1950-11-09 — Page 7

ENDANGERED

INDIA BY THE

N

0

tion

was 80

so informed the Viceroy.

Brave soldiers

invasion by an

so

JAPANESE

a

and the usual I Asiatic Power, by the Cabinet,

reacted so strongly and at The stresses latent in Indian voluminous correspondence such length that he never raised politics grow.

passed between the India Office it verbally again.. Later at the

end of and the Viceroy. OX-

February, 1042, he in- structed Avereli Harriman ta sound me on the possibilties of a settlement between the British and the Indian Government political leaders.

The President also sent mo ut views time his private

it was

the

My own idea was

defending India from the great portion of for the world popula- miseries of invasion which many other lands endured. effec-

small We finished the war, from all Although only tively protected the worst severities of which tremist section in Bengal, led

I sent him. à personal tele by men such as Subhas Bose, from the horrors and perils they were spared, owing them

and gram which expresses the view debt almost as large as that on were directly subversive of the World War as were which we defaulted to the hoped for an Axis victory, the I had formed about Indian sell

of art.culate govemment to which I was of Hindustan. United States after the previous powerful body the peoples of

It was felt which

supported course, committed. They were carried through struggle. I declared that these opinion

for questions must remain open Gandhi ardently believed that by almost all my colleagues that the

of Dominion an offer the

status struggle on

revision and that we reserved Endia should remain passive and shoulders of

after the war must be made in our small the right to set off against this neutral in the world conflict.

Japanese

advanodd the most impressive manner to Island. British Government so-called debt a counter-claim officials in India were wont for the defence of India, and I this defeatism spread. If India, the peoples of India.

could some Prime Minister to Viceroy of to consider it a point of

how theated

off British connec

India. honour to champion the

tions, perhaps there would be

18 Feb., 42. no mot ve for a Japanese inva-

to ask the particular interests of In-

sion. The peril to India might dia against those of Great

But all this is only the back-possibly only consist in her link Britain whenever a diver- ground upon which the glorious with the British Empire.

snapped Unk could heroism and martial qualities of this occurred. Arrange- gence ments made when the war the Middho liberated Abyssinta, force, the argument ran.

Indian troops who fought in surely India could adopt

Enst. who defended position of Eire. So, not without was expected to be fought Egypt, who out in Europe were invoked who played grand part in to charge us for goods and with their British comrades, ex- Italy, and who, side by alde services needed entirely pelled the Japanese from

The attitude of the Congress Burma, stand forth in brill ant for the defence of India.

with worsened

the light. The loyalty of the Indian Party Army to the

Japanese menace. This became King-Emperor.

in February, the proud fidelity to their very clear when

Chlong Generalissimo treaties of the Indian Princes, 1942.

of Kai-shek and his wife visited the unsurpassed bravery

and

The object of their Indian

officers, India. soldiers

Indian was to

Contracts were fixed in India at extravagant rates, and debis incurred in inflated rupees were converted into so-called "sterl- ing balances" rate of exchange.

the

It

the

India Hindus, Sikhs, Untcuchable, &c. - to give us their best and leading

Mosiems,

this

about India.

Great confusion

President Roosevelt to Former

Naval Person.

11 March, 42.

different communities of I have given much thought to the 'problem of India, and I am grateful that you have kept me in touch with it. As you can well

I havo in making

Congress Party Part Eight of

Hindu, shine journey

inion against and

at the pro-war both Moslem and

Thus enor- for ever in the annals of war.

Ind'a

ances"in other words, British debts to India were piled up. Without sufficient scrutiny or account we were being charged rearly a million pounds a day

op.

Winston Chur-

chill's fourth book of Second War World to

memoirs, 'The Hinge of Fate'

of

the

mous so-called "sterling bal- The British Government in emphasise the importance for busied self in raising Asia as a whole, and for India

in particular, an enormous Indian Army. The and China

The Indian two great Indian political par- Japanese defeat. ties, the Congress and the party lenders used the occasion Moslem League, were either to bring pressure upon

Government through actively hostile or gave no help. British Nevertheless, upwards of 22 the Generalissimo to yield to million Indians volunteered to the demands of Congress. serve in the forces and by 1942 an Indian Army of one million was in being, and volunteers were coming in at the monthly Although this "ate of 50,000.

olicy of a swellen Indian Army was mistaken in relation to the world conflict, the response of 're Indian people. no less than the conduct of their soldiers. makes a glorious final page in 'he story of our Indian Empire. We think here in the Cabinet tuent Assembly for which each that your suggested visit to Mr Gandhi at Wardha might

Mohammed All Jinnah, hoad of the Maslom League. A big voico. in Indian affairs during the

War.

