The Washington herald., 1916-05-07
NEVER SO LOYAL
CHAMBERLAIN DECLARES
British Secretary of State Says Germany Has
Failed in Every Attempt to Bring About
Revolt of the Natives

SPECIAL Correspondent Of Tn. Washington Herald.
London, April 11-"Germany has abso-
luteIy failed in her elaborate attempts to
create a revolution in India. India, con-
trary to being a weakness is great
source of strength to the British empire.
The Indian people. instead of showing
under the encouragement OF a great
European war any desire to revolt, have
never been more loyal than today"
These were some Of the striking state
ments made by Austen Chamberlain
secretary Of state for India to the sun
CORES espondent today Standing in the big
room in the India Office and constantly
carrying reminders in appearance and
Imannerisms of his distinguished father
Joseph Chamberlain. he talked frankly
and at length about conditions in India,
which is now his special official province
Statements" he said, are often made
that India is on the brink Of revolution
Before the war there was much talk Of
sedtiOn. There were also seditious acts
eliminating in an attack on the viCeroy.
The wish is father to the thought. so
Germany eagerly swallowed all such
stories and jumped to the conclusion
| that when Great Britain was involved
in a life and death struggle with a
European power India would seize the
opportunity to throw of British au-
thority.
! There is not the slightest doubt that
the Germans. anticipating the war. Arm
ly held to the belief that the Indian peo-
pie were disContented and would readily
revolt. In this expectation they used
every means to turn the situation to
their ADVANTAGE and create trouble for US
They had and still maintain an Indian
sedit!On shop in Berlin. where ssditous
literature was and is turned out whole
]
means they thought to accomplish their
end. Their attempts failed though
! frankly admit at one time there was a
small amount of trouble.
Conspiracy Launched in L. -.
The population of India is 39oooo,ooo
and among that enormous number there
are naturally some who are disconnected
and even a few who are violently mimi
! cal to the government There is not
a country In the world where there are
not some who are bitterly hostile to the
government Of the time. And in India a
| body of malContents did start a con-
spiraCy to overthrow the British rule
The plot originated among the Hindu
settlers in California. who for a year
or two before the war had been carry
ing on an anti-British propa ganda Soon
/ after the outbreak Of the war number
! of these sailed for India with the de-
sign of seducing native troops and start
! ing a concerted rising which was to
| have taken place in February. 1915 They
| had been led to expect to find India
! in a state Of revolution. They found
! it in state Of quiet and they found
all the leading men enthusiastically sup
porting the British government. So far
from raising the Punjab as they hoped
the missionaries of sedition met with
| a stubborn resistance from the villag gers
| whom they approached their attempts
to seduce troops failed, and they did
not secure the adhesion of a single man
of any influence and Importance. The
complete failure of their fantastic con-
! spiracy is the best evidence of the sta
bility of British rule
In Bengal there has been a series of
daring outra ges in the shape of muir
ders and robberies which have produced
some alarm. The ignorance and Credu-
lty Of young men have been taken ad-
vantage Of. Facts have been misrepre-
| sented to then! and they have been led
to believe that India is oppressed and
that expulsion Of the foreigner will bring
the millennium. And some of these young
men OF the student class have committed
crimes of violence. which are, however,
condemned by all influential Bengalis.
Indian Conditions Favorable.
These are the chief instances of trou
bile we have had in India since the war
begah They are trivial when viewed
! in comparison with the whole situation.
Apart from these the state of India IS
| perfectly satisfactory and now after
+ twenty months of war the Viceroy is able
to report that the internal situation
| could hardly be more favorable
In spite of the fact England can
exact nothing from the Indian states they
have of their own free will spontaneously
and unanimously Joined in the struggle
in which they believe their interests are
as much at stake as ours. India has de-
sired not merely to play her part, but to
play it we'll.
rulers Of the Indian native States took
the lead in asserting their enthusiastic
loyalty to the KiQg-Emperor. Number
| ing nearly 700 altogether they with one
accord rallied to the defense of the en-
pire and offered their personal services
and the resources of their States.
Twenty-seven of the large States, which
maintain properly trained and equipped
| troops for imperial service. placed these
at the disposal of the government. Large
contributions were made to the patriotic
! funds. Outside India altogether the
Nepal government placed the whole of
their military resources at the disposal
Of the British government; and the
Dalai Lama of Tibet offered 1000 troops
and stated that innumerable Lamas all
over Tibet we're offering Up prayers for
the success of the British arms
The Viceroy received thousands of
kilograms and letters from every quar-
ter expressing loyalty and the desire to
assist. They came from every COM
munity, from all manner of different
associations, religious and political,
from all the different creeds and from
countless numbers of individuals offer