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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Referance :-

FPTEFIC.O.882/11

سلسسلسلسا

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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suffrage and the vote to women over 30. The abolition of communal representation and the granting of manhood suffrage are important and far-reaching changes that would not only foster the development of true democracy in the land, but also con- tribute to raise the standard of the poorer classes of this country in no small degree. The labour organisations welcomed the Committee System as a measure best suited to establish and maintain a truly democratic form of Government in this country.

I hasten to send this memorandum in view of the consternation that has been created in England among true friends of Ceylon by the self-styled leaders of this Country rejecting the Committee System both in the Ceylon National Congress and in the Legislative Council.

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I shall firstly deal with the body known as the Ceylon National Congress. 1 regret to have to state, being myself a member of the Executive Committee of that organisa- tion that it is run only according to the whims and caprices of a few capitalists and other large land owners who have no sympathy with the aspirations of the poorer classes in Ceylon and who are rightly termed The Ceylon Caucus," The Congress at present is composed of numerous associations whose passport for membership is a recommendation from the territorial member representing the constituency. With the coming of the Commission several mushroom associations were formed and affiliated to the Congress in order to give a representative character to the ideas promulgated by the Ceylon Caucus. It is noteworthy that the Congress delegation headed by the Hon. Mr. E. W. Perera, who lately moved the rejection of the Committee System in The Legislative Council, most vehemently opposed the extension of the franchise in any degree, and in his evidence libelled the great masses of the people of this country by making the following statement in his evidence. **If they went to a grade lower than Rs. 50/- they might get a class of men of whom a great proportion would not use responsibility in the exercise of the vote. He was sorry to say that the votes of many men might even be purchased. They did not want to wreck what was achieved by them by any precipitate and unnecessary reduction." I would for your information quote from the Report of the Donoughmore Commission as published by the Govern- ment of Ceylon. "It was a point of interest that the Ceylon National Congress-- whose deputation included prominent Sinhalese members of the Legislative Council- while putting forward strong demands for full responsible government, expressed This view of the Con- themselves as desiring no extension of the present franchise gress, it is understood, was afterwards modified but it was in rather remarkable contrast to that of certain other witnesses who opposed the grant of full responsible govern- ment but were in favour of lowering the franchise and were even prepared to give special representation to the lower-paid workers. One of the British members of the Legislative Council went further and advocated manhood suffrage at 25. The leaders of the Tamil (Hindu) community were generally in agreement with the Congress spokesmen in deprecating any further extension of the franchise and they too desired the granting of full responsible government. The Ceylon Labour Union, on the other hand put forward a strong plea for manhood suffrage, on the It was obvious that the ground that very few of its 40,000 members had a vote. nationalist leaders of Ceylon desired to work full responsible government with an electorate from which the greater proportion of the people were necessarily excluded. They even hinted that a lower franchise would involve a risk of bribery and corruption. In view of the backward character of social and industrial legislation in Ceylon, which has no provisions for relieving destitution, no workmen's compensation, only the most elementary of factory regulations, and no control over hours and wages in sweated industries, a good case could be made out for regarding the extension of the franchise as more urgent than any increase of responsible government. When a considerable increase in responsible government is being recommended, therefore, the question of the franchise becomes of first importance."

By the trend of the cross-examination, the deputation ascertained that the Com- missioners were strongly for the extension of the franchise and in order to come into line with the views of the Commissioners to some degree a resolution was passed at the Sessions of the Congress held when the Commissioners were in the Island favouring the extension of the franchise but they did not for a moment anticipate the recom- mendations of the Commission with regard to the Committee System, a recommenda- tion which to my mind is a most liberal one as it gives to all interests a voice in executive matters and thus takes away the monopoly which is now enjoyed by the Congress Caucus.

This Congress has an executive committee composed of representatives of various associations. The executive committee adopted the Committee System, the only dissentients being the Hon. Messrs. E. W. Perera, D. S. Senanayake and one or two

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others. A special session of the Congress was next held to consider the Donoughmore Report, and delegates were invited from the various associations, the number of delegates being alloted at the own sweet will of the Secretary, Mr. S. W. R. Dias Bandaranayake. A fee of Rs. 5/- per head was required from each delegate, and although the fee had to be paid in advance in accordance with the rules, this necessity was waived in the case of the delegates of the Lanka Mahajana Sabha which is an organisation started and conducted by Mr. D. S. Senanayake. The total number of delegates was 310. The Ceylon Labour Union with a membership of over 40,000 was allotted 39 delegates. The Ceylon Workers Federation. which is a twin-sister of the Lanka Mahajana Sabha and has a membership of less than 1,000, was allotted 41 delegates. This association being opposed to the extension of the franchise did not send any delegates before the Commission, but its President, the Hon. Mr. D. B Jayatileke, gave evidence before the Commission as the leader of the Lanka Mahajana Sabha deputation and there expressed himself in favour of responsible government with a high franchise. As for the Lanka Mahajana Sabha, it, like the Congress itself, is composed of various constituent associations. It is significant to note that the various constituent associations, viz., the Kalutara Mahajana Sabha, the Akmeemana Mahajana Sabha, the Kendangamuwa Mahajana Sabha, the Dehiwela Mahajana Sabha, the Kotagoda Mahajana Sabha, the Galle Gangabodapattu Mahajana Sabha, the Raigam Korte Mahajana Sabha, the Sri Jayawardenapura Mahajana Sabha, the Rambukkana Mahajana Sabha, were each allotted a number of delegates, and the central body too Of the other was given the extraordinary large number of over 171 delegates. associations besides these named, it is a well-known fact that most of them have not held any meetings for some years past and have no roll of membership. I have analysed the so-called National Congress at such length in view of the fact that a London correspondent to the Ceylon Press has stated that the Commissioners are greatly disappointed by the rejection of the Committee System. The Hon. Mr. W, A. de Silva, the President of the Congress, in his presidential address stated that the Committee System has distinct advantages and that as the whole scheme hinges on the Committee System, the rejection of the Committee System would be tantamount to a rejection of the reforms. The resolution and amendment rejecting the Committee System was carried by 198 to 96. The same manipulated majority pushed through a resolution against the extension of the franchise to Indians. On both these resolutions the views expressed were of the most selfish and reactionary character. I strongly maintain that the view expressed by the Congress in no way represents the views of the country, and if there is any danger of the views of the Commissioners not being accepted, openly challenge the Congress Caucus to go to the country and take a referendum from among the masses of the people.

I now come to the resolution of the Ceylon Legislative Council. The agenda of the Legislative Council was flooded with a number of resolutions on the subject of the reforms. These were divided up by the Vice-President into twelve groups under various heads. On the Group No. 2, he added Government by committee, election of ministers, and divorce of administration from legislative functions. There were four resolutions as follows :—

Government by Committee, Election of Ministers, and Divorce of Administrative from Legislative Functions.

The Hon. Mr. E. W. Perera to move-

This Council is of opinion that Government by Committees of the Legislative Council is not suited to local conditions and is unacceptable to the people, and recommends that all the duties and responsibilities proposed to be assigned to each Committee and Minister should be assigned to a Minister elected by the Legislative Council.

The Hon. Mr. G. A. Wille to move-

That this Council considers inadvisable the proposal to create an administra- tive as well as Legislative State Council and to divide the whole Council (exclusive

of Officers of State) into Standing Executive Committees.

That in the opinion of this Council Ministers should be nominated by the whole Council for appointment by the Governor.

The Hon. Mr. W. Duraiswamy to move-

That in the opinion of this Council Ceylon is fit for responsible government of the Dominion type, but in view of the Report of the Special Commission this