Invasion threat

The atmosphere in India de.. teriorated in a disturbing man- ner with the westward advance of Japan into Asia. The news of Pearl Harbour was a staggering blow. Our prestige suffered with the

of Hongkong. The loss security of the Indian sub-con- tinent was now directly endan- gered. The Japanere Navy was. it seemed, free to enter, almost unchallenged, the Bay of Bengal, India was threatened for the first time under British rule with large-scale foreign

I dreamed of a duke

By William

Barkley

The War Cabinet could not agree to the head of a foreign State Intervening as a kind of arbiter between impartial representatives of the King- Gandhi and Messrs. Emperor and Nehru. I therefore wrote to the Generalissimo.

12 Feb., 42.

men for such a. body as has bren outlined. However, the

bas's electoral

proposed. which was the best we could think of here, may have the effect of throwing the whole Council into the hands of the Congress caucus. This is far from my wish.

This conception of a Consti- great community and

race

fell

subject

Ο

I much diffidence

ons, and it is n any which of course all of you good people know far more about than I do. I have tried to

problem approach the the from

of views history and with a a hope that

"of the injection thought to bo used in India might be of assistance to you. That is why I go back to the inception of the Government of the United States.

a

now

During the Revolution, from 17776 to 1783, the British Colonies set themselves up as 18 States, each one under different form of government,

1

although each one assumed individual sovereignty. While the war lasted there WO great confusion botween these sovereignties, and separate the only two connecting Continental were the CAS (a body of ill-de powers and large n- effelencies), and, second, the Continental Army, which was rather badly maintained by The 13 States.

links

Federal power

impede the destro we have for would pick 'ts foremost leaders in 1783, at the end of the war

I should have was the method followed, at this time and later.

It was to the war

unintent

nucu

com-

rally'ng all India effort against Japan. It well have the

of emphasising

differences at a

when

unity

It would have avoided dealing only with party politicians.

Reacted strongly

The United States had shown

direct interest :

an increasingly

Indian affairs as the Japanese advance Into Arta spread west-

The wards.

concern of the Americans with the strategy of

to and I venture ho that Your Excellency will be so very kind as not matter contrary to press the to the wishes of the Viceroy at tha

I look King-Emperor. forward most hopefully the increasing co-operation of the British, Indian and other world war was bringing them

Into touch with political issue forces with the Imperial

which they had strong vallant Chinese armies, who on

the opinions and little have so long, withstood

experience Before Pearl Harbour Lunt of Japanese aggression.

regarded as a lamentable example of British Imperialism, the Generalis- In the event simo deferred to my wishes, but as an exclusive British res

that the and, helped by the tact of the ponsibility. Now Viceroy, the ill-timed

advancing to- Visit Japanese were

the United passed off without doing any words its frontiers

States Government began to barm.

express views and offer counsel on Indian affairs.

Rising Discords

had

от

clear that the new responsibilities of the 13 sovereigntica could not be welded into a Federal Union because the experiment was atll in the making and any effort to

arriv

at a fral

to

ught would have come

1200

Therefore, the la Lovereignties joined in

the Articles of Confederation, an obvious stopgap Government, to remain in effect only until such time as experience and trial

bring and error could about a permanent union. The 13 sovereignties, from 1783 to 1789, proved, through lack of federal power that they would

Into soon fly apart separate nations. In 1787 Constitutional Convention was held with only 20 to 25 or 30 active participants, represen ang all ting of the States. They

as a not

Parliament, met,

group sincere patriots, with the sole objective of

bu

as a Amall

-Federal

Governmshing

а

Mohandas Kharamchand Gandhi Tho Mahatma- the Influenco behind Congress. Spent war

yours in goof.

headed by a small represen- tative group, covering differ-

ont

cartes, occupations, re- ligions and geographies this group to be recognised as a temporary Dominion Govern- ment. It would, of course, represent existing Govern- of the British mento vinces, and would also repre sent the Council of Princes, out my principal thought is that it would be charged with body to consider Eetting up

Pro-

a more permanent Govern- ment for the whole country -th's consideration to be extended over a period of five or six years, or at least until a year after the end of the

war.

Peace or chaos

new

I suppose that this central tem- porary governing group, speaking for

tho Domieten, would have certain executive, and administrative powers over public services, such as finances, railways, telegraphs and other

things which we call public services.

some Perhaps the analogy of

such method to the travalls United and problems of the

to 1769 States from 1783 might give a new slant in Indin Itself, and it might cause the people there forget hard feelings, come more loyal British Empire and to stress

the

to bew to the

danger of Japanese domination, together with the advantage of peaceful evolu- tion as against chaotic revolu- tion.

