INDIA'S HOME RULE.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17115, 9 April 1921, Page 10

INDIA'S HOME RULE.

"India enjoys more hqme rule than any" country in the world,"., said Commissioner A. R. Blowers (who has been engaged in work for the Salvaltion Army in India for 33 years), to a "Sydney Daily Telegraph"-reporter. "There is a population of more than three hundred millions. Seventy millions are governed by their own monarchs, who have a free hand in their own States; and thirty millions are controlled by municipal councils/ which, are almost entirely Indian. In the Villages -there is a system of panchayets, meaning a board of five, which controls all tho petty affairs of the village. The district boards are practically Indian, and they and tho panchayets supervise about 220 millions. The Indian Civil Service is the cleanest and best of all such services, and 75 per cent, of the posts are held by Indians. There are, of' course, certain things needing improvement, but, generally speaking, we nave in India the best government in the world." ' Commissioner Browers does not consider the National movement dangerous, but it ia in such a state that, if not carefully handled, the situation migh£ become critical. Judging by the fact tha Ghandi lias descended in his non-co-operative movement to the drawing in of college youths,' it is patent, the Commissioner says, that the movement has already failed. Ninety per cent, of the people arcvillagers, largely illiterate, who' Know nothing of r what _ J Ghandi and other\agitatons are talking ! about. The agitators do not represent i the nation, but only the Brahmin claio.. The Brahmins are certainly the brains of the country, but they are a small minority only. They agitated for na T tive representation on all Legislative Councils, including' the Viceroy's Council ; but because ft some provinces the 'Brahmin element was not elected they I are now against the reform scheme. ! The Salvation Army is a great factor ' in India, and of late years there-has been a phenomenal growth in the mem : ! berahip of all Christian denominations. -