DEMOCRATIC INDIA

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 75, 30 March 1933, Page 12

DEMOCRATIC INDIA

CHURCHILL'S CRITICISM

DEBATE ON WHITE PAPER

(Received' March '30, 2 p.m.) ■LONDON, March. 29. Speaking in the House of Commons in the debate on the Government's proposals issued in a White Paper on the future Constitution of India, Mr. Winston Churchill 'said that tho Government's proposals niarked the definite decline, even the" disappearance, of British authority in India. Though ho and many present shared responsibility for past mistakes in connection with previous unsuccessful reform schemes and pledges, that was no excuse for perpetuating tho blunder.' He and his, supporters sincerely desired to do everything possible to,help the Indians to a greater share of responsible Government, but, basing themselves on tho Simon Commission's report, they thought that experiments should first be made with Provincial Governments. If they succeeded, it would be a strong argument of achievement for joining the units ten to fifteen years hence into a Federal Government. In the meantime'the Central Government must bo retained intact to secure an'institution capable of dealing .with possible Provincial failures: The Government had adroitly framed the resolution to prevent the dissatisfied Conservatives from dividing against it, but this v.-ould not cause the daggers of the situation to disappear.' • ' » Mr. Churchill," replying to Sir Samuel Hoare's contention that practically all the high official? in India favoured the White Paper policy, declared that during tho past -five to ten years promotion had been made easy in India to officials who approved of the- Monta^uChelmsford leforms. " Sir' Samuel Hoare: There is no iustiflcation whatever for that statement j _ }Ir. Churchill said that the' proposed ! Constitution had few supporters in India. The Congressites denounced it, j and the Indian Liberals said they would

only, use it to extort fresh favours, and he doubted whether, half the princes could be cajoled or ' persuaded or coerced into acceptance. British Labour showed by its amendment that it would regard the scheme.only, as a beginning of further audacious adventures. Nobody here- or in India would accept it as a national settlement. '''■',