(c) crown copyright
Catalogue Reference:CAB/24/187
Image Reference:0001
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
Printed for the Cabinet.
July 1927.
SECRET.
C. P. 187 ( 2 7 ) .
MEMORANDUM
BY THE SECRETARY
OF STATE
FOR
INDIA.
The Statutory Commission on Indian Constitutional Reforms.
T h e t i m e h a s a r r i v e d w h e n I m u s t u r g e n t l y i n v i t e t h e a t t e n t i o n of m y c o l l e a g u e s
to t h e n a t u r e o f t h e C o m m i s s i o n to b e s e t u p u n d e r s e c t i o n 8 4 A o f t h e G o v e r n m e n t of
India A c t ( w h i c h I r e p r o d u c e a t t h e e n d o f t h i s M e m o r a n d u m ) , a n d to t h e (late o f i t s
appointment.
T h i s C o m m i s s i o n w a s an i n t e g r a l f e a t u r e o f t h e s c h e m e e m b o d i e d i n
t h e A c t o f 1 9 1 9 , and w a s i n t e n d e d b y t h e f r a m e r s o f t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n , as t h e y t h e n
e n v i s a g e d i t s f u t u r e , t o b e b u t t h e first o f a s e r i e s , e a c h f o l l o w i n g its p r e d e c e s s o r at
( p r e s u m a b l y ) s i m i l a r i n t e r v a l s o f t i m e , a n d p r o v i s i o n w a s m a d e f o r the first a l o n e o n l y
b e c a u s e i t w a s f e l t to be i n a p p r o p r i a t e t h a t t h e P a r l i a m e n t o f 1 9 1 9 s h o u l d t a k e i t upon
itself t o l e g i s l a t e c a t e g o r i c a l l y f o r e v e n t s o f a m o r e d i s t a n t f u t u r e .
B u t it has f o r
s o m e t i m e b e e n o p e n t o d o u b t w h e t h e r t h e b u s i n e s s t o b e u n d e r t a k e n b y this s e r i e s
of C o m m i s s i o n s is t h e c o m p a r a t i v e l y s i m p l e o p e r a t i o n w h i c h t h e f r a m e r s of t h e A c t
of 1919 c o n t e m p l a t e d .
T h e i r v i e w w a s that " d y a r c h y " - — t h a t is, t h e s y s t e m o f
r e s e r v e d a n d t r a n s f e r r e d s u b j e c t s a n d t h e m a c h i n e r y e l a b o r a t e d to w o r k i t — w o u l d
p r o v e a s t r u c t u r e o f d u r a b i l i t y , a n d t h a t all t h a t s u c c e s s i v e C o m m i s s i o n s w o u l d b e
called upon to d o — a s s u m i n g that each of t h e m found an a d v a n c e to be f e a s i b l e — w o u l d
be to a d j u s t t h e r e l a t i o n s b e t w e e n t h e t w o g r o u p s of s u b j e c t s , g r a d u a l l y a d d i n g to t h e
" t r a n s f e r r e d " list and consequently subtracting f r o m the " r e s e r v e d , " until i n the
fullness o f t i m e t h e t r a n s f e r r e d s u b j e c t s c o m p r i s e d t h e w h o l e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , a n d
" full responsible g o v e r n m e n t . " was thereby achieved.
I t w o u l d overburden this
M e m o r a n d u m w e r e I t o a t t e m p t to g i v e t h e r e a s o n s w h i c h h a v e l e d m e t o q u e s t i o n
( I n e e d n o t f o r p r e s e n t p u r p o s e s p u t i t h i g h e r t h a n t h a t ) , i n t h e l i g h t of t h e e x p e r i e n c e
of t h e 64- y e a r s d u r i n g w h i c h t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n h a s b e e n i n o p e r a t i o n , t h e s o u n d n e s s
of this h y p o t h e s i s .
I content myself here w i t h s u g g e s t i n g the v i e w that the i m p e n d i n g
C o m m i s s i o n m a y w e l l find itself f a c e d w i t h t h e m o r e f o r m i d a b l e t a s k o f f u n d a m e n t a l
reconstruction.
M y only object, h o w e v e r , i n i n d i c a t i n g this s o m e w h a t controversial
v i e w is to e m p h a s i s e t h e e x t r e m e i m p o r t a n c e w h i c h , i n m y j u d g m e n t , m u s t b e a t t a c h e d
t o t h e c h a r a c t e r a n d t h e p e r s o n n e l of t h e C o m m i s s i o n .
