Some Indian Considerations
The letter from Sir George Schuster in Wednesday's Times on the Indian situation raises several points of importance, though not all of them are new. Nothing could be more valuable than to emphasise the fact that, so far from our exploiting India in the interests of British trade, official solicitude for Indian trade is actually penalising British merchants, who could almost certainly get a better deal by negotiation with an independent India than they are getting today. Equally true is it that in regard to India generally "we must be guided by what we believe right, not by what American news- papers are saying of us." As to immediate steps, Sir George urges most justly that the Indianisation of the Viceroy's Council (apart
from the Commander-in-Chiefs seat) be completed by putting the important portfolios of Home Affairs and Finance in the hands of Indian Ministers. That might not mean increased efficiency, but it would have other advantages that more than compensated. This is one forward step that could and should be taken now, and it is not the only one. It would probably be wise to allow responsible Indians like Mr. Rajagopalachari or Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru to interview Mr. Gandhi if they wish, and it would still be salutary to abolish the India Office and put Indian affairs under the Dominions Office. None of these changes would go to the root of the Indian difficulty and none would evoke gratitude from any Congress leader, but while there is as little visible prospect as ever of bringing the two chief communities in India together in a national government even short steps in the right direction are better than no steps.
