UNWARRANTED ALARM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26904, 16 October 1948, Page 7

UNWARRANTED ALARM

India’s Wish to Become Independent Republic

ACCEPTABLE FORMULA SOUGHT

New Zealand Press Association —Copyright. Rec. 10 p.m. LONDON, Oct. 15. Statements that Mr Nehru has alarmed representatives of other dominions, notably New Zealand and Australia, by declaring that India was getting out of the Commonwealth described as grossly exaggerated, says the Australian Associated Press. Mr Nehru, according to official sources, has not made'such a declaration. On the contrary it is said he has shown every anxiety to find a formula for solving an admittedly difficult problem. The main trouble is finding a way of reconciling India’s declared policy of becoming an independent republic, and her relations with the Commonwealth.

Mr Nehru’s approach to the problem of India remaining in the Commonwealth is said to be warm and friendly. Those who have talked with him on the subject express the belief that the chances of India remaining in the “ family ” were never better. They add that if an acceptable formula can be found they are confident that Mr Nehru will sponsor it before the Indian Constituent Assembly.

No dominion’s representative is pre- I pared to say at this stage what the | formula will be and it may not be possible to make one before the conference ends. Some representatives think it might be worked out on a changed title; others say it would be possible for India to become a republic yet keep her ties with the rest of the “family” by the revision of some functions to the King. Others again are thinking of an acceptable formula which would regard tfle King in the warmer sense of the Royal Family than as being symbolic of the Crown. Behind the scenes talks are being greatly influenced by the growing* realisation that a major part of the Commonwealth has mutual interests and problems in the Pacific and South-East Asia. Many subjects that have come before the conference have a mutual interest for New Zealand, Australia, Canada, South Africa, India. Pakistan and Ceylon. There is a growing belief that these issues—prominently trade, defence and development —can best be solved by all the dominions remaining in one association

Nehru: An Outstanding Man The dominions’ representatives who have talked with Mr Nehru are impressed with his realistic view of the the problem. Some acclaim him the outstanding man of the conference both in the plenary sessions and in group talks outside the conference room. These representatives say that Mr Nehru approaches every subject with full appreciation of India’s importance in' the “family.” Mr Nehru has no illusions about the immediate strategic importance of India and does not hesitate to express the belief that its future place will be that of leadership in South-East Asia. "The key to whether we shall have peace for 100 years is in the great problem of the Indian Ocean—the Middle East, Pakistan, India, and Ceylon," said the Foreign Minister. Mr Ernest Bevin, speaking in London. Mr Bevin said that in the past 30 years on one day out of every three all the capacity of Britain had to be devoted to preventing defeat in war. After the last war there was an assumption that Britain was finished, that she was :a third-class. Power.

“I do not accept that position,” he said. “We are a great balancing -factor between the East and the West and may provide a correct equilibrium for. the maintenance of the world’s peace and.prosperity.”

Faith in Commonwealth The New York Herald-Tribune in a leading article on the Prime Ministers’ conference in London, says: “ Political observers who wrote funeral orations for the British Commonwealth a year or two ago apparently were wasting their time. Although the patient still has a few sore muscles he seems to be growing healthier every day. The conference has produced indications that the Commonwealth still has real vitality and that the present state of the world adds to its reasons for existence.”

The Herald-Tribune, after exploring the possibility of India remaining in the Commonwealth. • says: “While there: may •be some- American' loss of trade as the result of the survival of a strong Commonwealth, this would be a smalf price to pay for the additional stability the world would have if. such peoples as the Indians and British were close friends.’’