INDIAN PROBLEMS

Southland Times, Issue 21101, 5 June 1930, Page 5

INDIAN PROBLEMS

DIFFICULTIES OF GOVERNMENT.

MANY CLASSES AND CREEDS.

(British Official Wireless.)

Rugby, June 3

Captain Wedgwood Benn, Secretary for India, made a pronouncement regarding India when addressing the Imperial Press Conference in London to-day. He said the campaign of civil disobedience, which had been declared to be one of non-violence, was bound to lead to clashes and, unfortunately, many such clashes had taken place. The vast majority of the people in India had, of course, taken no active part in the campaign. Captain Benn continued: “It is clearly the duty of any government in charge of the destinies of a country, and especially a country containing so many varied interests, classes, and creeds as India, to maintain public order. Whatever form of government we adopts as a result of the conference and deliberations of Parliament, it would be a crime to pass on to it a heritage not only of chaos and disorder, but what would be far worse—of disrespect for the law. At the same time it would be shutting one’s eyes to facts not to recognize that there is to-day in India among all classes and races a very deep feeling and ardent desire for equality of status. It is certainly a most difficult problem that has confronted this commonwealth.

“Among its perplexities two or three points stand out clearly. The first is that force cannot possibly provide a remedy. If the law is enforced it is in the Indians’ own interests, and force is in no sense applied for the purpose of protecting some British domination. The emergency powers taken to deal with the present difficulty will pass with the emergency. The real sanction of the Government is public opinion,, and it must depend upon this great force in India as it does elsewhere. The solution of these difficulties is ardently desired in the Imperial interest. It is no part of British policy to carry on the government of India on the principle of divide and rule. “The first duty of a good citizen is to do everything in his power to harmonize rival discords and avoid adding further to the flames of rival animosities. It has been the ardent desire of this Government no less than of others to promote between the races a spirit of sympathy and understanding. If the present troubles quicken the conscience of both parties some good may perhaps come of them. The British people are not unresponsive to great ideals. Indian peoples have ancient history and selfless and noble instincts. Is it too much to hope that the bitterness of the present disagreement may give place to the re-birth of mutual understanding and respect?”