A COLONY FOR INDIA

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 44, 16 November 1918, Page 2

A COLONY FOR INDIA

Sir,—Amidst tho universal rejoicingjfor | the great triumph of our Empire 'and her Allies over the power of evil as embodied in the German idea of force over right, let us not forget tho great efforts our fellow-subjects of India have made to assist us in obtaining the victory. Jn the early part of the war, when the small body of our old Army was decimated and the new Army as yet unready to tako'the field, our Indian troops took a noble part in holding up tho enemy in France throughout that first severe winter, under, conditions most trying to such. men. Since (hen they have taken n prominent part in the Mcsopotamian and tho Palestine campaigns, besides whhh largo sums of money havo been subscribed amongst them in support of our cause. Surely this demands our recognition, and if, in the final settlement of affairs, wo can show that their sacrifices aro not only gratefully acknowledged, but that wo propose to show it in some practical form, would it not bo well worth the effort" I have been, led to make theso remarks beciuso a practical measure has hew pointed out by Sir Theodore Morisoii in- tihe "Nir.eleent'i Oenturv" for September, 0111:1100 "A Colony" for Ijidi.-," .in which he maintains that Hast, Africa, which we havo taken from 'the Germans, could be most ad\ar,tagwasiy ' colonised br Indians under Indian "Government. Wo colonials must admit that Indians, although our fellow-subjects, are, de facto, excluded from our Dominions; and no one familiar with India. \vil! maintain that tho exclusion is not very bitterly resented. Here, then, is an .opportunity for justico to our Tnd'.iri fellow-subjects which might well be taken up by Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward, ti>F:tnsr.. with other dominion del.'irates. German East Africa'is a t''*r.ivfil c-0,-,?ilry, i,-: vest, so suitable for Indian colonisation, and potentially so rich that India may well be content to ncvpt it as (.'ompensntion for her exclusion from the Dominions — I am, etc., W. J. BIRCH. Thoresby, Marton, November U.