From the Archives: Suggested European Electorate.

Mr. L.P.E. Pugh has written a lengthy letter to the Press in support of his proposal that Europeans in order to secure separated electorate should join Indians in claiming election of councillors and ministers. The letter is a reply to Mr. Welby, Secretary, European Association who opposed Mr. Pugh’s views saying that Europeans should assert their just claim and preserve their convictions. Mr. Pugh in reply says: Our claim though a just claim has been rejected on at least three occasions by the Government of India. It has again been considered and rejected in the reform scheme, though it is admitted that we have interests out of all proportion to our numbers. Does experience lead us to suppose that the simple reassertion of the justice of the claim with some possible support from the Indo-British Association will lead to its recognition? The question supplies the answer “No”. India is a new proposition with different conditions from any other as regards constitution building.