FUTURE OF INDIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20820, 12 March 1931, Page 11

FUTURE OF INDIA.

GANDHI HOME AGAIN.

WONDERFUL RECEPTION.

SELF-GOVERNMENT IDEAL. TASK WITH HIS COUNTRYMEN. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright."" (Received March 11. 10.15 p.m.) CALCUTTA, March 11. The Indian Nationalist leader, Gandhi, who had travelled in an ordinary thirdclass carriage like a humble coolie, clad in a loin-cloth, was given a wonderful reception at his home town, Ahmedabad, after a year of eventful happenings. At almost every station en route hundreds of his idolising followers had struggled frantically to gain places on the footboard of the train.

American journalists who were on. the train were mistaken for Britons and were jeered at and spat upon. In the course of an interview Gandhi stated that full self-government for India would be achieved if the National Congress accepted the constitution to be drawn up at the next round-table conference. He reiterated his pledge not to return to his settlement at Ahmedabad till India has achieved full self-govern-ment.

The Calcutta Statesman says it is no longer a contest between the Government and the Congress, but between the Indians themseh'es. The paper says Gandhi faces the biggest struggle of his life. His chief task is to induce the Indian States to accept any other than the London plan, and secondly to bring Hindu and Moslem opinion into such co-ordination as will enable any kind of constitution to be framed and accepted by both. * Neither the Indian nor the British Government can give any help. BRITISH CONTROVERSY. CONSERVATIVES' POSITION. "OBJECTION TO PROCEDURE. (Received March 11, 10.15 p.m.) LONDON, March 11. It is expected that an authoritative interpretation of the announcement that Mr." Baldwin has decided that the Conservative Party cannot be represented at any further round table conference to be held in India will be given in the course of the debate on India to take place in the House of Commons on Thursday.It is understood that the intention of the Leader of the Conservatives is to indicate merely that in the opinion of his party the proposal to hold a round-table conference in India in the near future is not the procedure which should be adopted. »

It is stated that the first announcement was not intended in any way as a new declaration of policy. There is no question of the co-operation of the Conservatives being withdrawn from (t general attempt to find a solution of the Indian problem.

Not unnatural confusion and controversy have been caused by the announcement of Mr. Baldwin's attitude toward tho proposed reassembling of the conference in India. Mr. Baldwin is being accused of having surrendered to Mr. Winston Churchill. The fact is that Mr. Baldwin's action was dictated by the disclosure that the Government was preparing for a great conference in India before the points raised at tho London Conference were cleared up. The Conservative spokesman explained that the party is not opposed in principle to another conference at a suitable time, but holds thai it would bo futile to arrange another conferenco in India under tho existing conditions without adequate inquiries into many of the questions left partially considered by the London conference. These inquiries should bo made quietly and informally beforehand. The Conservatives, therefore, think tho Government's procedure is .wrong.