CONGRESS AND THE REFORMS
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] SIR,—In The Spectator of March 31st, Sir Stanley Reed informs us that there is : "No possibility of the Congress, even if it revives, winning a Majority either now or in the future in any of the legislative bodies, Whether Federal or Provincial." The truth is, of course, that anything is "pos- sible" in India. At the present moment Congress is a house divided against itself. This is proved by the departure today,
for London, of Mr. Iyengar, the very able Editor of the Himirt of Madras, to attend-the meetings of the Parliamentary Select Committee. He was for many years the General Secretary of the Congress, and•was the principal adviser to Mr. Gandhi at the Second Round Table Conference. This prominent Right Wing Congressman has in recent weeks, strongly advised Congress to abandon Civil Disobedience and non- co-operation. This has Come as a shock to Congress Extrem- ists, and Mr. Iyengar has been bitterly attacked in recent weeks because of his articles on Congress policy.
It will be recalled that in 1923 the late Mr. C. R. Das revolted against Mr. Gandhi and the Congress Policy of non- co-operation, and Mr. Das' s party captured the legislatures all over the country. The subsequent history is well known to your readers, and it is not too much to say that the barreu and futile policy of non-co-operation would have been safely buried long ago if Mr. Das had been alive, and that in spite of the Mahatma. History Will probably repeat itself. Bengal has always given the lead, and . Saved India front chaos. Congress under the dictatorship of the Mahatma may boycott the coming reforms and the situation may not change until the mantle of Mr: Das fallsnpon sOni- eOne. It is to be hoped that some worthy'son of Bengal will receive inspiration from the lifelong work Of such builders of the nation as Sir Suren- dranath Banerjea and Mr. Doi; and push India forward by undertaking constructive mirk; even in disappointing eircurn- stanees..—I am,' Sir, &e.,
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