2. T h e p u r p o s e o f t h i s M e m o r a n d u m is n o t t o p u t b e f o r e m y c o l l e a g u e s a c u t ­
and-dried scheme, but rather to indicate the various alternatives w h i c h h a v e
suggested
t h e m s e l v e s and b e e n s u g g e s t e d t o m e i n t h e c o u r s e o f
preliminary
consultations w h i c h I have been c o n d u c t i n g p r i v a t e l y w i t h t h e V i c e r o y , and t h e
c o n c l u s i o n s w h i c h s e e m to b e i n d i c a t e d .
3. A s t o t h e date of appointment, I h a v e a definite proposal t o m a k e .
The Act
requires t h e Commission to be appointed " a t the expiration of 10 years a f t e r " i t s
p a s s i n g — i . e . o n or about 23rd D e c e m b e r J929.
I propose, h o w e v e r , that t h e
s e l e c t i o n s h a l l b e m a d e at o n c e a n d t h a t t h e a n n o u n c e m e n t s h a l l b e m a d e i n
I n d i a a n d t h e r e s o l u t i o n s b e i n t r o d u c e d i n b o t h H o u s e s o f P a r l i a m e n t as e a r l y a s
possible next year.
M y r e a s o n for s u g g e s t i n g a n t i c i p a t i o n o f t h e s t a t u t o r y d a t e i s
not c o m p l i a n c e w i t h I n d i a n c l a m o u r ,
w h i c h has been p e r s i s t e n t a l m o s t s i n c e
the inauguration of the n e w constitution.
T h i s clamour w e or our predecessors
have
successfully
parried
( a n d to t h a t e x t e n t h a v e c a r r i e d o u t t h e
definite
recommendation
of t h e J o i n t S e l e c t C o m m i t t e e of 1919 t h a t t h e 1 0 - y e a r p e r i o d
should not b e c u r t a i l e d ) , until w e h a v e n o w reached a p o i n t of time w h e n the
e x a c t d a t e — w h i c h c a n n o t b e l a t e r t h a n 18 m o u t h s h e n c e — h a s n a t u r a l l y b e c o m e a
m a t t e r of c o m p a r a t i v e i n d i f f e r e n c e , t h o u g h t h e s l i g h t c o n c e s s i o n w h i c h i s s t i l l p o s s i b l e
t o Indian impatience m a y have some small political value.
M y r e a s o n is t h a t ,
a s s u m i n g t h a t t h e C o m m i s s i o n w i l l b e a b l e to c o m p l e t e i t s t a s k i n o n e c o l d - w e a t h e r
v i s i t to I n d i a , a n d t h a t t h e s u b s e q u e n t d e l i b e r a t i o n s a n d t h e l e g i s l a t i o n n e c e s s a r y t o
g i v e effect t o i t s p r o p o s a l s w i l l o c c u p y at least a n o t h e r y e a r , i t i s a p p a r e n t t h a t t h e
b u s i n e s s w i l l n o t r e a c h c o m p l e t i o n d u r i n g t h e l i f e t i m e of t h e p r e s e n t P a r l i a m e n t .
All
t h a t t h i s G o v e r n m e n t c a n e x p e c t w i t h c e r t a i n t y , t h e r e f o r e , as i t s s h a r e i n c o n t r o l l i n g
t h e business, i s t h e a p p o i n t m e n t of t h e C o m m i s s i o n a n d t h e l a u n c h i n g i t o n its task.
A t t h e l a t e s t t h e a p p o i n t m e n t s c o u l d n o t b e p o s t p o n e d b e y o n d t h e s p r i n g of 1 9 2 9 ,
2101
.100
7.27
since (lie Commission would require some months for the preliminaries of its task.
I suggest that no risks should be run, and that the Commission should begin its
preliminary work in this country not later than the spring of 192S. (This will
probably necessitate a slight amendment of the Act.) And once this decision is
taken, I see no advantage in attempting to maintain secrecy on the point during
the intervening mouths, aud in thus forgoing such political advantages as are to be
gained by an early announcement of both date and personnel, which I am anxious
should if possible come from the mouth of the Viceroy in India in the first instance.
