INDIA: Simla Conference

At India’s summer capital, statesman ship and wisdom were on trial. For in Simla’s viceregal lodge the momentous conference of Viceroy Lord Wavell and India’s nationalist leaders was about to begin. At stake was the future of India and the Wavell Plan (TIME, May 21), leading to eventual Indian self-government.

Khaddar and Kirpan. First, on a lawn overlooking the valley, there was the vice regal reception. The Congress delegation, headed by President Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, wore white caps, homespun khaddar.

Mohamed Ali Jinnah, president of the Moslem League, wore an English-style hat, a smartly-cut lounge suit. Malik Khizar Hayat Khan Tiwana, Premier of the Punjab and spearhead of India’s war effort, was dashing in a snow-white, plumed turban. Tara Singh, leader of the warlike Sikhs, was resplendent in a bright blue turban. He carried a kirpan (carved Sikh sword).

The Viceroy and Lady Wavell shook hands with the delegates, chatted about the delightful weather. This was not just chitchat. Astrologers had claimed that the conference’s opening day (June 25) was inauspicious, since there would be a partial eclipse of the moon. Hindus believe that anything begun on the day of an eclipse is doomed to failure.

Faith, Wisdom, Courage. Then in the green-walled conference room Lord Wavell addressed the delegates. “It will not be easy,” he said. “On the column which stands in front of the Viceroy’s house are engraved these words: ‘In thought faith, in words wisdom, in deed courage, in life service, so may India be great.’ They will make a good guide for our confer ence.” Then the Viceroy swore the conference’s 21 delegates to secrecy about their discussions.

For two days Simla seethed with secrecy, bubbled Math optimism. Then the conference suddenly stalled. In this political pinch, Lord Wavell was patient. At issue was the question: should the Moslem League have sole right to nominate the Moslem ministers in India’s projected new government? Mohamed Ali Jinnah said yes. The delegates of the All-India Congress, which also includes Moslem members, claimed the right to nominate at least one Moslem minister. The factions agreed to adjourn until July 14, so that their working committees could try to work out some compromise.

Permanent Minority? But Mohamed Ali Jinnah was uncompromising. At press interviews after the adjournment, he disapproved the Wavell Plan’s proposal for parity between caste Hindus and Moslems in the new government. He charged that the Untouchables and Sikhs would always vote with the Hindus, thus putting the Moslems in a permanent minority. Said Jinnah: “We cannot accept the Congress party’s right to choose the Moslem ministers either on principle or on the facts before us.” (The Moslem League claims to represent 99% of India’s Moslems). But he left the door to reconciliation open a tiny crack; he hoped that if the Wavell Plan was “fully formulated,” it would offer sufficient security “for the Moslem nation we represent” to permit acceptance. At week’s end, Jinnah proposed that the Wavell Plan be dropped, that Congress and the League negotiate directly over a new government.

Indian self-government was largely up to Lord Wavell. If the MoslemLeague and the Congress party failed to agree when they met again next week, he might choose a government from the names submitted by both parties. If both parties disagreed with his choices, they might refuse to participate in the new government. If the League preferred to stay out, the Viceroy might form a new government anyhow, naming as Moslem ministers such nonLeague Moslems as the Punjab’s Premier Malik Khizar Hayat Khan Tiwana.