THE ROUND TABLE CONFERENCE [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
SIR,—From time to time we hear from the Government and its representatives that something must be done to give India some measure of Home Rule: On the other hand, we have the declaration of Mr. Gandhi a few weeks ago that it was useless for him to attend any O.:inference in London whilst Moslems and Hindus were at each others' throats. Whether we like Mr. Gandhi or not, that was a sensible remark.
My own feeling is that this country could never be accused of any breach of faith if we declared, following on Mr. Gandhi's own lead, that if and when the people of India could agree among themselves, it would be possible fOr our own Govern- Ment to implement whatever pledges had been given. It would be a grave mistake for the Round Table Conference to be obsessed with the idea that something—which may mean anything or nothing—must be done for India. They must wait until the present state of flux in that country is altered. Action at the moment Would only exasperate the politicians in India, and leave the masses uncertain and despairing.
Recrimination and comparison are always undesirable, but one feels that such errors' as may already have been committed in Ireland would be multiplied a thousandfold by any un- satisfactory temporizing or compromise as regards a settle- ment of the truly serious problem of India.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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