CONSERVATIVES AND INDIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20819, 11 March 1931, Page 11

CONSERVATIVES AND INDIA.

SURPRISE DECISION.

PROPOSED NEW CONFERENCE. PARTY NOT TO PARTICIPATE. By Teleirrapli—Press Association—Copyright. (Received March TO, 7.53 p.m.) LONDON. March 10. Surprise was created in political circles last evening liy the issue ,of a resolution passed by the India Committee of the Conservative Party welcoming the decision of the leader, Mr. Baldwin, "that the party cannot be represented at any further round-table, conference held in India as foreshadowed by the Government." The fact is now revealed tbat this decision was disclosed to the committee last week when members interviewed Mr. Baldwin about the Indian situation. The conversations between t lhe Viceroy, Lord Irwin, and the Indian Nationalist leader, Gandhi, had not then concluded. Mr. Baldwin did not mention the decision in his speech at Newton Abbott on Saturday.

Excitement prevailed when the decision became known. Labour supporters are of the opinion that Mr. Baldwin has capitulated to the extremists of his own party. It is considered that the entire situation in connection with India has been changed and that, it will bo thrown back into party politics.

Writing in the Daily Mail 011 the evo of the conclusion of tho India RoundTable Conference, Viscount Rotherrnerc vigorously attacked the Labour Govcinment for its policy toward that country, lie said:—Lot us wipe away the froth of sentiment and get down to the'hard rock of fact. India is not and has never been a nation. She only lias the appearance cf bcin" a united whole because British rule has kept her so for a hundred and fifty years. The Round-Tablo Conference is a sham, and should never have been called. It docs not represent the people of India. It is made up of the nominees of small groups of job-hunting politicians The most dangerous and active section of the Indian Nationalists rejected the Viceroy's invitation to attend it, and will use whatever concessions we are foolish enough to make as pretexts, to further their frenzied demand for total independence. I warn the peoples of India against the delusion that the report of the Round-Table Conference can effect any change in tho present system of government in India. I hat power lests with the British Parliament alone. The future of the British Empire, the safety of tho 320,000,000 natives of India, and tho prosperity of tho whole world are now in the hands of the Conservative Party. The present inertia of its official leaders is filling the nation with bewilderment and despair. Hie paity has in its own ranks men of unrivalled authority 011 India. They have spoken out with all tho energy at their command. Lord Lloyd, a most experienced Indian administrator, has addressed audiences throughout the country. Lord Inchcape, the greatest of our self-made merchant princes; Lord Sumner, a learned lawyer; Lord Sydenham, soldier and governor; Sir Michael O'Dwyer; Sir Reginald Craddock, and many others who have given their life's work to India, have warned the nation in plain terms. The dangerous consequences of this Round-Table Conference have been fully proclaimed in advance. Under these circumstances, can the Conservative -Party consent to the loosening of our hold on India? I say a thousand times—No! When authority weakens in the East, the law of tho jungle takes its place. The responsibility of our Conservative leaders is great. Their record may bo stained by the blood of British women and children in India if, while this mad folly is being committed, they stand idly by. Wo are at one of the greatest crises in the history of the Empire. The situation is so grave that tho Conservative rank and .file has a right to be consulted before its leaders, or the delegation to tho conference appointed by them, commit the. party to any pronouncement on India's future government. There must be no more rash pledges given. A general meeting of the Conservative Party is tho only body with authority to decide tho Conservative policy on India. HOSTILE INDIANS. RELEASE FROM PRISON. ANTI-BRITISH FEELINGS. CALCUTTA. March 9. One thousand political prisoners who were released from the Yeravda Gaol at Poona, regarded their freedom as a huge victory. They shouted at every European they met: "Down with the Union Jack," and "We will always boycott British goods."

None of the prisoners knew the terms of the agreement reached between the Viceroy and Gandhi. They were allowed to return to their provinces with anti-British feelings predominating.

It is certain that unless Gandhi pays attention to this phase by issuing definite orders to his followers to make the terms of the agreement known it will be a failure.