LORD READING’S RULE.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 April 1926, Page 4

LORD READING’S RULE.

DELHI. Jan. 15. Lord Heading will leave India in a far better state than lie found her. Even the severest ■ critics of liis administration as Viceroy concede this obvious fact, though they may disagree as to the extent his personal influence has been responsible for the change. Ho assumed office at a time when sedition was everywhere showing its head. To-day, practical sedition is almost dead. The outburst of hatred which, swept the country like a conflagration at the height of Gandhi’s power has died out, leaving only a few smouldering embers. Armed revolt is no longer preached except by a handful of fanatics in, Bengal. Political parties, instead of fighting British rule on a united front, arc now lighting each other.

Comparative peace prevails. This is undoubtedly duo in part to physical conditions, for India is enjoying greater prosperity. She has had four good monsoons in succession, a tiling which is almost unprecedented, and the people who were made receptive to political propaganda by privation no longer turn to militant agitators lor relief. PATIENCE AND RELIEF.

Nevertheless, Lord Reading lias been directly instrumental in improving the state of India by the exercise of firmness at the right time, and. above nil. by bis wise and unfailing patience in dealing with difficult situations. 11 is reluctance to take extreme measures early in bis administration was interpreted. both in the Government of India and out of if. as a sign of weakness. He was criticised for showing too great a willingness to listen to extremist: agitators. He declined to be pushed into a policy of repression which seemed to be dearly indicated by the campaign of violence and intimidation. which was increasing throughout the country. For a year and a half India suffered from the evil effects of the Gandhi Nnli_ Co-operation movement, with its attendant disorders anil riots. Lord Reading waited, with almost Oriental patience, until the psychological moment. and then dapped Gandhi into prison, lie had been warned that this act would “sot India aflame.'’ But nothing happened. In the language of a disgusioo follower of the Mahatma, “not even a dog harked.’’ Militant Gandhism died a. peaceful death.

This same quality of watelii til restraint was displaced bv Lord Reading ill dealing with other difficult problems. Native leaders who at first thought him weak because" he would not be bailed, grew lo realise that lie could be unexpectedly and disconcertingly firm. He supported Lord Lytton in every step in dealing with the revolutionary movement in Bengal. That province is quiet to-day, thanks to the enforcement of an ordinance which gives the Government power to imprison dangerous agitators. They have been allowed full liberty even beyond reasonable, limits, and then quietly interned

when it is clear that their nefarious .schemes were about to be put into efI feet. ' Jii looking at India at the close of ■Lord Reading’s term of office, the fact that is most apparent, even to the casual visitor, is the complete and apparently hopeless disruption ol the Indian Nationalists. They talk loosely about Home Rule for India, but much more about their factional differences. I here are at least seven sections, each with its own leaders and distinct views. It is of little use to discuss the prospects of Self-Government for India while the chief elements of her political parties are unable to agree among themselves. The most absurd argtiinons and pleas have been put forward by the men who arc asking for Home Rule. For example, Gandhi’s Indian Congress demanded a few days ago that the British Government should declare war oil South Africa for its “ill-trcat-nient” of Asiatics. MOSLEM-HINDU BREACH. The Nationalists are definitely divided on the question of working with the Government. Politics in India lias always been a war of phrases, and the present internal struggle of contending factions centres around “Non-Co-Operation,” "Responsive Co-Opera-tion,” and “Apparent Co-Operation with obstruction from within”—the latter being a, kind of “white-ant policy” of permeation.

Most- serious of all, however, is the breach between .Moslems and Hindus, it lias always been there, but recently an attempt was made by the late C. R. lias, of Bengal, to bring about a Moslem-! I indu pact whereby the two religious would divide public offices between them. The scheme never worked effectively; there were riots every now and then, and even in Calcutta a few weeks ago.

C. li. Has died in June last, and his artificial structure soon fell apart. It remained for Sir Abdul Kuhnian to .shatter the whole theory of political fusion in a speech at the Moslem conference at Aligarh three weeks, ago. He said quite frankly what has always been at the hack of the mind of every native of India—namely, that there never lias been and never will ho unity between Moslems and Hindus under present conditions, and. that so far as the Moslems were concerned they would infinitely prefer British rule to that of a Homo Buie Hindu Government. LESS BITTERNESS.

Seventy million Moslems will never submit themselves to two hundred million Hindus. It may be said with equal certainty that the Hindus contemplate with real terror the possibility of their ever again becoming subject to Moslem domination. They, too, would infinitely prefer British rule. Consequently the vexed problem of self-government seems to be farther from settlement than ever.

I am assured by competent observers of the State of India during the past five years that anti-British feeling is much less acute. There is less real bitterness in the attitude of Opposition leaders. There is also less suspicion. and a greater willingness to work with the Government in carrying out reform measures, even though they continue to feed their supporters with fiery platitudes from the platform.

()n the whole, Lord Heading can contemplate the state of India with satisfaction. He has not- accomplished all that lie set out to do, but undoubtedly be lias done far more than seemed possible four years ago. and lie will leave behind him the record of a sound, wise, and capable administration, which in many respects may well servo as a

model for Ills successor, Lord Irwin formcrlv Mr IC. F. L. Wood.