South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-09-11
INTRODUCTION OF
INDIAN SOLDIERS
IS NEW PROBLEM
England Has Untold Military
Resources in ASiatiC COL
onieS if Mobilization Be-
comes Necessary.
BY HERBERT TEMPLE.

LONDON, Sept. 1.-THE throwing
by England of thousands Of her In
dian fighters into France 10 combat
Germany and the importation OF
French African troops into the field
have given amazing aspect 10 the in
ternatiOnal war. Germany now Is OPP
posing English, French, Belgian rus
siOns. Hindus and Africans.
The remarkably short time after
the beginning OF war in which the
British Indian troops were seen cross
ing Canada from the Pacific TO the
Atlantic, astonished the Germans. IL
indicated that the Asiatic soldiers were
on their way about the same instant
that war was formally declared by
Great Britain.
England. If necessary, can pour into
France from India, 23S,0OO trained
men. OF which $4,000 are trained
British troops, including some of the
crack regiments OF the royal army.
the remainder being native Indian
soldiers. fit comrades on the firing line
of Frances RurCos and Spahis.
According to the official figures, the
strength OF the Indian army already
on its way To the front is. infantry
122. 600; calvary. $4,000; artillery. TO-
600; engineers, etc, 8 1000.
Infantry Main Strength.
The main strength Of the Indian
army = it's infantry, Brahmans, Raj
puts. Jats, Sikhs, Punjabis. DOgras,
Mahrattas and Ghurkas, of all castles
and several religions, Mohsmmedan,
Hindu, Buddiat, all are warriors who
viii lay down their lives for the Brit
ish and the dark skinned regiments
OF the Indian army are a lighting force
hard TO stop.
Though all arrangements for offense
and defense in the present great war
have been kept profoundly secret, 1t
is probable that the order To bring the
Indian troops to France was not given
without long and careful thought on
the part OF the war office.
To take the army out of India
would be TO leave that vast empire
open to attack from without and
mutiny from within. There is always
talk Of uprisiRgs in India 1t was
finally decided, though that there was
no immediate prospect OF internal
trouble in India and the lineup OF
the allies made il improbable that any
foreign attack would have TO be re-
sisted. With Germany as England's
only enemy and the kaiser pretty
much occupied at home and in China
with defending the fatherland, il was
deemed almost a certainty that moth
ing could occur in India that would
require the presence of troops there.
Ghurlxas Are Formidable.
Among the most interesting as well
as the most formidable fighting out
fits in the Indian army are the
Ghurkas. There are 10 regiments Of
the Ghurka rifles. These little fight
eTs who come from the region OF
Nepal and trace their descent from
the Rajputs would rather fight than
eat In appearance they are deceiv-
ing. They are short, stocky little men
OF somewhat the appearance Of the
Japanese, only bit heavier. They
wear perpetual grins on their faces
and the grtns do not come off when
they go into "a fight.
The Ghurkas were conquered IN
1914 by the British after years Of
fighting and have come loyal sub
jects OF England. When the Ghurkas
regiments were first made a part Of
the Indian army, they did not seem
to take well to organized methods OF
warfare. 1t was not until the army
authorities allowed them TO make
their national weapon, the kukri, a
long, curved knife. a part of their
equipment that the Ghurkas regained
their prestige as fighters. Their in
structOrs never could make them use
the bayonet.
In close quarters the Ghurka
throws away his rifle and takes to his
knife, which he uses with telling eff
feet When charged by cavalry the
GhUrkas stand up and fire at the
hOrsemen until they come within
close range. Then the natives drop
10 the ground. AS the cavalry passes
over them, the little Indians are up
and busily at work Stringing the
horses and clinging TO stirrups, stab
bling the riders.
like French TurCOs.
Their method Of fighting is not IN
like that Of the French Turcos, who
also play possum' when charged by
heavier enemy. The Ghurkas. like
the scotch Highlanders, use bag pipes
and they carry their pipes with them
when they go into battle
II the German infantrymen come
in contact with the Ghurkas, 1t Is like
" they viii receive the surprise Of
their lives. for the Indians do not
fight like European troops. Once they
are launched on charge they do not
stop until they come 10 grips with
the enemy. No matter how many fall.
the survivors do not retreat
In contrast TO the little Ghurkas are
the Sikhs and the Pathans who are
big men OF more than ordinary size.
They too are brave fighters but they
have taken TO the methods OF modern
warfare.