THE FUTURE OF BURMA

Hokitika Guardian, 10 November 1930, Page 2

THE FUTURE OF BURMA

(Exchange). j An important finding of the Simon j Commission is li.at Burma should l "‘ l scprAated from India immc:.ia;.( iv. , The reasons for this decision uiv tin t j Burmese feeling is overwhelmMg.y in favour of such a step, and, secondly, that any system of Central leg-si-' 1 ui cannot be equitable for Buimn. wi-'->‘ economic and social conditions arc different from the rest ol India’.'. I* u instance, there is a substantia! v l,s " tmus duly on imported st;el m order Iu help Lillian mauitiacrurcis, bin. ( heap steel is what Burma needs K' her oil iu-dushy and lor gen rai development. “Borina’s special interests carry little weight in the inihan Legislature in < ompai ison with Hie more powerful influence of great- business (-.‘litres in India, like Bombay or (. iilcntta

Tim mention of Burma will to many

of use conjure up Kipling pictures--broad irnwaduy. the glamour ol Rangoon, Mandalay, and Moillnuvin. forests of teak, and the great god -Buddha presiding over all. Over 90 pci c ut. o, the people are Buddhists. I “ imagine that the Burmese would afpiiirsec iu being governed l.v a s-ll-governing India is to ignmc these radical differences. The Commission:rs add: “We come to the definite conclusion, therefore, that nothing but the most overwhelming consideration:-! could j list i y the continued retention of Bunna within the government of India.”

An objection that "as been raised to separation is runearned with the defence of Burma. The Report emphasises the lau. 1 ha! there is a potential

danger on the liontier. yet no sti.de--pic railway leads up to the frontier znw'. no moiiav lias boon spent on lateral roads as is the case with the Nor-th-west. and very little on intelligence The North-east frontier is guarded by military police. To the north arc Assam and China, to the cast A imam, Siam, and China, and to the south is Siam. It is obvious that Burma is little interested iu the defence of the North-west frontier, yet she contributes bar share to the upkeep of the army. There are, of course, small forces stationed in Burma, and in case of necessity she would be entitled to the assistance of the whole army, with due regard to the safety in other

quarters. j The objection is that after separation. Burma would not lie able to mobilise on her frontiers a large force in an emergency. That fact is realis’d and the Burmese are quite w.Umg to continue to pay a proportion of tin* upkeep of the army in India to cm tie their own safety. The. comtinisloners have very decided leanings towards a scheme that would remove the defend of India from the cnnl-r.il of the Indian Legislature nßogolb-v, am!

make it an Imperial matter. .11 such were to happen then Burma would he free to progress, knowing well that her frontiers were sa!o. The financial adviser to the Commission is of the opinion that separation could be effected without any financial injury to either country. It seems that the only affinities between Burma and India are industrial; Burma can absorb Indian labour. India needs Burma’s rice, Burma needs India’s coal. Customs and religion are different, so it appears that a very good ease lias been made. There is no question of lack of loyalty to the Empire. It is just that India and Burma are fundamentally different and therefore each should have its own administration.

Tt is suggested that the Viceroy oi India should cease to have any official responsibility towards Burma, which

should have a governor of its own noi

.subordinate to the Viceroy. The 'Report says: ‘‘The point at which coonlisia lion ol' Indian ami R»uhmi alla irs might lie secured is in Dondni, and nut, at Delhi. It may he that linth in connection with the separation ol" Riirmn from India and lor other reasons also the present disliihutiun ol’ functions and spln-i: s la tween the different sections of Slate wiiieh deal witii Umpire affairs will eonio no fur reconsideration. iviima is a vei v le: tile In'd. r’u hin valuable teak, minerals, petroleum, cotton', and rice. If the present elate or affairs is hindering in any way her natural •development, I'lmi Hug < lisinfS 0 must he a matter for serious consideration. li. is no mere I'nlf-hcnrled re- < ommcm’st am ol l,h ‘ ( ein'ms.sio'i, h .t is .riven with a dimeiness and am < mphnsis that I'm! one lo think that there is more in the pn blcm than appears on the surface.