INDIA TO-DAY

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6545, 29 February 1928, Page 8

INDIA TO-DAY

How Tommy Atkins Keeps Order INTERESTING ADDRESS AT LUNCH CLUB Mr. J. Carter presided at yesterday ’s meeting of the Palmerston North Citizens’ Lurch Club, when a good attendance listened with keen interest to the fine address delivered by Major L. Potter, who was for some time stationed in India. Some Aspects Of The Amy In India. In opening his subject Major Potter slated that he would endeavour to give a broad idea of the policy which governs the British Army of occupation. Geographical and economic conditions mould this policy. In the south the sea forms the natural barrier, and the navy and tho air force combine for its defence. To tho north lay the Himalayas, an impassable barrier, that extended for nearly 150'/ miles. Along the north «ast tho natural barriers wore also formidable, and no turbulent population lay beyond them. On the north-western frontier from Kashmir to the Arabian Soa there was great need for a garrison. Through these lower mountains wMcTi extended for 1200 miles there vero five passes through which an army could invade India. It was in the defence _ofi these passes that the army was mainly concerned, tho most important being the Khyber. Pass. If the Afghans were friendly towards the British ,tbe task was comparatively easy. It was the policy of the Government always to try to maintain friendly relations with the Amir of Afghanistan, though of recent months there had been much anti-British propaganda there organised by the Eussiara.

Khyber Pass. Khybcr Pas* was the key from Afghanistan to North-Western India It extended for a distance of thirtythree miles, being only from forty to fifty yards wide at the narrowest point. The hills on cither side, were very difficult to surmount except to the Ghurkas and special troops stationed near there. Through the pass there now ran an up-to-date railway with a standard gauge of sft Gins. The railway stations bore the names of famous battles. There was also a good bitumen road which contained many hairpin bends. Below the road was the old caravan track which had been used for hundreds of years, and was still being used, in carrying the trade fiom the east to the west. The principal articles wore frnit and carpets. Many people visited Peshawar to buy the famous Persian carpets, but nowadays, imitations were so” numerous that it was well nigh impossible to toll the difference between the real and the manufactured imitation from Europe. (The Afghans. The Afghans were a hardy- warlike race who held life at a discount. They eked out a precarious existence in the small adjacent valleys, and were born marauders. The British policy was to pay a proportion of the men in each village to maintain order. The Khybcr Pass and a strip for fifty yards on cither side was under British jurisdiction but beyond that the tribesmen had control. The base of the army guarding the u6rth-wcst frontier , was at Lundikotal. Here a strong garrison was stationed, the troops not being allowed out of camp for any distance. If an officer played golf he had to tahe an armed escort. At the other passes there were blockhouses and smaller garrisons. The army was specially trained, and equipped for mountain warfare. Economic Conditions. India was a vast complex country with a population of-350 millions, the bulk of whom lived on the laud. There were only five per cent, resident in the towns. The methods of irrigation and cultivation were still very primitive. Schools were unknown in the country villages though irt the large cities great strides had been made. Universities had sprung up and had turned out many students with high degrees. It was this section of students, dissatisfied with existing conditions that caused most of the agitation in the towns, which had been broadcasted by the press. Self-Government. There wore something like 2500 different castes in India, and there was no social intercourse between the castes. The predominant religions were the Hindu and the Mohammedan. These two factions wore nearly always at strife. The Hindus were divided iu to hundreds of castes. It was this system of castes that prevented the people from uniting in oi/e body or sitting together in Parliament. The granting ot self-government under the present conditions was beset with difficulties. The Army's Task. The army’s task was, therefore, to protect the country from invasion par ticularly from , the north-west, and to maintain peace and order among the dense population of such widely divergent sects and creeds. Mr. AV. A. AVators moved a hearty vote of thanks for the most interesting address.