7 JANUARY 1928, Page 6

Sir John Simon has stated that the first visit of

the Parliainentary Commission to India will be devoted to a, general study of the situation. It may yet be possible to convince Indians that such a mixed Commission as they propose would entail the presence of many hundreds of representatives and that for that reason alone it would be impracticable. In any case there is a prospect of the boycott policy completely breaking down in practice. There are a great many groups in India who will be extremely anxious to lay their opinions and grievances before-the Simon Commission. Is it to be supposed that when the boycotters see the ground being usefully occupied by their enemies they will still refrain from asserting themselves ? We can hardly believe it.