The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-09-11
MOHANINfEDANS OF INDIA.
Show Excitement Over Turkish De-
feat in Balkan War.

1t seems a far call from the Bal
kans to India, and although the for
eign press here religiously reported
by cable the progress of the late war
in the Balkans, its true significance
as an alleged Christian movement to
drive the Moslems out of Europe has
only now been conveyed to the Mo-
hammedan mind by pilgrims return
ing from Asia Minor and te Levant,
writes a correspondent from Alfalfa
bad.
Unknown to the authorities, either
British or Hindoo, the agitation thus
started has lain dormant in Moham-
medan quarters at Cawnpore until
stirred into action by the destruction
of a part of a mosque to make room
for civic improvements. A year ago
this would have passed unnoticed, as
the portion of the building pulled
down was used merely for ablutlons,
Mohammedans entering it retaining
their shoes. But now, with the men,
ory of the defeat of the arms of the
Faithful in the Balkans, it has war
like anti-Moslem significance, which,
unless the authorities act with firm
ness as we'll as tact, may develop into
a Holy war.
A few years ago the corporation IN
Cawnpore decided that a new street
had to be cut through the quarter of
the Fish Market, and this innovation
required the modification of the land
of a Mohammedan shrine, but not of
the shrine itself But in this case, al
though there was some agitation,
there was no revolt.
History has not repeated itself. No
conceivable religious policy or tradi-
ton has been harmful Of the propos-
ed realignment of the Mohammedan
property in the Machlin mosque.
Nothing sacred was ever threatened.
The outer court, in which the pre-
scribed ablutions are carried on, is
no sacred part of any Moslem temple.
A man may wear his slippers there.
Upon the sanctuary itself no man
may intrude booted, and the contin-
Gus policy of British administration
in India has been that religious pre-
judice of every kind, so far as it is
reasonable and does not patiently
conflict with the public veal, shall
be respected.
No one could wish that the reli-
gious animosity of the Mohammedans
against the Hindus should be permit
ted any more that that the immola-
tion of widows among the Hindus, or
human sacrifice among the Khonds,
should still be sanctioned. But in
such case as this, when no religious
principle has been even remotely in
volved, when the guiding spirit of the
ISFOlI Has Deeu, duu SILL 10, pulOiy
political, it is time to ask the Moham-
medan authorities to intervene, if
the pledges they have repeatedly
given have any real meaning.
Three years ago it was the boast OF
Mohammedans in India that they had
neither part nor lot in the hysterical
sedition raised by small percentage
"a very small percentage the
Hindus, who somewhat fatuously be-
lieved that in the partition of Bengal
there was possible point d'appui for
an Indian revolution.
But there is always a small body in
every race that is discontented and
gullible, and India is no exception to
the rule. The mass of India Moham-
medans remain as loyal as ever. The
action of few malcontents in Gavin
pore of Lucknow, dazzled by the flu
ency of Bengal agitators, is not rep
resentative in any way of the feeling
of the steady mass of the Indian fol-
lowers of Islam.