SITUATION IN INDIA.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 395, 2 January 1909, Page 3

SITUATION IN INDIA.

■ - t •. , ...... STRONCT SPEECH BY LORD MINTO. SEDITION TO. BE ROOTED OUT. "An Anglo-Indian," writing in the "Daily Mail Overseas' Edition" of November 21/ says:— -', The gravity of the situation; in India is not i;ealised in Great; Britain., The publio may perhaps have supposed that the danger cannot bo imminent as long as the Viceroy can go shooting in Bikaneer. Now that he has announced his; determination to cut several days out of his holiday and to proceed ,to Calcutta before, the end of the month, they may begin to realise that there is . danger'in the air. ' : - The truth'is'.that every European in India feels that he. is living -on the - edge of a volcano that /may at . any moment, become active;' We have had warning enough in all conscience. When civilians go armed in In-', dia and European women, are not safe .without an-escort,, wo hardly need to be told that .Tace hatred has reached the high-water mark of danger.. '' Loyalty of the Rajputs. There are, of .course, people who, having eyes,-■ cannot see—like tho Governor of a province, whose letters to his friends announcing improved relations, were read in this country simultaneously with the cabled accounts of a second attempt on his own life. -.' , But the average official is not blind to the signs./of the 'times.. An ;official. of great experience, whose name —could I give, itwould be accepted unhesitatingly as a guarantee, of courage' and calm ' discretion amounting almost to indifference, is about to return to'his post in a native. State, far to the north. -. Some years ago the guard of Indian soldiers was withdrawn at. the suggestion: of the, militalry authorities, • though it was; agreed that it should be replaced when needed. In tho opinion of this officer that time has oome,'. yet his request, has' been refused.. Six' thousand Europeans, scattered over, a wide province,, are thus left - without protection .save, by ;soldiers : :of the native State, who, in the event of trouble, could not be expected to take the part of: the Europeans. : That the native States' aro affected cannot bo doubted. The Rajputs, we hope and believe, are. loyal ■to :the, British: Raj; but there;are other^''State's in. which' leaven of : treason', has long been' working. Their '.chiefs, look; on'-with wonder >at. every,.mani:fest'ation of our "weakness. ...The-conviction ' that' -we :Kave ;'lost, our grip :'oh - the ! , counti-yi has either, induced or compelled; them to" sub- 1 . scribe'.to.jthe (funds; of .treason .and -to ' shed' | : the light.of- their;-'oovmfenaiice on .the dis-: turbers of tho peace. ..■ •, . ' " , 'The Maharathas are an imminent menace; : their, activity is as manifest as their hatred, and P6ona, is a 'hot-Wd of treason. v : Britain's Strength Forgotten. '.-. Carelessness; has deprived . us of the usual weajion of,; defence. • \Ve put informers side' by side; mth'-their'Victims,: and 'were;;aston- : •ished. when; the informers ,were shot; 'Money would. 'once; buy. • an: informer, but: he; now. re-■Slise'B-:that:; the price, of his information is. death.' ' ' , , . ; .;•; ; It .is tim¥ the Viceroy, bestirred himself.' He and lie, alone Bets ;tno tone ;of : the civillan in' India. '; Let him give proof of a clear perception -and of earnest - determination, and ;tho; - situation' must 1 - • improve. He hais . ;- great : ,power; ; . and •, if,;.v he -warits more- let yhim', .ask for. it. - Lord Morley: is.; not - the man to / refuse.-;he' at' any,'"'';rat®'-". knoivs'^the--' itruthj-yet -hoiv can,.he givo .what - Lord Minto does: .not ask ?'' . Tho peoplo of India' have' forgotten;'; our strength. Lord Kitchener's new concimtratirin :of troops has withdrawn the soldier .cram-.the eye of- the .native.; 'In ,Lord -Roberts's time both: British and iuitivo troops marched through the country when , changing Stations. It is twenty-fivo; years- since - a British regiment marched,.and fifteen years -since-'a- re^m«ii''.<wa's: seen marching through "Bengal'."" : 'This : may , se'em 'a simple ■expedient ; yet it would'serve .as, a reminder that we have not-ras many''natives believe: —abandoned India to tho treason-monger. Lord Mlnto's Threat. . The- Viceroy was ;eriteftaincd on, November 19.by tho ,Talukdars-,of 1 Oudh;. jvho read'an address'-assuring 'the; Viceroy,'. of "t\io ,un- . .swerving loyalty and . .devotion - of, .Oudh -;to tho Crown.• , ' ' Lord-, Minto, in -.reply, . thanked the. men for .being ; a bulwark against the blow - of. sedition in:. Northern j; India, and .'said' .that i. doubts had; been'expressed r as to whether the time was 'opportune 'for the introduction of :broade_r political .. principles.,' He " (the; Vice- ■ roy) did .not .share these doubts, and refused i to,„.admit .that certain, fanatical deeds <:,blaek-',^e4.tß9''rep^lj6n-;of.%\;^h6l{C^pie.';;:X'' Ho could not, however,' minimise .the, pre-. ,sent 'dangers. Tliey were face to .'face' with' Anarchical' coiispiracy 'and: a, menace'.to : personal .safety' and public /security.'."' The' poisonous .'seed;'foreign <to 'Indian' soil, must 'be 'dug up, and for tho special present.'difficulties he- (Lord-; Minto) ..would not hesitate' to forgo a-'special'-weapon.'i'"•"■ : rCrime,"however,; had one 'good result, .that of'evoking-protestations of devotion to the thr'onb;; from ,every, creed.-, ' ; '«L6rd Mihto,i in. an-eloquent, peroration, asked for ' the. cor'operation of every loyal subject of the; King-Emperor •• in eradicating: the evil' which' .was, noTv,; undermining' the' welfare of the! country. .