The Indian Impasse
While other events nearer home tend to overshadow it the situation in India still demands the attention of all who realise how considerable an effect the difference between agreement and dissension there may have on the security of the Commonwealth. At present the disagreement between the Congress Party and the Government, and equally between the Congress Party and the Moslems, con- tinues. The Congress Ministries that were in power in eight out of the eleven provinces have resigned and administration is being carried on by the Governors. But no disorders have occurred and some signs of an approach to an acconuno- dation are manifest. Moderate Congress leaders are tending to talk more of Dominion status and less of independence, to take more seriously the need for an understanding with the minorities and to recognise that certain questions, notably defence and relations with the States, call for special treatment and should not be dealt with by the con- stituent assembly which Congress desires to see convened at the end of the war. At this point there seems to be room for a further move by the Viceroy, who, when his last attempt to reach agreement failed, affirmed his intention to go on trying. If he could impress Congress with the possibilities inherent in his proposal to appoint represen- tatives of Congress and other bodies to his Advisory Council, a beginning of practical co-operation might be made that would make the solution of every future problem sub- stantially easier.
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