The Evening Star SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 1942. THE INDIAN PROBLEM.

Evening Star, Issue 24286, 29 August 1942, Page 4

The Evening Star SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 1942. THE INDIAN PROBLEM.

The rioting and violence which were the first' response to Congress's call for peaceful non-co-operation with British authority in India did not last long. It-remains to be seen how much trouble the extreme Nationalists can cause when their campaign takes its intended form of passive resistance. To the extent that 'these approved methods promise less excitement they may make less appeal to Mr Gandhi’s followers. But if anything could show the impossibility of reconstructing India’s government in the midst of war, at the present time, it would be the variety of plans that are being advanced by Indians for its future government. The Moslem League wants “ Pakistan ” —a separate autonomy for all the Moslem States—as it was hound to do. By the counting of heads the Moslem League has less claim to be considered than tho Congress, but in the breaking of heads, which would he the immediate sequel to the adoption of any single party’s programme and attempt to put it into operation, the Moslems, who include most of the military races, would have a good chance of proving superior. No organisation speaks for all of those who might ho expected to be its followers, because there are some Moslems attached to the Congress and a great many Hindus, including some of tho most eminent, who regard the actions of that body as the limit of foolishness. Sir Firoz Khan Noon, who is a member of the existing Government, would divide India into five dominions, with a central authority drawn from their number tp carry on the war effort. So there arc schemes for two, five, and a single “ free ” India, and on their merits, apart from numbers, one may have as much claim to be considered

ns another. But that, obviously, could never be done till alter tho war.

Meanwhile, as Sir Stafford Cripps has pointed out, in most matters that count it is Indians who do rule India. Four Indian provinces control their own internal affairs, and all the rest would do so but for the Congress’s action. In tho Central Legislature there are four British and eleven Indians, and it was this legislature that advised the ban on Congress. It did so ill the interests of India itself. Chaos and disruption in India, which would be the only result of submitting to tho Congress's demands, would put that country at the mercy of the Japanese. They would bo as injurious to China, for which India is a base for Allied supplies. It is through a plain misconception of this position that some Chinese have been inclined to express sympathy with the Congress demands. No doubt they regard that body as •something similar to their own Knomintang, or National Party, but China is a homogeneous country, which India is not. In like manner tho name “ Congress ” has a misleading, sympathetic sound for American ears. But jb is not names by which the Constitution of countries, and of sub-continents, including vast variety of races, can bo governed; the test must bo that of conditions.