subject to unknown factors working out favourably, it seems that the plan offers India some prospect of escape from one of the most hideous calamities that ever ravaged her vast expanses.’’ The Opposition, while reserving freedom to discuss details, would not oppose any bill to confer Dominion status on the various parts of India. “If hopes are fulfilled, great credit will not only be due to the Viceroy, but. to the Prime Minister himself, on whose advice the King appointed Lord Mountbatten,’’ said Mr Churchill.

Lord Listcwel. in the House of Lords, made a statement similar to Mr Attlee’s.

Lord Salisbury (who was Viscount Cranbourne until the death of the Marquess of Salisbury on April 4) said that if the proposals were accepted there was hope that a horrible disaster would be avoided. Fruitful collaboration between India and Britain would continue, with advantage to all concerned. If the proposals were rejected there would be nothing before India but bloodshed and ruin on a vast scale. In the circumstances, discussion' at present ought not to make a difficult situation more difficult. Lord Mountbatten, broadcasting over the All-India radio, said nothing he had seen or heard in the past few weeks had shaken his firm opinion that, with a reasonable measure of goodwill between ccommunities, a unified India would be the best solutions of the problem. “It has been impossible to obtain full agreement on any plqn that would preserve the unity of India,’’ he said.

“There can be no question of coercing any large areas in which one community has a majority to live, against their will, under a Government in which another community has a majority.

"The only alternative to coercion is partition.” Lord Mountbatten said there was nc time for bickering, much less for the continuation of disorders and lawlessness.

They must not forget what a narrow margin of food they were all working on. They could not afford any toleration of violence. The remainder of the Viceroy's statement mainly duplicated Mr Attlee’s Commons statement.