EVERYTHING NOW DEPENDS ON INDIA

Chronicle (Levin), 18 May 1946, Page 7

EVERYTHING NOW DEPENDS ON INDIA

Iieceived Friday 8.15 p.m: LONLOxV, May 17. ' Lord Pethick-Lawrence and Sir Statford Oripps received Mr. Gandhi anu informed him of their decisions that the provinces should be usked I'brthwitli to elect representatives to the Constituenc Assembly aird that the Interim Central Government sliould immediately be fonned, says tlie Tiincs New Bellii correspondent. The Viceroy and Mr. Alexander simultaneously received the Chancellor of the Ohamber'of Princes', Nawab Bhoptil, and lianded him a copy of the Cabinet delegation's scliemc, a copy of wliicii was delivered to Mr. Jinnah at Simla. Tlie Ministers also received delegations from the Congress Party and Moslem League. Sir Stafford Cripps, interviewed at New Delhi re'gardmg tlie British GovP ernment's statement on India, said now that it had been fiually absolutely decided tliat India would liave eomplete independence withiu or without the British Qpmmonwealth as slie chose, the British Government was anxious that she should liave it as soon. as possible and that all depended on India hammering out a new Coiistitution. The soouer India stafted on it the sooner Britain would withdraw. If India accepted the Mission 's suggesfions for getting on with the making of a new Constitution, the transition could be smootli and rapid but if the plan was not aceepted it could not be foretold how long and acute would be India 's.-.svifferings ' ' which would be self-inflicted'%