INDIA TO-DAY.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 August 1924, Page 4

INDIA TO-DAY.

- - RAD POLITICAL SITUATION. SWARAJIST OBSTRUCTION. Correspondent in Sytluev --flerald.”) BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, May 12 In my letter dealing with India today it is very difficult not to let the King Charles-head of polities obtrude itself. It will not l.e denied. The Sikh agitation, ostensibly over the Nahlia question, still continue.-. Jat has march on the State in peaceful demonstration, and are regularly interned. The air is at times electric, and the Nahlia State prison estimates promise to exceed the budget. The Oov.-rn-incut has appoint oil a strong commit* tee to confer with the Sikhs, to aeserlain and ventilate their grievances, and if possible to effect a reconciliation. The president of the committee is Sir William Birdwood, the general officer commanding the northern army, and well known to Australians as their Anzao commander, (leneral Birdwood will aelseve a settlement if it lies in the power of any man to do so. He is probably the best known Englishman among the Sikh people. His earlier military career was spent as an officer in a Sikh regiment, and he understands them as few non-Sikhs could do. Sir William is representative of a class of Indian official, formerly common, hut, unfortunately for India, growing smaller every year. The family has served India for_ many generations. They have had representatives who have attained eminence in all the Indian Imperial Services, t.luite recently I happened to he going through an old cemetery in canli omonts which have been deserted for many years, when l tame across the tombstone of a young Birdwood. who fell at. the head of his men in one of tin- wars which won lor Us the Indian Empire in the early years of the nineteenth century. THE EXTHEMISI' POLICY.

In the Imperial Assembly and ia some of the provincial Legislatures the Swarajist parly is bent on making gnvernmenl impossible l-y iihst met ioiiisL tactics, and. generally speaking. the Moderates fail to stem the till", as

l hey might easily do hv a (ini’, stall 1 consistent with their own convict ions But moral courage and polities are not necessarily allied even in Me-teru lands. Doe could hardly expect it to he conspicuous in the hist generation of Indians exercising the rights id poliii-al freedom. The Swarajist party n-.-illv represents the small orthodox Hindu intelligentsia, who alone in India have anv tradition of literacy, and who have sei ted tin- opportunity otlvred hv the reformed Legislatures to try and restore the old caste rule. Their success would mean the restoration ol that Itruliminiral tyranny. which in

social matters has not disappeared in two cent nries of British rule, and which, politically, prior to the advent of the British Raj. was so entrenched in ref'giotis and hereditary precedent and principle that the dumb ma.-ses never dreamed of Ircedom. Ihe Swarajists want Home Rule at once before the peasants have realised their own strength and value in the new order. Swaraj 10-dav would mean another lease of life for the old order obtaining before the British Raj. it is all incredibly sail. Ilenu* Rule at Ihe end of the present term id 111 years' experiment would have be.-n certain Imt for ibis lolly. It is difficult to see how aov English Parliament after this experience would dare to trust the lutiire ui India's millions to the poli-tically-minded ol India s soils. Alter all, the well are of India i< a sacred rcsponsihilitv which England cannot transfer hut into capable and holiest, hands. INDIA AND SOUTH AFRICA. .Mrs Xnidu has been in South Africa pleading the eau-e ol her countrymen in that Dominion. But the common Oriental trail of exaggeration has apparently sf eel'-ured her representaI inn? tji.it il appeal -a., though -he has done more harm than good. Du one oi elision she spoke *>* her ability to raise --bloody-handed revolution in India at a word.” But she has done at least one good turn to her countrv-

men by pointing out to them in no ill,certain language the lolly ol per-si-ting in such personal habits and social characteristics as make them unwelcome among European colonisl-s Wliil" ever the Indian in South Atriea maintains a lew siamlaril ol living, persist s in dwelling in a hovel iimoiij Cliel tu-like surnnimlings. and trails mils prae! mallv all his money It, India he will hardly become persona gr.ua in the European community. It i’ >lrange that the Indian orator who

|,I r.ds fur racial equality cannot rejills,' low inconsistent llm demand appears io tlios*' who know that India utterly denies the po'-thilily ol the equality ol her own 'inis, lo no country are l In* inequalities ol human lilc 'o obvious. The rich nn-’i's castle rises among the levels of his tenants. The wealth of the usurer (intuits itself in the lace ol thi' oppressed dehlor. who by the cus-

