New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-24
Leader of Sixty Million
Mahometans Loyal to
Great Britain.
AGA KHAN READY TO
SERVE AS A PRIVATE
Declares Countrymen Compre.
bend Peril of Being Crushed
by PruSSian Militarism.
tBy Gable to The Tribune. ]

London, Sept. 3.-"Germany made
mistake about India as it did about
ireland, and anybody who counts on
India to be false to England will come
cropper." In those words His High
ness the Aga Khan, recognized tempo
raj leader over sixty millions of Indian
Mahometans, summed up for "The
World" correspondent the Indian En-
pres status in the worlds war.
The Aga Khan has directed the
hhoJa Moslems, who alone number sew
eral millions and over, of whom he is
the spiritual as well as temporal head,
to place their personal services and
resources at the disposal of the govern
mont, and has volunteered to serve
himself as private in any regiment of
Infantry of the Indian eXpeditionary
force. The Aga Khan laughs heart
lily over the suggestion that Ger
manlstic propaganda might undermine
the loyalty of the Indian subjects to
their King-Emperor. He remarked,
smlingly:
MANY of my fellow countrymen
have been in Africa and seen the Ger
mar administration of the East and
Southwest African colonies. They know
what the Denomination of India would
mean, and they know, too, that if Eng
land were driven out Of India Ger
many, should she be successful in this
war, would step in. The thinking ele-
ment among the Indians of all classes
realize that our country, divided as 1t
is into hundreds of principalities, each
inclined to be jealous Of the others,
could not hope to stand alone even if
British rule were withdrawn.
Germany's Purpose Disclosed.
"Germany's twofold purpose in strIv-
ing to create dissension in India ~,
first, to give trouble to England, which
might cost her the victory in the war,
and, second, to seize India as a part
of the Kaiser's dream of world empire.
This scheme is as we'll known in India
as at Berlin. Indians need no assist
ance from England TO Illustrate 1t, be,
cause they fully comprehend the peril
of being crushed beneath the mailed
fist of Prussian militarism.
After ALL" the Aga Khan continued
gravely, "the one hope of India lies IN
the King Emperor and his government.
There can be no united India until
England has finished the work OF knit
ting together into one strong nation
the confusing tumble of races, reli,
cions and castles she has governed
50 successfully for 100 years. An apt
comparison is the American domination
of the Philippines, but there exist now
between England and India affections
and sentiments arising from long
community of interests not yet found
between FilipinoS and Americans.
IncomnrehensibIe 10 Germany.
such feeling believe TO be in
comprehensive to Germans. 1t seems
TO me they totally lack the sense OF
proportion arising from the symPa-
thetic needs of another people. IL is
incomprehensible to them that Belgium
should have resisted their advance into
France. Apparently they fail utterly
10 understand the feeling that, for IN
stance. would actuate Americans If an
alien nation attempted TO send an army
through the United States to attack
Canada. Personally, my antlpathy
isn't against the German people, who
nossess many fine qualities, but against
The Prussian school of Bernhardl;
Eietzsche and the Kaiser's General
Staff "a school designed basically for
crushing liberalism and independence
of any kind, whether manifested IN
Germany or abroad
"Will Indian troops be able to stand
AGAINST the German army, considering
they have never before been permitted
70 fpht white men," was asked.
81 think So" the Aga Khan replied
with a ouiet smile. eff need be, there
can be 7OO.0 900 or 100000 men. That
wouldn't be great NUMBER 10 oHe'
from our 320OO0.000 population. NO,