PROBLEM OF INDIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24226, 19 February 1940, Page 2

PROBLEM OF INDIA

CLAIM FOR INDEPENDENCE MAHATMA GANDHI “THE SOUL OF INDIA” BOMBAY DOCTOR’S CONCLUSIONS The almost god-like power of Mahatma Gandhi, the breaking down of the caste system, and the agitation for complete dominion status were the salient points discussed in ah interview with an Otago Daily Times representative yesterday by Dr A. Bramwell Ccok, a New Zealander who is now chief medical officer of the Emery Hospital, conducted by the Salvation Army at Anand. in the Bombay Presidency, India. Dr Cook is at present in the Dominion on furlough accompanied by Mrs Cook who, like himself, holds the rank of captain. He was educated at the Waitaki Boys’ High School and later at the Auckland University College and the Otago University, and holds the degrees of F.R.C.S. (Edin.) and M.R.C.P. (London). For his work in India he was awarded the Kaiser-i-Hind medal in 1935 by the Indian Government.

“ India to-day is clamouring for independent rule.” he said yesterday. “We in the dominions are a free people; but India cannot forget that she is a conquered race. She cannot forget that long before Britain emerged from the Druid era, India had a profound civilisation —literature. philosophy and culture. Of course, as seems to be the case in everv country, there are those extremists who scream about British tyranny, exploitation and imperialistic despotism. The leader of this party is Subha Chandra Bose, of Bengal, whose war cry is issue an ultimatum to the British Raj to abdicate from India immediately.’ ”

The True Spirit

That attitude did not represent the true spirit in India to-day, though. Dr Cook went on. When he was recently elected president of the Congress Party, Subha Chandra Bose could not find sufficient leaders of national reputation to form a cabinet. Mahatma Gandhi refused to collaborate with him. - The annual congress passed a resolution that any nominees approved by Mahatma Gandhi would be accepted in the cabinet, and so Subha Chandra Bose had to resign and another president was elected who represented the saner viewpoint of Gandhi. “ Mahatma Gandhi is the soul of India,” Dr Cook said. “He is reverenced in India as a god, his photograph is hung in every home, and wherever he goes acclaiming thousands throng around him. He travels thirdclass. spurns all luxuries, lives an ascetic life, fasts and observes silence every Friday. He is the embodiment of Indian thought, and. as it were, the personification of India. He is the brain behind the Congress Party, which controls 7 of the 11 Ministries of India. A few years ago he withdrew officially from the party and now he does not even pay his four annas contribution. But the congress cannot be separated from him. He frames all congress policy, draws up its programme, and prepares all official statements. “We of the West cannot Understand him. We ridicule his fasts: but to him fasting is a potent weapon. It cannot be taken by everyone. Mere physical capacity to take it is no qualification for it. It is of no use without a living faith in God.” Non-violence Principle Gandhi’s principle was “ non-vio-lence.” Dr Cook continued, and so his followers cannot conscientiously enga2e in war. It was a question on which all India felt strongly. The oosition now was that they wanted a bargain to get a promise of full dominion status in return for co-operatipn in the war. Because the Viceroy and the Secretary for India had not made that definite promise, they were holding out the threat of resigning. If the Ministers were to resign, the result would be disorder, the Viceroy would have to resort to minority rule, and the Ministries would have to be drawn from minority sections. It was a big question. ■’, The princes were who)e-h6artedlv in support of the British Empire because their authority was maintained bv the British Government. The unrest was almost entirely confined to British India and did not affect the States. “Mahatma Gandhi is not an extremist, as many people seetn to believe,” Dr Cook added. “ Fortunately, He favours a moderate policy and holds the extremists in check. He is agitating for what he wants by constitutional means. “ I firmly believe that Britain is ready to acede to India’s wishes, but that first of ail she demands guarantees,” he went on. “ Britain is in the position of a trustee to a ward. If the ward is of age and competent to manage his own affairs, the trustee’s work is finished. But the trustee must be satisfied before he surrenders absolute control that his ward is mature and competent to administer his own affairs. Therein lies the crux of the situation. India considers herself now

fit for self-government. Britain is hesitant and not so sure. She is not satisfied on two points—the defence of the country against external aggression and the maintenance of internal peace in the face of communal differences.” No Military Sense India had sheltered for 100 years under the protection of the British - flag, but her politiciahs seemed to have developed no sense of the military dependence of their country upon Britain. To illustrate this point, Dr Cook said that at a recent meeting a lawyer said India had nothing to fear in this war. When it was pointed out to him that Russia was only 400 miles from Delhi and that bombing planes could come over India, he was dumbfounded. “ It might not be a bad thing if a few bombs or guns were levelled at India,” Dr Cook added. “It might awaken some military sense in her peoples.” The Clay Feet of India Communal differences constituted the day leet of India’s claim to the right for self-determination, a rotting core at the heart of India. The Congress Party declaimed that the statements of the Viceroy snd the Secretary of State for India were unsatisfactory; but the Viceroy’s assertion that the Hindus and the Moslems will not agree to sit together at a common table to form a representative constituent assembly was the crux of the matter.- “ But India is on the move,” he went on. “ The agitation for independence will not cease. A national conscience has been created, and sooner or later the British people will have to take a risk and give India even a greater share of responsible government than she has already.”

The Emery Hospital

Speaking of the Emery Hospital, Br Cook said that when he took charge of it in 1931 there were 60 beds. Today it had 175 beds, operations totalled 4000 a year, and some 65,000 cases were dealt with annually. Indian patients exclusively were treated. There were five doctors on the staff, four European nurses, and about 50 Indian nurses in addition to X-ray operators and numerous dispensers. One of the chief problems that had to be overcome was the breaking down of the age-old caste distinctions. The provision of food for patients belonging to different castes had been a real difficulty. It could be overcome by e.mploying all Brahmin cooks; but expense was a hindrance to that solution. The difficulty was met at the Emery Hospital by allowing relatives and friends of the patients to come to the institution and prepare all meals in special kitchens. No meals were provided for the patients by the hospital. Two schools for girls and two for boys were maintained in Bombay presidency by the Salvation Army. There were two training colleges for Indian officers for mission work, and also the Willingdon. Boys’ Home, a reform institution accommodating hbout 120. The King Edward Home for stranded Europeans and Anglo-Indians and the Rescue Home for Women were also supported by the Salvation Army The King George V Infirmary was controlled by the Salvation Army, the nurses being supplied from Dr Cook’s hospital The Salvation Army was conducting evangelical work in between 200 and 300 Indian villages.