oin () | the count rv horror.' his money

at the rale of Tl) per cent per annum. The hereditary caste svstem is -o ingrained ill the pie that il is ;i persistent inii'C of irouhle even among lice eonverl' of the Roman Cathulie I I.in-I 1, alter several generations. One , f 1 1 ; . iim-i persistent fighters |i,r the can e ef !uJi:::i equality oversea is himself a Brahmin, in whose native

itlv lliere are quarters wherein over ('('..laiT.tilM ol his follow-couutrynu'ii may nut set their feet. The key to all India's problems lie- in India herself. Her human material has wonderful potentialities, Imt the ages have laid an iioii grip upon it- throat. Australia might help Hie can.-e of the rcgeiieration of India materially by giv- 1 ing the few Indians actually domiciled in that eoiioirv eveiv right which I heir European fellow-citizens enjoy, to show to the world what Indians might become under stub conditions as make for self-respect. A live, humane interest, on the part of Australians, in the Indian colonies in l-’iji could also help the real cause of India's freedom.

■KHALIFAT QUESTION. The action of Turkey in expelling the Khalil' of Islam and abolishing the 01-iee K" struck a death-blow at the Khalifat agitation in India, which had of fours;' been a useful stick with

which to heat the (lovertimoiit. It al

so ond-, a sure source of revenue tor politir-;iI adventurers, who have hoe n tleecint; ignorant devotees lor years on the |>lo:i of neediiiLC money to help orthodox Turkey against Iho machinations of the "enemies ol Islam.” I lie result of Turkey’s action in India would he iatl.ehahlo hut for the deep sympathy one has for the many millions whose feelings have heoji so rudely violated. Nor can one view the disappearance of this venerable and sacred office without regret. The qneslion now imriupiine .Mohammedan; | thinkers is the choice of a lntuie Kh.alif from amoU" the Moslem poten-l rates of the world. The sectarian differences of Sunni and Shiah do not I make the choice easier. The politics! of the Mohammedan world dnrintr thej next decade promise a jinod deal of excitement. The possibilities of the Indian frontier hecomiiie a storm centre are not remote. At present his Majesty the Amir of Afghanistan has bis hands full v.itli a seriosn revolt on the part of several triltes. Hitt- tile latest reports scent to show that his generals have the situation well in hand. It is I an open secret that fiery nobles across i < the frontier have visions of the only i ■ independent Sunni monarch becoming |

the Klialif of the Faithful. The All'll an Pretender in (*xiln in India tried to join the rob*].-, hut was arrested by the Indian authorities at the frontier. The opportunity for a princely adventurer to raise the standard of Sunni orthodoxy, proclaim a Jehud, and make a descent on India is obviously inviting. If Ilolshevik ttohl, the influence of Ore-man and Turkish military adventurers, and the oiicoiirnnemenl of fanatical Moslem leaders in India could achieve this end India should have a fair-sized war very shortly. Hilt the Amir has lately shown sinus that he appreciates hotli the strength and the friendship of Tlritnin, and if he really j has his own political situation well in hand he is ttol likely to ri-k his throne for the doubtful privilege of siihre-rattliun to justify his assum))tioii of the robe of the Khalif ol Islam. That disturber of Israel, Mr Mahomet Ali for tb? moment is in the situation of Othello, hut with his nonius for intrinue his future will not bo ttninterestinn- Unfortunately lor liis influence aniony his Hindu friends and the cause of Hindu-Moslom unity lie had just issued a "fatwa” before the news ol Turkey’s treatment of the Khalifa had appeared in India, station that "the most libidinous Msolem was a holier man than Mr Oandlii.” His friends have been busy making frantic and subtle c(forts to explain, away the "iatwa," but the cause of j 11indu-Moslom unity lias not been at such a low ebb for many years. Knmity between the two communities il.etrayinn itself in every rpiarter. Ihe Moslem, thinkers now realise I hat Mr Oandlii and his follower-, -truck a very serious blow at Mohammedan progress by imlueinn the Mohammedan youth:to libycoLt the Oovernment schools and collenes as a protest anainst ianeted Khalifat wrongs, and embroiiinn the community wit! i Oovernment. '1 he most pathetic (inure in India to-day is that of Mr Oandlii, who is consciously impotent in the maelstrom of political 1 chaos which liis idealistic ventures , have invoked. Thionnh him the poli-

ties ol India are to-day in a worse -late than they have been since the Minin v. Hut the n'cat current of the life of the country ’.M'OS on smoothly, its welfare directed by the services in spili' of India’s politicians.