Hindu and Moslem
There are signs that the activities of the Indian National Congress are making any agreed solution of the Indian problem remote. At its meeting at Ramgarh last week the Congress reaffirmed its demand for full independence and a new constitution drawn up by a Constituent Assembly. Mr. Gandhi accepts the resolution but hesitates about a civil disobedience movement designed to force the Govern- ment's hands. The passage of the resolution has brought forcible reminders that Congress does not represent all India, or even all Hindu India. The Moslem League, under the leadership of Mr. Jinnah, has reacted forcibly, and seeing grave danger to the Moslem minority (of some 80,000,000) even in the federal scheme embodied in the Government of India Act, since it would inevitably result in majority rule, goes so far as to propose the creation of completely independent Moslem States, which could only attain homogeneity through extensive transferences of popu- lation. The Princes, governing a population of 8o,000,coo, are equally suspicious of Congress domination. In such conditions a Constituent Assembly in which Congress supporters could hopelessly outvote the Moslems would be more likely to lead to civil war than to a constitution. Unless Mr. Gandhi and the Viceroy can after all reach accord constitutional advance in India is likely to be seriously delayed.
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