REFORMS IN INDIA

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18579, 13 December 1934, Page 6

REFORMS IN INDIA

GOVERNMENT’S PROPOSALS PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES A LABOR AMENDMENT (British Official Wireless.) Rec. 2 p.m. RUGBY, Dec. 12. India was the subject of a debate in both Houses of Parliament to-night. It was the last of three days’ debate in the House of Commons, and the first in the House of Lords, where Lord Halifax moved a resolution accepting the Joint Committee’s recommendation as a basis for tire revision of tho Indian constitution and considering it expedient that a, bill should be introduced on the general lines of the report. An amendment tabled by Lord Salisbury expressed unwillingness to pronounce in advance the acceptance of farreaching recommendations until there had been an opportunity of considering the particular recommendations which the Government adopted and proposed in its bill. Lord Halifax maintained that the federation to be set up was- the only real solution of India’s difficulties.

Lord Salisbury contended that the Government was going too far, and too fast, and that there were large numbers of people in India who would disapprove of the committee’s majority report when they understood its implications. Lord Lothian, speaking for the Liberals, said that if Britain followed Lord Salisbury’s gp-slow policy, nobody in India would co-operate with us. “It won’t stop there. The issue is going to be between the present proposals and native repression. Civil disobedience will again break out and we shall be inexorably driven to physical repression, as were other countries in the past when they refused to meet political aspirations. Lord Salisbury’s policy will lead to revolution in India.

Lord Howe and Lord Hardinge supported the Government’s scheme. The debate was adjourned. In the House of Commons, a Labor amendment to the Government’s resolution was moved to the effect that provision should bo made for the recognition of the right of India to, Dominion status, and for its. attainment by the progressive development and expansion of responsible government, and for the placing in the hands of tho Indian masses the possibility of obtaining political power by constitutional means. Mr. Cooke, who moved the amendment, urged the House to remember that the goodwill of the Indian peoples was the strongest safeguard. ITc said the Labor Party wished to sweep away all second chambers in India. In tho lower chamber, 10 oer cent, of the seats should be allotted to Labor so that they could work lor the elimination of social evils. There should be adult suffrage in the towns and a more effective franchise, of Indian women. The Government, should insert in the preamble to the bill a declaration- that it regarded Dominion status for India ns the goal, and that it should be attained within a measurable period of years. Sir John Simon pointed out that neither the amendment nor the Labor members’ minority report proposed to establish here and now complete selfgovernment in India. There was, therefore,, recognition from tho official Opposition that it was inevitable that they should proceed by stages. The worst of all errors in providing for future constitutional government was to imagine that tho rate of advance depended upon a time-table.

Sir John pointed out that both the 'Statutory Commission and the Joint Select Committee considered that the only really satisfactory conclusion of the Indian constitutional’problem was a federation which embraced all India, both tire States and British India.

Since the report of the Statutory Commission, a new prospect hacl arisen as a result of a number of‘ declarations which had brought the possibility of an all-India federation considerably nearer. The question to ‘be decided was whether, in the light of this new prospect of the Indian States coming now within an all-India federation it was wise and politic fo provide such an opportunity in their mew legislation, under conditions that were the only conditions which would secure the princes’ adhesion, or whether they should decline to take such a step as too big ,a risk. That was the issue on which the House must vote.

“Every single surviving member who servfrd on the Statutory Commission four years ago,” said Sir John Simon, “is to-day of opinion that instead of standing stiffly by the proposals contained in those two volumes, we should at any rate .advance as far as the Joint Select 'Committee proposes.”

‘He added that if the Indian States did come in, they would help to establish ia '.federation of greater India upon the only possible basis. Mr Winston Churchill contended that the whole project, from the RoundTable Conference onwards, was of Socialist paternity. Now the Socialist Opposition wanted still more than the Government offered 'it. Therefore, it could not be contended .that, the scheme represented the British people. The only wise course would bp to try provincial autonomy first, before attempting the autonomy of a central government. Mr. Stanley Baldwin, winding up the debate, safcPlt was a tribute to British rule that Indians now desired a greater share therein. He was in no way perturbed at the first Indian reactions to the present scheme, which had been denounced by the Congress and some other parties. Within the last few days, he had received assurances from both tho Government of India and the provincial Governments, that tho proposals were workable, and expressing the opinion- that the people would be able and willing to work them. It was. said that democracy was on its last legs in Europe; yet we were trying to impose it in India. He did not believe that anyone in the House, after consideration, desired a different constitution in Britain. We bad taught India, to respect and revere the democratic system for years, and we could not turn back now. (Cheers.) There was growing up In India a public conscience. Much progress bad been made regarding' the condition of women. The scope for women’s worlc in the. political and social sphere in India staggered the imagination. He. commended the Government’s resolution with, a full conviction that it was right to go forward with courage, and make the best instrument devisable for the well-being of India The Labor amendment was defeated by 491 votes to 49, and the Government’s resolution carried by 410 votes to 127.