The Evening Star MONDAY, APRIL 1, 1929. INDIA AND THE EMPIRE.

Evening Star, Issue 20138, 1 April 1929, Page 8

The Evening Star MONDAY, APRIL 1, 1929. INDIA AND THE EMPIRE.

The Government of India, us Hie largest dependency of the Hritish Empire, presents many problems which baffle the skill of the most astute and experienced statesmen. Many reputations have been wrecked in the attempt to solve them. India, is so vast a country, its people are so multitudinous, their languages are so numerous, their caste distinctions are so rigid, their racial and religious animosities are so embittered, and their historic divisions are so ancient and radical that to discover a form of self-government which would unify tho whole Empire must present almost insuperable difficulties. Yet the attempt must inevitably be made. .Hritish rule has been during tho past century of incalculable benefit to the Empire. It has maintained peace amid many conflicting elements. It has developed tho boundless resources of a wealthy land. It has covered it with railways and has irrigated great areas which were formerly arid and unproductive. It lias introduced the benefits of Western civilisation and science. It lias diffused knowledge and education to an extent previously unknown, and it has fostered a love of liberty and independence which is pow clamouring for expression. The seething unrest which manifests itself in many troublesome forms among tho political leaders of India is due chiefly to the principles of freedom and self-government which they have learned from their conquerors. They have t unc to know how freo the dominions arc from Hie direct control of the Imperial .Parliament, and have determined to demand a similar freedom for their own glorious country. They chafe and fret under the restraint of an alien rule. They insist that tho time has now come when they should tie granted independent sell-government akin to that enjoyed by Canada, Australia, and our own beloved lam!.' Their demand is often made vocitcrously and ■ insolently, and is emphasised by boycott and non-co-operation, but it can no longer be disregarded. It bas been increasing in volume and vigour during the past twenty years, and lin.s become increasingly definite) and insistent. It is voiced by Indians ol great culture and eloquence who wield immense inlluenco among their countrymen, and whose capacity for political leadership cannot ho disputed. They deserve to he respectfully heard. Tho Hritish Government has conceded much already to this demand for national independence, and seems to be prepared to concede still more. In 19,17 Mr E. S, Montagu uttered in the House of Commons this explicit pledge:— “ Tho policy of His Majesty’s Government, with wliieh the Government ol India, are in complete accord, is that of the increasing association ol Indians in every branch of tho Administration I rind the gradual development of selfgoverning institutions with a view to the progressive realisation of rosponshlc government in India as an integral part of the British Empire.’' This solemn declaration of policy the A icerny and Governor-General ol India,

Lord Jrwin, definitely reaffirmed in his official speech at (he opening; ol the wintei 1 .session of the Assembly at New Delhi so recently as January PS last: “ I tell this Assembly again, and through them India, that the declaration of 1917 stands and will stand for all time n.s the solemn pledge of the British people to do all that can be done by one people to assist another to attain full national political stature, and that the pledge so given will never ho dishonoured. As actions aro commonly held more powerful than words. L will add that I. should not be standing before you here to-day as Governor-Gen-eral if I believed that tbo British people had withdrawn their hand from that solemn covenant. Those, therefore, who preach that a new generation

has arisen in England which seeks to j explain away the significance of the 1917 declaration arc, consciously or unconsciously, but not the less really, misrepresenting flic purpose of Great Britain and poisoning the wells by which the common life ol India and Great Britain .is supported and sustained.” Lord Irwin declared that tho serious problems involved could only bo solved by mutual agreement between Great Britain and India, and deprecated the idea that civil disobedience could do anything to 'further tho end desired. Ho was quite certain that no discussions could have the least hope of success if either party cherished a spirit of hostility ami suspicion, and ho lamented “ the black cloud of unwarranted mistrust that had enshrouded so much of India’s political thought.” These conciliatory statements by tho Viceroy arc challenged by Pandit Motilal Nehru, President of the Indian Congress. He flouts and scorns tho Commission (of which Sir John Simon was chairman), which Lord Irwin regarded as forming a basis for “a, solution which might carry the willing assent of political India and declares; “Opinion is unanimous that nothing short of full responsible government on dominion lines will .satisfy any section oi opinion which counts in India.” ft is this demand for full and immediate selfgovernment which gives British statesmen and journalists gravest concern. They admit that independence must ultimately bo granted, but cannot see that India is yet ripe for it. The ‘ Morning Post,’ in referring to the Viceroy’s speech, said that “ it may ho dangerous to go back, but it seems more dangerous to go forward”; and the ‘Daily Telegraph ’ said the year had “ opened with very little hope of a pacific settlement of India’s constitutional problem.” We can but hope that these gloomy comments may bo refuted by tho peaceful adjustment of the difficulties which now confront the British rulers of India. When the Simon Commission was appointed Mr Baldwin, the Prime Minister, said; “It is indeed an unprecedented path that wo arc walking upon. No similar path has ever beon explored by any Government or any body of men before”; and ho reminded Parliament of Milton’s great saying; “When God wants a hard thing done Ho tells it to his Englishmen.” God’s Englishmen will face their tremendous task-with courage, and 1 will not abandon it until it has been triumphantly accomplished. ;