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RESOLUTIONS passed at the SPECIAL SESSION OF THE CEYLON NATIONAL CONGRESS.
1. THIS Congress rejects as utterly inadequate and reactionary and as an affront to the people of Ceylon the scheme of reform enacted by the Order in Council published in the Ceylon Government Gazette, of the 23rd September, 1920, which under the guise of extending popular election and control seriously curtails the powers of the Legislative Council, increases the autocratic powers of the Governor, restricts freedom of discussion and control over the Executive, imposes humiliating disabilities on the people's representatives, introduces invidious distinctions between communities, creates special representation and denies even the beginning of responsible government.
2. His Excellency Brigadier-General Manning has, by his lack of sympathy and failure to do impartial justice to all sections of His Majesty's subjects, and to represent faithfully their feelings and wishes to the Imperial authorities, forfeited the confidence of this country.
3. This Congress places on record its grave dissatisfaction with the admin- istration of Ceylon, generally as to its policy regarding agriculture, education, and taxation, and particularly as to the methods adopted under Martial Law in 1915, its unsympathetic attitude towards constitutional reform, and its failure to work faithfully for Great Britain's ideals of justice, liberty, self-development, and self- determination of the people.
SIR,
Enclosure 2 in No. 25.
Ceylon National Congress.
28th November, 1920.
WITH reference to your letter No. 39091, of the 15th November, 1920, I have the honour to report as follows:-
Constitution.I submit, for your information, a copy of the constitution of the Ceylon National Congress, as issued by the Congress in pamphlet form.
Objects of the Congress. Please see Article 1. This is the avowed object of the Congress, which is the only public statement in this regard which has been made. It would, however, appear from the tenor of their meetings and from the conver- sation of the more sober-minded Ceylonese that the real object of the Congress is solely to embarrass Government.
Membership.-Please see Articles 1 and 2.
Delegates from various political associations in Ceylon which are recognized by the Executive Committee, are selected by their committee locally and sent to repre- sent such associations on the Congress.
The following associations are represented on the Ceylon National Congress :-
(1) The Young Lanka League, (2) The Ceylon Workers' Federation (3) The Ceylon Workers' Welfare League, (4) The Lanka Mahajana Sabha, (5) The Low Country Products Association, (6) The Plumbago Merchants' Union, (7) The Ceylon National Association, (8) The Chilaw Association, (9) The Jaffna Association, (10) The Galle Association, (11) The Kurunegala Association and other provincial (towns) associations.
I submit, for your information, list of the speakers at the last meeting, on the 15th and 16th October, together with personal notes as regards the individuals in question. It will be seen that a very large majority are well known extremists, and include in the main low-country Sinhalese, many of inferior caste. Among the speakers I would draw your particular attention to G. S. Raghaven, a Brahmin, and one of Gandhi's followers.
Composition. At the last meeting of the Congress the daily attendance was estimated at figures from 800 to 1,000, and those present consisted very largely of the student type, together with mercantile clerks, a number of lawyers, and a few Sinhalese workmen.
How far the Congress is representative of general Ceylonese Opinion.-I would state emphatically that the Ceylon National Congress is not representative of general Ceylonese opinion. In the first place, the Burghers who are represented by the Dutch Burgher Union have held themselves aloof from the Congress and all its work. The Kandyans have almost to a man dissociated themselves entirely from the Congress ideas. The Congress may be said to be representative of the intel- ligencia of the low-country Sinhalese extremists, and this is, I think, the real answer to the question.
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These men for the most part are notoriety seekers and political aspirants who. mainly from lack of birth or from disappointment in obtaining Government office (C. H. Z. Fernando is a typical instance), seek to establish themselves in the public eye by means of their extreme political views and frequent appearances on the public platform.
I have consulted various Ceylonese in different walks of life, and of different social standing, and the above is their opinion of the Ceylon National Congress. Any extreme views which have as objects the displacement of law and order must of necessity appeal to the unbalanced, and the Ceylon National Congress is undoubtedly fanning this flame of discontent to-day.
The examples of Egypt and Ireland all lend colour, while the nearer example of India must have its reflection in Ceylon.
The obvious policy of the ultra extremists of the Ceylon National Congress- men of the type of Mr. Victor Corea, a self-constituted village Hampden-is to denounce and embarrass the British Government, while their real object is self- government and Ceylon for the Ceylonese, in spite of their fervent protestations of loyalty to the Throne.
This extreme view is, however, ridiculed even by the members of the Congress, and certainly by a large majority of the sober-minded Ceylonese.
It is undoubtedly the general opinion of the Ceylonese that British rule is the only possible solution for Ceylon with its caste feelings and racial difficulties. Their wishes are undoubtedly to continue under British rule, but, at the same time, even amongst the most loyal there is general grievance that more of the higher official appointments in the Colony are not thrown open to them.
The Ceylon National Congress, however, goes very much farther, and since it does, cannot be said to be representative of general Ceylonese opinion.
The Honourable
The Colonial Secretary.
I am, etc.,
R. G. B. SPICER, Superintendent of Police. Criminal Investigation Department.
CEYLON NATIONAL CONGRESS. Constitution.
of the
Article 1.-The aim of the Ceylon National Congress is to secure for the The Object people of Ceylon responsible government and the status of a self-governing member of the British Empire. This end is to be achieved by constitutional methods by a Congress. reform of the existing system of government and administration, by a vigorous development of self-governing institutions, and by organizing and fostering the intellectual, moral, and economic resources of the country.
Delegates,
Article 2-The Congress shall consist of Delegates elected annually by the Congr various political associations in Ceylon which are recognized by the Executive Comer mittee of the Congress as able to promote the objects of the Congress. The decision election. of the Executive Committee as to whether an Association is entitled to recognition, or has become disentitled thereto, shall be final.
Provided that no person shall be entitled to be a Delegate unless he (4) has Ther attained the age of twenty-one years, (b) has expressed in writing his acceptance of qualifications the objects of the Congress as laid down in Article 1 and his willingness to abide by its constitution and rules, and (c) pays a fee of Rs. 5 to the Secretary of the Executive Committee.
Delegatou.
Article 3-The number of the Delegates which each association may send to Number of the Congress shall be determined each year by the Executive Committee.
Article 4.-The Congress shall ordinarily meet each year in the month of Meeting of December at such place and on such date as shall be determined by the Executive' Congress. Committee. An Extraordinary Session of the Congress may be summoned by the Executive Committee wherever and whenever it may deem advisable to hold such session, provided that not less than sixty per cent. of the Committee shall be present and vote for the holding of such session.
Article 5.-The Officers of the Congress shall consist of a President, a Vice- Others President, two Secretaries and a Treasurer, who shall be elected annually by the of the Executive Committee at least ten days before the date fixed for the holding of the Qongrees, Congress.