SPEECHES IN INDIA 399

hitherto untried departure as an experiment ? May not every
new venture by human beings be properly described as an
experiment until it has achieved its object ? In the present case
there is fortunately no doubt, as the Prime Minister has pointed
out more than once in his speech, that a very considerable measure
of success has already been attained, even during the limited
period of one year and a half of the existence of the new
constitution.

The Prime Minister made generous reference in his speech
to the able and distinguished Indians who have striven their
utmost to make the Reforms succeed, and his language shows
that he is as desirous as they that their efforts should ultimately
prove completely successful; and, although it is, I trust, scarcely
necessary, I would add my fervent hope and my earnest prayer
that nothing will happen to mar the success of this policy.

I note also that not only you but others are seriously perturbed
by the sentence quoted by you from the Prime Minister's speech
relating to the Civil Service. I have already stated the cir-
cumstances that caused the Prime Minister to speak on the
condition of the Indian Civil Service in this debate.

As I gather from such reports of the debate as I have seen
this was the precise point raised by the speeches of the Members
of Parliament who had introduced the subject of India into
the debate then proceeding. I gather both from your address
and from all I have read and heard that there is apprehension
lest this language should indicate a modification of the hitherto
pursued policy in accordance with the declaration in the Preamble
of the statute.

First, there are apprehensions regarding the provisions for
the increasing association of Indians in every branch of Indian
administration. It is unnecessary now to labour discussion as
to the meaning of the Prime Minister's language, for he has
made quite plain that there is no ground whatever for this
apprehension. Secondly, the fear has been expressed here again
that it was no longer intended by His Majesty's Government that
there should be the gradual development in India of self-govern-
ing institutions with a view to the progressive realization of
responsible self-government in British India, of course as an
integral part of the Empire. Once again the Prime Minister has
stated that there is no foundation for this apprehension, and that
the words of the Preamble to the statute which I have quoted
stand now where they did before he made his speech, and that
no change was indicated by him. The assurances I have been