NEWS OF THE WEEK W HEN.the Royal Assent is given to
the Government of India Bill today, a measure transcending in importance the North Anierica Act or the Commonwealth of Australia Act or the SOuth Africa Act will have been added to the Icing Series of enactments by which the Parliament of Great 'Britain has conferred new' degrees of politiCal:freedom on Cominunities originally dependent. As the GoYernment of India Act is of unprecedented volume so it is the fruit of unprecedented deliberation. Since the Simon Commission was appointed in 1927 every proposal embodied in the present Act has been the subject of ardent and extended discussion in this country and India.' No view has been left unexpressed, no school of political thought unheard. What has prevailed in the end has been reason and weight of argument, and Indians in particular will do well to recognize the growth of sympathy with their aspirations denoted by the fact that an overwhelming majority of Conservative members of both Houses of Parliament has unhesitatingly approved a settlement for which most of them would almost certainly have refused to vote ten years ago. That is a significant change. All the Labour Party and most Liberals would have: been ready to go fUrther than the present Act does, but it is far better for India to get what is now conceded to her with the goodwill of all parties than to secure rather more in the face of formidable and bitter opposition. • '
