THE OMENS OF UNREST IN INDIA.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2142, 18 March 1908, Page 3

THE OMENS OF UNREST IN INDIA.

Tho agitation for self-rule, which is fast gaining momentum, not only in Bengal, but throughout Hindustan, is only one outcome of the great awakening which has taken place among the more highly civilized peoples of Asia sinco the Japanese proved their ability to defeat on the bat-tle-field the soldiers of a first-class European Power. A belief had long been current in' China, Anam, Burmah, India, Persia, and Central Asia—the Turks and the Afghans were tardy converts to the creed — that not even a marked numerical preponderance would enable Asiatics to cope with Europeans in war. Many a rude lesson had been needed to plant this conviction in the inhabitants of the Indian peninsula. In that vast region there are warlike races—the Mahrattas, the Sikhs, the Patlians, and the Goorkhas, for example—but they have all been beaten and subdued by the British invader. Even the great Indian Mutiny of 1857, the participants in which had received their military training from British officers, was suppressed with what, under the circumstances, must be deemed remarkable rapidity and case. Several wars with Afghanistan occurred during the nineteenth century, but although now .and then the Afghans might be victorious in a single engagement, - they were always conquered in the end. Th subjugation of Burundi was accomplished with so much facility that it has no claim to be ranked among notable warlike exploits. The Tonquinese and Anamese were overpowered without much difficulty by the French, and the natives of the once impenetrable Samarkand and Khiva by the Russians. In view of such facts it nny well have electrified the inhabitants of India to hear that the Japanese, the latest of Asiatic peoples to be brought into contact with Western civilization, had grappled successfully with ono of the European Powers which, numerically, is the strongest, and which hitherto had been looked upon in Eastern and Central Asia as the most redoubtable. From that moment the assumption of Euroupan suneriority in war was invparabi.i .LiGered. a'nd intelligent Asiatics began L ask" themselves why tlie triumph of Japan coir.d not- be repeated elsewhere, provided tlie same methods of attaining military and naval efficiencv were adopted. It w is called to mind that one of-the early steps, and seemingly the fundamental step, towards a rehabilitation of Japan after the extinction of the Slio"unite, had been the establishment of a constitution and the introduction of a Parliament. The first Asiatic nation to profit by the example was Persia, whose national assembly is now engaged ill legislation; and even Chilli has lately begun to pursue a similar course, the EmpressRegent having ordered the Council of State to prepare plans for the admission of her subjects to a share in tho national government at no distant date. Under the circumstances, it is not surprising that self-rcspcct-

[no- natives of India should inquire wlTv they too are not permitted by tlioir British rulora to take part in legislation concerning their own_ atfairs. As things are, educated Hindus and Moslems are allowed to occupy subordinate administrative posts, but" tho power to legislate is withheld from them. That is to sny, Groat Britain, which professes to bo the- most enlightened nation upon earth, refuses to give tlio inhabitants of her Anglo-Indian Empire as free a hind in framing tlio laws -which tliov must obey as lias been, or is to lie.’ conceded to Persians and Chinese by tlioir autocratic sovereigns. ■_ Tho problem with which the British rulers of India are eontronted, in view of the awakening of their multitudinous subjects, is ono of porlentou.: gravity. According to tlio censii:>f 101 if, there are in the AngloIndian Empire less than three mil--1,-' ef Christians —Europeans and nab'sokliors, and civilians, all told—against two hundred and seven million Hindus, over sixty-two millions of Mohammedans, and twentytwo millions of Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs, Animists, etc. These three hundred millions of human beings have, for the most part, remained resigned anil quiescent since 1857, hut now there- aro signs of unhoaval throughout tho vast amorphous mass. We say amorphous because tho two principle elements of tho composite population, the Hindu anil Mohammedan, have but little ii; common except propinquity, and hitherto have evinced a tendency to clash rather than cooperate. Evon now their respective agitations for an instalment of selfgovernment are carefully kept distinct, but- each is on so huge- a scale that of itself it may well exoito profound misgivings on the part of tho British -administrators. The Hindus, on their part, have convoked an “Indian National Congress,” and have started an aggressive reform movement, which already lias acquired formidable proportions, and is continually gaining impetus, while the Mohammedans of India, who constitute tlio largest Islamic community on the faco of the globe, have organized an “AllIndia Moslein League,” avowedly intended to extort representative government from the Viceroy and Council at- Calcutta. This organization has appointed a provisional committee, comprising some of the most important and able Mohammedans in India, and delegated to it tlio duty of framing a constitution which; within four months, shall bo laid before a meeting of the “All-India _ Moslem League” for final approval and adoption.

Now, suppose that the requests of Hindus mill Moslems alike for a constitution and a national Parliament shall be rejected by the British Government—as, there is reason to think, will bo the case so long as tlio House of Lords has a voice in the matter—what can the petitioners do about it? Will they resort to an insurrection even more far-reaching than was that of 1857? For several reasons such an uprising could have but lit-t-lo hope of success at the present- time. In tlie first place, neither the “All-Hindu Association” nor the “All-Afoslem League” seems as yetto have made any converts among tho native soldiers in British pay. Admitting, however, that- these may bo influenced eventually by a strenuous propaganda, we must reeogniso that they would have a much fainter prospect- of success than they had half a century ago. At that time, not only were the native regiment's in tlie Anglo-Indian army thoroughly equipped and admirably trained by European officers, but they were (skilled gunners, as well as horsemen and foot soldiers. Since 1857, however, it- has been the invariable practice of tlio military authorities at Calcutta to keep tho artillery exclusively in British hands. As in modern warfare artillery is tho principal arm, it would obviously bo impossible for Indian mutineers of to-clay, no matter how brave they might be individually, to compete with -a British force. It is true that the otherwise fatal lack of field-guns and a, siegetrain might bo mado good if Hindu or Aloslem rebels against the British rule could secure tlie -active co-opera-tion of Russia. Such co-operation, however, though it might well havebeen attainable two years -ago, is now out of the question, owing to tho recently concluded Anglo-Russian treaty, which for many a year to come has relieved Great Britain from any apprehension of a Russian invasion of India.

Because, under the existing circumstances, -a successful rebellion seems impracticable, it scarcely follows thattlie natives of India possess no means of exercising pressure. There would remain tlie weapons of the boycott and the striko. It is true that the Hindus and the Aloslems would be unlikely to work together; but if most of tlio former, or most of the latter, should, agree not to purchase any commodities imported from Great Britain the result would spell catastrophe for a groat many British manufacturers. Then, again, how could the machinery of governmental activity and social life go on if, all other efforts having failed, the natives ot India, or a great part of them, should fail back ou the supreme resource of a general strike ? It must be remembered that, under the caste system ot India, no one caste can, or will, do the work pertaining to another caste; and, consequently, it would prove almost imoossible to find strike-break-ers. That is an anomaly in the social structure of India which causes wellinformed English' residents a good deal of anxiety. , T .. It rnav he that the Anglo-Indian problem will be solved ultimately by the concession of representative government to the natives. But, as wo have said, the British House of Lords will have to be dealt with first..