29 OCTOBER 1932, Page 6

The sooner the mystery . of Mr. Sastri's absence from the

new Round Table discussions is cleared up, the better. The official explanation is that the state of . his health makes it undesirable that he should take so long a journey for a conference which is likely (by comparison with its predecessors) to be brief. But does that represent Mr. Sastri's personal view? I have reason to believe that, so far from that, he has been saving himself in every way for a mission which it is inconceivable that he should not have been invited to undertake. There is no more statesmanlike spokesman of the people of India than Mr. Sastri, and if it is the fact, as I am assured it is, that he is able and anxious to come to London, I imagine the omission to nominate him will be repaired forthwith.