Indian Perplexities
MR. FIELDEN'S little book is a plea for a more dispassionate effort to understand the Indian 'problem. His experience as controller of broadcasting has convinced him of the futility of trying to impose British-made charters on Indian minds. " The villager," said Mrs. Naidu, when he puffed the benefits of rural radio, " doesn't want your beastly wireless ; he wants food and soap." Mr. Fielden challenges us to look into our hearts and ask ourselves whether, behind our elaborate camouflage of safeguards for the minorities, there does not really lurk a subconscious desire to perpetuate British rule? The only honourable course is to give India her freedom unconditionally ; the Hindu-Mohammedan problem is a purely domestic matter, which will never settle itself as long as we are there to foster disunity. If the presence of the Allied armies is necessary for military reasons, we must make a treaty with the country similar to our treaty with Egypt. This all sounds reasonable enough, but Mr. Fielden never really faces up to the impossibility of handing over the reins of government unless there is a stable administration in being to replace it. He does not even mention the statesmanlike protest on the subject addressed by Mr. Rajgo- palachari and his colleagues to Mr. Gandhi. " The State," they observe, "is not a mere superstructure, but is so- intimately bound up with the functioning of every activity of the people, that the withdrawal of the Government without its simultaneous replace- ment by another must involve the dissolution of the State and of society itself. It is unnatural for any Government to withdraw without transferring power to a successor by consent. The forma- tion of a provisional Government, as well as the convening of the Constituent Assembly, are possible only if the continuity of the
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