INDIAN POSITION

Hokitika Guardian, 26 March 1932, Page 5

INDIAN POSITION

A REVIEW

BY SIR S. HOARE.

[British' Officiol Wireless.) RUGBY, March 24. Before Parliament rose 'to-day for the Easter recess, an important statement was made in the House of Commons by the Secretary for India, Sir .Samuel Hoare. He recalled that in December, the House of Commons approved the statement on the Indian policy, made by the Prime Minister at the end of the Round Table Conference, and adopted that policy as its own. That policy was being carried into effect. They were going forward resolutely and had not the least intentention of being jostled off the road by threats, fears, or sudden alarms.

.Formidable difficulties were unfortunately inherent in the actual state of India itself. There was firstly, communal trouble, secondly complexity of the question of the All-India Federation. He appreciated the anxiety of many people in England, who took the view that if .the Indians would not agree among themselves, why s houl<] the British Government intervene, and give a decision which would dissatisfy many people, and satisfy very few. The trouble, however, was that a great majority of people were anxious for a measure of constitutional advances in India, and no effective constitutional advance, either in the provinces or any centre was possible, without some kind of communal settlement. The British Government was not prepared to accept this deadlock. They said that for the best solution was that communities should agree among themselves. But, if communities failed to agree, the Government would he compelled to give a provisional decision, that would | make possible constitutional advances.

In this contingency, he thought- they should agree that as much as possible of the constitutional structure should b e left to be settled by an agreement between the Indians-and ourselves. “I am .exceedingly sorry communities have not agreed among themselves. I think I may claim to know what is in the minds of my Moslem friends, and also the depressed classes, and the Christian minority.

They feel that they have been drawn into the discussion of the final details of the constitution before they are sure of safeguards necessary for they very

existence.”

“I can understand their anxiety. Me said we will insist' upbn the necessary safeguard for the minority, in any constitutional act. Meanwhile,... may I suggest that the leaders of the Communities ishould concentrate their efforts on organising their forces for the inevitable election of the future, rather than on heated discussions as to what the British Government are, or are not -Hyping to do, “Secondly, there is a very complexquestion of an All-India Federation, 1 am convinced .that an All-India Federation, comprising both the Indian States and the Provinces of British India, will give- India much the best chance of constitutional development on safe and - sound foundations.

“I wish to say, with full authority of the Government, that we nre as deeply interested in the development cf an [All-India Federation as we .were last winter. We wish to see the Princes enter the federal system, and we believe not only will they best serve their own interests by entering it, but will best serve tbe interests of India as well. “Of course there must be a difference of opinions amongst the six hundred states, upon so complex, so novel a question. . “It may well he that modifications will be required in the federal plan. “As it stands, we have not the least wish' to impose, even if we could do so; a dictated scheme upon the Indian i,States. What we want is a workable scheme effective of the federation that will combine British India and the Indian States for agreed purposes, in an organised constitutional structure.”