The Detroit times., 1911-11-11
KING GEORGE STARTS FOR
FAMINE-STRICKEN INDIA
TO Be CROWNED THERE
Ruler of Great Britain and
Queen Mary Sail From
a, Portsmouth.
THOUSANDS DYING THERE.
Protest Goes Up Against Spend
ing Millions For Durbar
When People Are In Want.

LONDON, NOV IL 'Ho
and Queen Mary sailed from Ports
mouth at $3.50 today for India 10 at
tend the coronation Durbar. The fes'
tiyities In India will continue until Jan.
Z and will be OF unprecedented pomp
and magnifcence. this being the nrst
yislt OF the Emperor and Empress TO
that country. The King and queen
, will return to England the last OF
January.
Last summer the crops failed In In
dia. On the heels of drought has iol
lowed famine. and plague. india 5
SOC. 0OO, 900. never far from the starva-
ton line, have crossed II.
midas normal death rate is 40 per
1000. Plague and famine claim
million lives each year, according TO
Official figures. From the plague
alone 1884 900 died in the ten years
ending 1909.
This year conditions In India are
not normal they are worse than nor
NAL. Whole towns and villages are
stricken. There are not enough well
10 care for the sick and dying; not
enough living TO bury the dead.
Under these circumstances II 10 not
strange that tremendous cry OF pro-
test has gone up from the Indian peo-
pie against holding the durbar, os-
tensibly period OF rejoicing THIS
year. The money might be better
spent.
Parliament voted 100000 to defray
the kings expenses at the Britain END
of the journey. The Indian govern
ment has appropriated $5,625, 900. An
other $15,000,O00 will be spent by the
native rulers In Official expenses
which must come from the pockets OF
the common people in Increased
taxes.
The durbar Is rich mans show
Those who take il must be prepared
for an outlay OF $1,000 for actual
travelling expenses and bare board
and lodging.
The hotels" in the Delhi camps
charge $40 day for bed and board
but no wine. And guests must tur-
nish their own bedding. All guests
must pay for 20 days whether they
stay so long or not.
Accommodation is made in the
camps for 100000 people. including
servants.
But the durbar, besides being
squander OF money In a famine year.
Is also an insult TO these 3OO'OOO,OOO
Hindus. II Is case OF England
rubbing il in"-tellng the Hindus In
box-car letters that they are con-
Quered people.
Every stage OF the projected royal
progress" is interpreted by the native
population as a calculated insult
Delhi. the theater of the durbar, is
the proud and ancient capital OF the
Moguls. II was here that Shan Jehan
I'm 1888, erected the famous mosque,
the largest in India, with its white
marble domes and gilded pinnacles.
II was in the magnificent Delhi pal
ace which he built where stood the
Peacock Throne, which the. British
broke up. and from which they stole
the famous Koh-inoor-the same sac
red diamond which Queen Empress
Mary will wear in the front and cen
ter OF her diadem at the durbar.
Remember that Delhi was the
storm center of the famous Sepoy
mutiny, and IL was on the ridge
where the king and queen will stand
"a be proclaimed that a handful of
British soldiers held out against the
revolted city on one hand and mu-
tinous army on the other. Pleasant
reminders these, for the patriotic In
dian.
Here will come the princes of In
dia, heavy with gold and silver and
stones without price, with their ele-
plants, their bodyguards, their bands
OF native soldiery, from the utmost
corners of the country, with smiles
on their lips and gifts in their hands,
"a make obeisance and swear al
legiance to the usurper OF their an
Gent power.
Then the king will go a-hunting
that India may see his prowess as a
slayer Of beasts. At this moment the
sultan of Negal, whose house was an
cient before the first Saxe-Coburg
was born, is rounding up the beasts
in his jungle, like any gamekeeper, in
order that George V. may have plenty
OF billets for his bullets.