11 FEBRUARY 1928, Page 1

News of the Week

SIR JOHN SIMON and his colleagues in the Parliamen- tary Commission reached Bombay on Friday and Delhi on Saturday last. They had a fairly SatiSfactory reception as the proposed " Hartals " were not successful except in Benares. Disturbances elsewhere, worst in Madras, seem to have developed into communal strife between Moslems and Hindus quite as much as into intimidation of co-operators by boycotters. We have dealt in a leading article with the Viceroy's last effort in the Legislature, as reasonable, high-minded and appealing a speech as any that he has delivered. We read it here in our thousands and can hardly realize what a tiny fraction of our Indian fellow-subjects it will reach. But the confused excitement in the big cities is evidently intense. We have no doubt that every Indian who hears what the Commission says and is willing to believe it will be con- vinced of the honesty of its -purpose and its good will.

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