Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-10-11
HOME RULE WILL
Be GIVEN INDIA
AFTER THE WAR GREAT BRITAIN
TO CONFER GREATER MEASURE
OF SELF GOVERNMENT UPON
THESE PEOPLE.

1
/ lated by the British government for
granting a larger measure of self-goy-
eminent to the people of India We're
explained to the Associated Press cor
respondent today by Edwin S. Mon
tagu, secretary of state for India Mr..
Montagu, who is soon to start for In
ola, said
My journey to India. is the direct
outcome of the governments an
nouncement in parliament that its pol
icy in India is to develop self-govern-
ing institutions with a view to the pro-
gressive relaxation of representative
government.
do not misunderstood me. This
ideal of ours must be approached by
easy stages. The man who thinks that
home rule for India is practical pol
icy is either wholly ignorant of the
situation or designedly mischieyous.
Steps toward responsible government
will be taken at different rates by diff
ferent parts of India. Great provinces
will fit themselves for it at different
times. But the great thing is that We
are going ahead firmly on the path to-
ward the end which we all, British and
Indian alike, desire.
THE measures that we adopt must
be adequate. They must show real
progress. Wars upheaval has stirred
all peoples, not only in Russia, not
only in Western Europe, but in China
and India as we'll. Everybody wants
to be assured that the world, their
own little world, as we'll as the big
world, is better world after the war.
India, equally with the rest of the
world, has a right to demand prog
| ress, and real progress.
so we are adopting the direct and
business-like method-and I'm going
to India to consult with the people
there and bring back the results of
my conferences and inquiries 70 be
put before parliament as The basis for
law which shall mean progress in
it's widest and best sense.
eve ha4-a SGT ourselves avowedly
TO the en- nous task Of improving the
conditions and life of the people, to
guarding them against famine and
against wars, external and internal,
So that they might live and learn and
develop their great resources unhin-
dered and in peace.
Zone of the most striking evidences
of the work in India is found in our
/ irrigation enterprises, which are even
Ivaster than the greatest of your own
enormous irrigation exploits, and
which have reclaimed literally thous-
ands of square miles of desert. ut
II it is still a country of poverty. The
majority of the people live on a few
rupees a month, and it takes three
rupees to make an American dollar.
Their country has vast resources
awaiting development, but the peo-
pie are still very poor. Only about
ten. per cent. of the population can
read and write.
'Indias greatest terror. the spec
ire of famine has practically disap-
peared. owing to irrigation and the
development of transport by railway,
canal and river. A season of famine,
which a generation ago meant hum
dreds of thousands of deaths. now
means only discomfort and strain. As
we have conquered famine, SO we
shall surmount the educational diff
culties.
Electoral bodies have sprung up
and there are in most provinces to-
DAY councils which have power to
pass resolutions and act inanadvis-
DRY capacity, although they have little
responsibility of real power. The
members of these Legislative units
have begun to tire Of situation In
which they are little more than de-
baters. and we shall be glad to pro
vide food for this developing civic
appetite.
To-day, the British people have be-
gun to realize that India has proved
itself worthy of larger part in the
imperial plan. India is now assured
of place in all future imperial war
conferences.
| Further steps toward responsible
government will be taken as result
of my trip to India-steps which !
trust will be convincing and satisfying
to the great body of educated public
opinion in that country