The Daily News. TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 1922. TROUBLES IN INDIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 March 1922, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 1922. TROUBLES IN INDIA.

The attempt to boycott the Prince of Wales’ visit to India has, so far, produced no appreciable effect, while the attitude of the Prince in completely ignoring the discourteous tactics of Gandhi and his followers must inevitably convince the extremists that the power of the Raj suffices to justify their policy being regarded as that of foolish and wayward children. The Government is fully alive to all the bearings of the political situation in India, and is quite aware of the strength of both the moderates and. more extreme section of the non-co-operators. As a result, every effort has beer, made to meet moderate opinion, care being taken to remove causes of complaint, and to differentiate in severity of treatment between those who are merely the tools .'n the hands of the extremists and those who have been the prime movers in any disturbance—a policy that has, to some extent, had a good effect, though not as great as might be expected. It was thought possible that, at the conference arranged early in the year, at which prominent Moderate leaders were present, attempts would be made to arrive at a common understanding with regard to the platform to be adopted by all parties, but it is evident that the more extreme section do not share Gandhi’s views as to the value of Moderate support, and they are apt to precipitate matters, as they did at Bombay during the Prince’s visit. The natives, fortunately, are able to comprehend the illimitable power of the authorities, so that the preparations made to meet all eventualities, coupled with the visible precautions which have been deemed necessary, appear to have produced a steadying effect, while in the United- Provinces the loeal Governments’ vigorous action against the extremists had a good effect. The success of the Prince’s visit to Bengal, in face of dangerous and insidious opposition, operated for good throughout the province. There is one phase of the extremists’ operations that explains a certain measure of the success attendant on the campaign. namely, the payment of volunteers among tile lower classes to take part in the agitation. Probably it is as well that resort should have been had to this means of fomenting trouble. The students, who at first entered into this campaign with much zest, appear to have abated their eagerness to co-operate. If, therefore, the extremists have to rely on mercenaries to keep the movement alive, nothing is surer than that, as soon as the funds run out, so will the help of the paid volunteers melt away, and it is quite possible revulsion will occur, the effect of which will be to minimise the trouble. These “agitators at a price” are mostly Mohammedans, and their employment is bound to accentuate the tendency of the Khalifat agitators to take charge. Already misgivings have arisen among the Hindus in regard to Moslem policy, and those who know how easily a spark of this kind can be fanned into a flame are inclined to expect a cleavage between these two sections, while it to some extent accounts for the dilatory and haphazard tactics of Gandhi. So long as industrial unrest does not exist the situation can easily be controlled, but if it arises matters -would be precipitated by the interruption of the work in the factories and the letting loose of Mohammedan coolies exasperated by economic distress, besides which, should railway troubles occur,’ the situation may be seriously complicated. In the Punjab, the movement for the separation of Sikh polities from religion appears to have some strength, though the ‘ authorities incline to the view that the Sikhs generally may not throw in their lot with the non-co-operators. On the whole, it would seem there is more noise than substance in the extremists’ campaign, but it is not improbable that the visit of the Prince will have a beneficial effect on the masses in India, who are easily swayed in their actions, either for good 01* evil. Gandhite newspapers claim that Indian progress is entirely due to native ability, and that the British Empire was saved by Indian troops. That

is a fair sample of the froth whereby the campaign subsists, and should indicate how lacking it is in real substance.