4. Now as to the character of the Commission. I stated earlier that I had no
definite scheme to propound at this moment. The lirst point for consideration is
whether any of the Commissioners should be Indians. My first strong inclination
was to include Indian members, partly because I believed that the dissensions
amongst themselves which would almost inevitably have been disclosed, would have
been of assistance politically, and enlightening to the ignorance as to Indian conditions
which persists in some quarters here, if the majority of the Commission recommended
little or no advance. Also, I felt difficulty in ignoring the danger that a Commission
upon which Indians themselves had no place, charged with the duty oE devising au
Indian constitution, would be so warmly resented in India that its proceedings might
be boycotted. The Viceroy, however, though he feels uo doubt that a Commission
excluding Indians will be very unfavourably received, is not disposed to fear serious
boycott, and I have found so strong a body of opinion, both in India aud in
my own Office, in favour of excluding Indians that I am not prepared to press
my own opinion against those who think that the difficulties and disadvantages
inherent in a Commission with Indian members are conclusive objections. Very
brielly these are (i) no Commission with Indian members would ever produce a
unanimous report (and I regard it as essential that no effort should be spared to
provide the conditions likely to secure imanimity), (ii) the Indian members of the
Commission would have to be either representative of the country, so far as this
might be possible, or else a small leaven of reasonable men. If they were of the
latter character, they would be repudiated by their countrymen as unrepresentative ;
if they were in any sense representative, they would have to be present in considerable
numbers, and inevitably the representatives of other interests—e.g. those of the
English commercial community and the English official—would also have to be
included, and the resulting Commission would be an unwieldy, heterogeneous crowd.
5. If the premise that the Commissioners must be exclusively British be accepted,
it follows, I think, inevitably that the field of choice must be confined to Peers of
Parliament and Members of the House of Commons. iS'o other method of composition
would afford a logically conclusive answer to the objections that will certainly be
evoked by the exclusion of Indians (for I do not think it would be seriously contended
in any quarter that a Parliamentary Commission which did not include either Lord
Sinha or Mr. Saklatvala, or both, was manifestly incomplete), and although Royal
Commissions are not commonly manned exclusively by Members of Parliament, this is
clearly not an ordinary Royal Commission, and a reasonable case can be made for a
choice by Parliament of its own members to advise it on the ultimate action to be taken
on this important matter. And a unanimous report by a Commission of its own
members would, I think, be more likely to be adopted by Parliament with substantial
unanimity -—a further important desideratum—than a unanimous report by a body of
"outsiders," however eminent.
The Viceroy, while representing—as I have already said—that the exclusion of
Indians will be very unpopular in India, has all along been in favour of a Parliamentary
Commission, and is prepared to face the unpopularity provided that members can be
secured whose names will cany real weight in India and that the risk of a minority
report is reduced to a minimum..
6. The exclusion of Indians, and consequently of representatives of other interests
whose inclusion would be inevitable if a representative Commission were attempted,
makes it possible to secure the best, condition precedent to unanimity really small
Commission. I will not dogmatise at this stage about actual numbers, but 1 may say
that seven (including the Chairman) seems to me to be the outside limit, and less
would be preferable. It has even been suggested that three would be the ideal.
7. But if Indians are to be excluded from membership of the Commission,
the Viceroy feels strongly, and I am disposed to agree, that it is essential to devise
some effective means of securing their partnership in its deliberations and of
a
e n a b l i n g them to i n f l u e n c e o r o v e n s h a p e its d e c i s i o n s .
M a n y of o u r d i f f i c u l t i e s
a r i s e f r o m the f a c t t h a t I n d i a n s w i l l not a c c e p t a n d i d e n t i f y t h e m s e l v e s w i t h a
c o n s t i t u t i o n , h o w e v e r g e n e r o u s , d e v i s e d a n d i m p o s e d ab extra;
and they have
n e v e r y e t had an o p p o r t u n i t y of c o n t r i b u t i n g , in a p o s i t i o n of r e a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r
the results, t o w a r d s constitution-building.
