25 JANUARY 1935, Page 1

The Princes and a Canard Meanwhile it is satisfactory that

in India itself the Princes have forcibly and indignantly repudiated the allegations voiced in this country by Lord Rothermere, and not by him alone, that the Princes were coerced and cajoled into acceptance of the new federal scheme. It was, of course, their spontaneous and unexpected acceptance of it which revolutionized the whole situation and made the findings of the Round Table Conferences and the recommendations of the Joint Select Committee possible. The Princes have quite properly decided to pass no final judgement till they have seen the actual text of the new Bill and studied the clauses dealing _with the States under the new constitution, but there is no reason at all to believe that they have gone back at all on their_ previous resolutions. With the Bill in being, and Parliament about to resume, the adoption of the new constitution is only a matter of months. But even in those months the Government of India is likely to have some difficult times, as the defeat of the Govern- ment 'in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday proved. The return of the Congress Party to the Chamber creates new .problems, but it is better on all grounds for them to attend and oppose than to persist in the non-co-oper- ation policy. * * *