High interest

Such a move is strictly in line with the world changes of the past half-century and with the democratic processes of

all who are fighting Nazism. I hope that whatever you do the move will be made from London and that there should in India that be no criticism

It

the

is being made grudgingly or by compulsion. love of Heaven don't bring I do me into this, though

15, want to be of help. It strictly speaking, none of my business, except in so far as it is a part and parcel of the successful fight that you and I are making.

This document is of high a interest because it illustrates The the dificulties of comparing discus.ion was recorded, but situations in various centuries the meetings were not held and scenes where almost before ar Dudience.

The material fact is totally de present constitution of the and the dangers of trying to United States resulted, and ly any superficial soon received the assent of blances which may be noticed

to the conduct of war. two-thirds of the States.

In countries where there is On Feb. 15 Singapore surren- only one race broad and lofty. dered. Indian politics and the views are taken of the colour Press echoed the rising discorda question. Similarly, States which

colonies WHY WAS St Stephen's Chapel "Did you her Mr Clement between the Hindu and Moslem have no overseas

suddenly, in 1547, given to Davies' say "last" week," I communities, In the hope of possessions are capable of rising the Hour of Commons as asked him, "that Church House creating some common front, to moods of great elevation and our MP permanent home? did not seem the place for us'7" proposals had been put forward detachment about the affairs of

"No comment," said the Pro- by certain Til then they never had a

the Congress those who have.

ent had first dix- leaders for the recognition ot ZINC.

Reformation tector abruptly.

The President The

Then h's lips turned up to India's sovereign status and for cussed the Indian problem with It is merely a thought of mine was in full swing,

tep-past ten in a smile, and to the formation of an all-Indian me, on the usual American

Government. National

visit to inaghod outright.

These lines, during my Issues were carefully conaldered Washington In December, 1041.

THE

were

MONASTERIES being broken up, the abbeys sold up, the ohurchce looted

'My best bet'

of their Puplah images, Dr Maurion Kastingu —fn a 4T'S this man Aneurin Bc-

IT'S book Jas published-be-

van," satd the duke. Iloves that the reformist That's my best bet now. Not Protector, Lho Duke of in 398 years of wandering and Gombrick, pul, the M.P.a brooding have I entertained heard such language from any Minister of the Crown. He says that half glish people are vermin. he says that you naws- papermen work for the world's

in St. Stephen's Chapel in such hopes, Never have

order to depoorate it.

DREAMED I met the the

Somerset!

I Duke

of

Bending, down I said to most prostituted Press. Isn't it him: "You look mighty perfectly splendid?

pleased with things.”

undor-

"It would make me laugh my bloomin' head of tunately it had not already been

́I did not bond because I am particularly tall, but because the severed.

chiko had his head out off on, "But Willam," the Protector "Tower Hill in 1552. cod was proceeded, "don't you take it

cariying it in his bands.

from him. Give as good N you get. Give offence to

Hold my: hood a moment, nobody but take it from none. William,”-sald ħla grace, "while I rub my knedle for glee." And Beware of entering in a quarel there by abood rubling him but, being in, bear it that the hands for glee while his head oppad may beware of thee." mo', duke," I said,

"I used to get

around the

chuckled like hilly-oh in mine. That's not original.”

"What you laughing at?" I dornedad. It' Д serious Globe Theatre, too," he replied. business, desecration.”

"It's Shakespeare, and I hope none the worse får that.”

"But I am so happy at last," bevarejoined. “It fins boon a -"long, kod: emmpaign, this of

mine,

Dr. Maurico Hastings euggests, when I

Commons into St Stephen's

At last

:

WAS most uniappy to hear

turned the this. "Ancuria's a very Chapel I thought I would knock nice fellow really," I pleaded,

the holiness out of B....

and very fond of children. Anyhow, in your own experience

Disappointed of Old England, as you have

said, if he doca go bad come

Out,"

"BUT again and again I was docent MP. will cancel Bevan

disappointed For a long

time I had great hopes of The head in my hands shoots Cromwell. But the word Pof Matif, violently.) 2:

God was always on his lips."" "No," rald" the Duke of (*2-XXe sighed.

Somerset, "At last can lay

was encouraged for a time down my head on rest my ohn Wiles; But as mire noul in peace. The place #come thoroughly

as to dig hóa, bost with free to

(banking and biasphemy alongderouterted?!

Ourde some Chatelian squila;, liko

fawibertyres oe Widtbroad who *in /?Parliament Réune?

by the pond bonerated the (Architectural Press, 128, 5d.),...

of

to suggest the setting up of what might be called a tem- porary Government in Indio,

resem.

World Copyright razorved. Repro- duc-ion, eten partially, in any language, strictly prohibited.

"The motion is that we sheep and wolves promise never To affack, one another, and to show we mean if we sheep will unconditionally stop wearing these dangerous bombs which might go off if anyone tried to bile us"

湯麵

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