S e v e r a l s u g g e s t i o n s h a v e b e e n m a d e to
m e w i t h t h i s o b j e c t : ( a ) O n e i s t h e a s s o c i a t i o n o f I n d i a n s w i t h the C o m m i s s i o n as
A s s e s s o r s to assist i n t h e e x a m i n a t i o n of w i t n e s s e s a n d to d e l i b e r a t e w i t h t h e m e m b e r s
of t h e C o m m i s s i o n , b u t t o h a v e n o h a n d , o f c o u r s e , i n f r a m i n g t h e r e p o r t .
T h i s is a
p r o p o s a l o f the Y i c c r o y ' s w h i c h I t h i n k w c s h a l l h a v e to a p p r o v e in a n y case ; b u t b y
itself it w i l l o n l y e m p h a s i s e t h e i n f e r i o r i t y of t h e I n d i a n status, a n d i f I n d i a n
a s p i r a t i o n s a r e t o b e satisfied it w i l l n e e d t o b e s u p p l e m e n t e d b y s o m e f u r t h e r d e v i c e
such as t h e f o l l o w i n g : — ( b ) T h a t t h e C o m m i s s i o n ^ r e p o r t s h o u l d b e l a i d b e f o r e a
S e l e c t C o m m i t t e e o f b o t h C h a m b e r s of t h e I n d i a n L e g i s l a t u r e b e f o r e b e i n g p r e s e n t e d t o
P a r l i a m e n t , and that P a r l i a m e n t should receive, a l o n g with the C o m m i s s i o n ^ report,
the r e p o r t of that C o m m i t t e e u p o n it.
T h i s s u g g e s t i o n has o b v i o u s a t t r a c t i o n s , b u t
t h e g r o a t d i s a d v a n t a g e that it may i n v o l v e s e p a r a t e B r i t i s h a n d I n d i a n r e p o r t s ,
( c ) T h i s d i s a d v a n t a g e c o u l d b e a v o i d e d if, f o r t h e p r e l i m i n a r y d i s c u s s i o n of t h e R e p o r t
b y a S e l e c t C o m m i t t e e o f the I n d i a n L e g i s l a t u r e , t h e r e w e r e s u b s t i t u t e d a d i s c u s s i o n
of t h e B i l l b a s e d o n t h e R e p o r t , at a j o i n t session o f t h e S e l e c t C o m m i t t e e of
P a r l i a m e n t a n d a S e l e c t C o m m i t t e e o f t h e I n d i a n L e g i s l a t u r e sent h o m e f o r t h e
purpose.
T h i s w o u l d g i v e t o t h e o n l y constitutional r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of I n d i a t h e
a m p l e s t o p p o r t u n i t y of a r g u i n g t h e i r c a s e b e f o r e t h e I m p e r i a l P a r l i a m e n t , t h e final
j u d g e s of t h e q u e s t i o n ; a n d m o r e o v e r m i g h t h a v e a s e n t i m e n t a l a p p e a l t o I n d i a n s .
A l l p a r t i e s i n t h e I n d i a n L e g i s l a t u r e ( i n c l u d i n g t h e officials o f G o v e r n m e n t ) w o u l d b e
r e p r e s e n t e d , and s i n c e i t w o u l d b e r e a l i s e d t h a t I n d i a n p o l i t i c a l c a p a c i t y w a s on t r i a l ,
t h e a b l e s t a n d m o s t m o d e r a t e m e m b e r s of t h e t w o C h a m b e r s w o u l d b e s e n t .
I t has
b e e n a r g u e d t h a t d i s c u s s i o n at t h i s final s t a g e , w h e n " firm " offers can b e m a d e , a w a y
f r o m the h e a t e d p o l i t i c a l a t m o s p h e r e of I n d i a , offers t h e b e s t h o p e o f a n a g r e e d
solution.
I t is n o t p r o p o s e d of c o u r s e that m o t i o n s s h o u l d b e v o t e d o n at t h e J o i n t
Session.
T w o o t h e r s u g g e s t i o n s m a d e t o m e i n v o l v e r e c o g n i t i o n of t h e d e m a n d b y I n d i a n s
for " a round-table conference."
