AGAINST NAZIS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23482, 20 October 1939, Page 10

AGAINST NAZIS

INDIAN FEELING WAR ASSISTANCE ' PROBLEMS INVOLVED SOLUTION EFFORTS By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received October 10, 5.5 p.m.) British "Wireless LONDON, Oct. 1H ..Tho Marquess of Zetland, Secretary of State for India, replying to the debate in the House of Lords raised by Lord Snell on the Viceroy's statement, said that the outbreak of war immediately evoked from one end of India to tho other violent protests against the outrage committed by the Nazi Government, and resulted in spontan- , eous offers of support, irrespective of class or community. - Prior to the war, however, the Con-, gross Party protested against troop movements occasioned by necessary defence measures, although these precautionary moves were communicated to the .leaders of all political parties in the Assembly.' V; Mr. "Gandhi's Endeavours Dealing with the position at the outbreak of the war, Lord Zetland stated that with 'his approval the Viceroy had been for long in close touch with Mr.' Gandhi, and he expressed gratitude for Mr. Gandhi's readiness to help, not only in interpreting the viewpoint of Congress and its aspirations, but ajso by .his endeavour to appreciate tho difficulties and outlook of the British Government. Mi". Gandhi had given much help in the attempt to surmount these difficulties. The invitation to meet the Viceroy was immediately accepted, and as an outcome of the conversations Mr. C4andhi publicly stated, in his personal capacity, that his view was "that in the struggle npon which the country has entered, India should give unconditional support to the British Government." Sell-government Desire Out of the background of the Indian picture two main features arose. First, the unanimous desire of all communities to see the overthrow of the menace overshadowing Furope and mankind; second, a desire for self-expression in the forms, of democratic, political self-" „ government The minorities, however, demanded safeguards'' against the majority, and herein was found the root cause of the main difficulty. For this reason tho problem of Indian self-government was not. as simple as it appeared to those confining their view to one part of the picture, only. Members of the Viceroy's Consultative Committee would be in a position to give .free and frank expression on all matters laid before them, and, being fully representative of members of all communities, would tend gradually to lessen the differences between them. Lord Zetland said the object of the British Government, as ever, was the attainment of Dominion status in India. He'added: ' "This, then, is my appeal, to the people of India—that, in comradeship with us while presenting a united front to the forces ranged against us, they shall strive after that agreement among themselves without which they will surely fail to achieve that unity which is an essential of nationhood."