Thoughts on Mr. Gandhi's Arrest
WHEN Mahatma. Gandhi set out on his spectacular march' to Surat from his 'Ashram at Ahmedabad on March 12th it was inevitable that sooner or later the Government of India would be forced to arrest him. The expected has happened. On May 5th Mr. Gandhi was arrested in the -dead of night in his camp at Jalalpur by the District Magistrate accompanied by police. No one who has followed thc unfolding chapters in the tragic Indian story can accuse the Government of precipitancy ; the exact contrary has happened. Lord Irwin has held his hand to the very last, and no Govern- ment responsible for law and order and millions of lives could have acted otherwise. From the first we have counselled trust in Lord Irwin in his extraordinarily difficult position, and we are sure that the present British Ministry is determined that the Government, of the King-Emperor must be carried on, and that wild deeds or words will not deflect it from its duty.
• Friends of India in this country—and there are more than some of the leaders of Indian opinion think— cannot but .deplore the fact that Mr. Gandhi threw his weight into the scales in December on the wrong side ; how different the situation would have been had he agreed to take . part in the round-table discussions and worked for conciliation rather than anarchy -and blood- shed ! *For history teaches that • you cannot incite the Masses to passive resistance and avoid bloodshed. But it is no good crying over spilt milk, and we must . face the realities of the Indian situation. The need for greater _imaginative sympathy in British opinion, no less than unfailing tact and courtesy, is, in our view, one of the most important realities.
Great Britain's _ settlement with India must be a national one, • and must be made with the approval of the majority of the British electorate. It is for that reason that we have deplored the attempts . to make India a party .issue. The situation is much too . serious for that. From the beginning of the present crisis the Spectator has taken a very definite stand. in favour of the granting of Dominion status to India at the earliest possible moment. In our view the attainment of British- Indian friendship is the greatest political issue before the present 'generation. We have always thought, and we think More than ever, that full friendship and co-operation between Great Britain and the peoples of India would be the Surest loninlation On which: to build peade. in 'Asia and 'Stability in the world. But friendship' must be mutual, and- there must be neither condeseention'on Our side nor suspicion on the Indian side.
' It is just because we think that the cause of civilization Would. be retarded by' the breaking-up of the British Commonwealth that we want to keep India' within its orbit ; 'but if India 'is to be a free 'and independent unit within the Commonwealth, it must be with India's free consent. We agree with' General Smuts that the evolution of Dominion status ' is the greatest political 'discovery of the nineteenth century. There has never been anything like it—complete independence and 'at the same time co-operation for the common good and fdr the welfare of mankind between a group' of nations round the Seven Seas. We think that the framers of the memorandum 'at the last Imperial Conference' defining Dominion' status, among whom the late Lord Balfour was the -chief, put into words what has been the greatest political achieve- ment of our race. • The Dominions of the British Com- monwealth are Great Britain's equals, they have the right to enter into diplomatic relations with' foreign nations, they are members of the League, of Nations, and, should they wish to withdraw from the Common- wealth, not a single British soldier would be sent to say them nay.
The Simon Report and the round-table conference are, we hope, going to help us to carry out the most wonderful task which it has ever been given to our nation to perform. Never in history has one nation been given a greater work to earry out than we have : the task of help- ing one-fifth of the hiunan race, consisting Of Many and varied peoples and creeds in every state of civiliza- tion from the illiterate tiller of -the soil to the professor educated in Europe, to 'achieve self-determination and self-expression. To establish a United States Of India, "a sister State in the :British' Commonwealth," enjoying all the privileges and rights which we enjoy 'and working in friendly co-operation with ourselves is, We repeat, the greatest piece of state-building which has ever been entrusted to a Western nation.
• Mr. Gandhi's arrest and the arrest of ' certain of his followers 'Must not- deflect 'us -frOin our purpose. The GOVernment of India must :and will &within& to govern, and will see that law and order are maintained. To allow the forces of' anarchy 'to work' their' wicked will would be a poor Method Of carrying Out our trusteeship. When the moment 'comes for Our handing over- the reins of government to an Indian Ministry, India must be a going boncern. We have our responsibilities to all sections of the peoples of India, to the Muslim Minority, to the " untouchables " and to the Native States. We do not think that the majority of the peoples of India, if it were possible for them to record their- votes, would- wish the-British guiding hand to be removed till a Par Indica could take its- place.
We have never, wavered' in our belief that British co-operation and help are essential to India's welfare for many a• long day. We know that many of the Indian leaders are of the same opinion. But if we treat the peoples of India as children and tell them what they must do or must not do, we shall only- continue to arouse increasing opposition to our rule.
Our message to India in these- fateful years of transition Should - be somewhat as follows. "You are about to embark on one of the biggest pieces of state-building ever attempted. We think we can be of use to you. Some of our Western experience may be applicable to your totally different Eastern conditions. Nothing would make us happier than to be able to lend a hand in trying to devise a Constitution which will work and Which will be fair to every section • of your sub-continent. We recognize that drawing up a Constitution for Canada, Australia, South Africa and Ireland was child's play in comparison. We do not think you have anything to gain' by 'withdrawing from the British Commonwealth. Proud and independent natiOns like Canada, Australia and South Africa find full scope for their intense nationalism within its borders.' Anyhow, let Us help you to achieve complete freedom under the British Crown, and when you have achieved this goal it will be' time enough to start thinking :about the next step. Perhaps by then some practical scheme for the federation of mankind will be afoot. In the meantime we in Great Britain are determined to work for lasting friendship between 'Great Britain' and the peoples of India on a basis of absolute _equality, fully recognizing that in the last resort. the' peoples of -India are the sole arbiters of their destiny.''
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