CONDITIONS IN INDIA

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 249, 18 September 1940, Page 5

CONDITIONS IN INDIA

HELPING BRITAIN

ADDRESS TO CIVIC CLUB

The power of Gandhi and his influence over the teeming millions in India was mentioned by Itev. M. Eade. a missionary, in an address to members of the Civic Club, yesterday, when he stated that despite the urge by Congress to force the issue with Great Britain in connection with the independence of that vast country, Gandhi alone had been asked to say when the people should start a disobedience campaign to embarrass Britain in the hour of her danger. Gandhi, although striving for the independence of his beloved country, would not be associated with the proposed drive, and told the sponsors that they were undisciplined and were a rabble. He would not give his blessing to an attack on Britain by civil disobedience when the Motherland was in peril. As a result of his views, so outspokenly expressed, the Congress recently cancelled its conditional agreement to help, and was now supporting Britain in her struggle. One order amongst others which India was fulfilling fur, Great Britain was the supply of five hundred million sandbags. India had also large munition factories operating. These facta showed not only that a crisis had been averted in the political world, but also indicated that Gandhi was able to control, and had power over, the people g.eater than even Congress, the speaker added. Referring to the poverty of India, Mr Eade pointed out that the wage earned weekly by the workers, involving 126,000,000, was from 3s to 4s. Two-thirrls of the people did not get enough food to live on and it was stated that of every 1000 children born 164 died. Working conditions were very poor, and to some extent were responsible for the high death rate. Few people Jived to old age; the average length of life was 24 years. Disease of all kinds took toll of the community, and it was only in recent years that an organisation known as the All India Women’s Congress was formed for the purpose of dealing with social questions and health. j Dealing with the progress made by the teachers of the Christian faith, Mr Eade said that there were now seven millions converted from Hindu and Mohammedan faiths and each "year 12.000 or more were added to that number. He was firmly Convinced that when the moral inertia was lifted there would arise something wonderful in , Christian progress. 1 Tho speaker was accorded a vote of thanks on the motion of Mr T. S. Goldsmith, who added that he believed that if every country were to adopt Christian principles there would be no war and no’economic problems such as those which confronted India.