GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20181, 9 March 1931, Page 11

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.

THE INDEPENDENCE - DEMAND. SECOND ROUND-TABLE CONFERENCE. (CMITEB PS*SS ASSOCIATION—BT RUICTBIQ TELEGttAPH—COPYEIGHT.) (Received March Bth, 5.5 p.m.) CALCUTTA, March 7. Interviewed by pressmen, Gandhi said that swaraj meant complete selfgovernment, and did not exclude association with any nation, much less England. It was quite compatible with India remaining within the Empire, but the partnership with England must be on terms of absolute equality, He and other Nationalist leaders- would press for independence at the second Round-TabJe Conference, of which he would prefer the first part to be held in India, and the second in London. RECEPTION OF AGREEMENT. « I! . (Received March Bth, 5.5 p.m.) * CALCUTTA. March 7. India yesterday joined wholeheartedly in supporting the terms of the Delhi agreementMembers of the "Youth League," and' Labour leaders representing the extreme wing of the Congress" in Bombay, however, condemn the settlement as a betrayal and a lowering of the Independence flag. SATISFACTION OVER AGREEMENT. BRITISH PRESS COMMENT. - ft (sn;Ti?v orriciAX wap?4fc«.) " rugby,. March 6, In both the House of Commons and the Legislative Assembly at New Delhi loud cheering greeted the reading ©* the terms of the agreement between the Viceroy (Lord Irwin) and Gandhi. In England the Press comments of both Government and Liberal organs express extreme satisfaction at the settlement. The opinion among Conservative journals is divided. , "The Times" gives firm and reasoned approval, praising, warmly -Lord. Irwin's statesmanship. The 'Daily Telegraph" and the ''Morning Post are dubious, and fear for the prestige of the Indian Government. The "Daily Mail" and, in a somewhat diminished degree, the "Daily Express" have a£ tacked the conversations with Gandhi from the inception as a "surrender to sedition," and continue to pursue this line unaffected by the terms of .the agreement. The "Yorkshire Post," an influential provinoial Conservative organ, gives approval on lines similar to "The Times." Meanwhile, the Parliamentary correspondent of the last-named journal declares that the tetfms of the agreement do much to steady opinion in tj}6 Conservative Party, j Regarding the alleged "Surrender,""The Times" says that the terms of the agreement finally lay that phantom, since there has beep no surrender of any vital or any important British or Indian interest to the extremist elements. ■ . . "The Spectator" says: _ Gandhi is at last a convert to a policy o! constructive op-operation. As"! fpr Lord Irwin, we cannot express too our grateful admiration of his moral courage. Wo think a careful examination of the facts will convince nearly all reasonable people that the .Viceroy, so far from having made .a surrender,, has contrived terms not only honourably put businesslike, , The "New Statesman" and ■ the "Nation" say "Lord Irwin and Gandhi share equally the honours of. this* victory for common sense. The Birmingham "Post" describes the settlement as. a notable success fpr common sense. ;Jl ' I ■' ' 1 1 V ''-"3