(d) T h e first of t h e s e w o u l d r e q u i r e t h e I n d i a n
L e g i s l a t u r e to a p p o i n t a c o n v e n t i o n to d r a w u p a c o n s t i t u t i o n to be s u b m i t t e d
to
the Commission and discussed in j o i n t conference, it b e i n g understood that if the
C o m m i s s i o n w e r e satisfied that the convention was really representative and that its
s c h e m e w o u l d in f a c t b e a c c e p t e d b y a l l tho i n t e r e s t s i n v o l v e d , t h e C o m m i s s i o n w o u l d
a p p r o v e it w i t h o u t a l t e r a t i o n o f s u b s t a n c e . I see g r e a t o b j e c t i o n s to this p r o p o s a l , a n d
I d o n o t g a t h e r t h a t i t h a s r e c o m m e n d e d i t s e l f to t h e V i c e r o y ,
( e ) T h e s e c o n d is t h a t
a f t e r the C o m m i s s i o n has r e p o r t e d , its r e p o r t s h o u l d b e p l a c e d b e f o r e a r o u n d - t a b l e
c o n f e r e n c e of all I n d i a n p a r t i e s a n d of r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f tho G o v e r n m e n t of I n d i a
a n d H i s M a j e s t y ' s G o v e r n m e n t w i t h t h e o b j e c t of n e g o t i a t i n g an a g r e e d s c h e m e t o
be put before Parliament.
S. I h a v e n o t y e t r e c e i v e d t h e final o p i n i o n o f t h e V i c e r o y , a n d I e x p r e s s n o
d e c i d e d v i e w at p r e s e n t o n t h e f e a s i b i l i t y of a n y of t h e s e p l a n s o r as t o t h e i r r e l a t i v e
m e r i t s . B u t I t h i n k that, i f s o m e t h i n g of t h e k i n d can be d e v i s e d , i t is m o s t d e s i r a b l e
t h a t t h e i n t e n t i o n t o a d o p t it a n d t o m a k e i t an e s s e n t i a l p a r t of t h e p r o c e d u r e s h o u l d
b e a n n o u n c e d s i m u l t a n e o u s l y w i t h t h e a n n o u n c e m e n t of t h e a p p o i n t m e n t of t h o
Commission.
I must emphasise this because I think it is generally r e c o g n i s e d that
t h e p s y c h o l o g i c a l f a c t o r is at l e a s t as i m p o r t a n t as a n y o t h e r i n t h e p r e s e n t I n d i a n
political situation.
I f w e can g e t r i d of t h e " i n f e r i o r i t y c o m p l e x " at the start w e
s h a l l n o t o u l y a v o i d t h e r i s k of a b o y c o t t , b u t w e s h a l l h a v e g o n e s o m e w a y t o w a r d s
i n d u c i n g a f r a m e of m i n d i n w h i c h " p o l i t i c a l l y - m i n d e d " I n d i a n s w i l l e v e n t u a l l y a c c e p t
a c o n s t i t u t i o n f a l l i n g f a r s h o r t of t h e i r e x t r e m e d e m a n d s .
9. I c a n n o t i n v i t e t h e C a b i n e t t o r e a c h a c o n c l u s i o n
i n t h i s M e m o r a n d u m , b u t m y c o l l e a g u e s o u g h t , I t h i n k , to
C o m m i s s i o n is to b e P a r l i a m e n t a r y o r n o t .
A n d equally
the personnel.
I h a v e n o t d e a l t w i t h this b r a n c h of the
w i l l b e readily understood, in m y f o r e g o i n g observations.
I n d i a Office,
1 2 t h J u l y 1927.
u p o n all t h e p o i n t s r a i s e d
d e c i d e at o n c e w h e t h e r t h e
t h e y o u g h t t o d e c i d e as t o
subject, for reasons w h i c h
B1RKENHEAD.
[ANNHXUKK
ANNEXURE.
SECTION S4A, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ACT.
(1) At the expiration of ten years after the passing of the Government of India
Act, 1919, the Secretary of State, with the concurrence of both Houses of Parliament,
shall submit for the approval of His Majesty the names of persons to act as a
commission for the purposes of this section.
( 2 ) The persons whose names are so submitted, if approved by His Majesty, shall
be a commission for the purpose of inquiring into the working of the system of
government, the growth of education, and the development of representative
institutions, in British India, and matters connected therewith, and the commission
shall report as to whether and to what extent it is desirable to establish the principle
of responsible government, or to extend, modify, or restrict the degree of responsible
government theu existing therein, including the question whether the establishment
of second chambers of the local legislatures is or is not desirable. ,
(3) The commission shall also inquire into and report on any other matter
affecting British India and the provinces which may be referred to the commission by
His Majesty.