India Last Saturday Lord Irwin made an admirable speech which
ought to have put to shame those who have misrepresented, not only his previous statements, but the whole situation in India. Lord Irwin said that his phrase of October 31st, " Dominion status as the goal of British policy," was intended to bear the only meaning of which it was capable. It was a reassertion of British intentions ; it was not an assertion that the journey was at an end. He also made it clear—though this was clear enough before—that the Round Table Conference cannot con: ceivably be a constitution-making body. " The Conference cannot assume the duty that appertains to His Majesty's Government." For the rest, the Viceroy declared in a manner that did him credit that violence would never influence the British Government. The law must be obeyed, but that would never mean that the folly of the few would deprive the many of their political rights. The Viceroy's speech was delivered on what the Nationalists called " Independence Day." The " national flag " was displayed in the great cities, but the demon- strations seem to have been feeble affairs. The Secretary of State for India has announced that though the British Government do not guarantee Indian Stock they have 'no intention of allowing a situation to arise in India in which " repudiation of debt " would be possible. This timely statement caused a sharp recovery in the various forms of Indian Stock.
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