The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-03-28

so to stand until the last gun is fred.
. In ordinary times we princes crouch
and grumble among ourselves a good
deal-and sometimes, | think, we have
had reason for it--but when the big
crisis came it found MS all rushing to
tender our support to the king emperor.
That is only natural.
This war has done India q great
deal of good. BY furnishing a com
mon platform for us to work upon, it
has drawn the princes closer together
and, l hope, the government of India
to them. Mind you, there never was
any question of disloyaltv among the
princes, but they had not been given
a chance like this before to show their
devotion to the king.
We worked along our own individ-
ual lines mostly. But the great com
mon cause has changed sill this and l
hope for good The recent conference
of princes in Delhi, when forty Of us
met to discuss matters pertaining to
the welfare of our states, was an evi-
dence of this change
1.-The past months of war have done
more to strengthen the feeling of sym
patty between the states and the gov
eminent Of India than anything else
could have done
The correspondent referred to the
| fact that at the time of the recent con
ference OF princes in Delhi there was
some talk that the conference might
ultimately develop into a council of
princes who should have a direct voice
in matters of imperial moment.
eyes, there was some expression OF
ideas along that line, said His High
ness We hope that a council Of
princes or house Of lords Of some
sort may be the outcome OF these con
ferences. | think that III a few years
it should be possible to constitute an
assembly Of princes who may have a
hand in the adjustment Of relations all
laround. And we princes also look for
ward to the time when British India
also shall have a simnar assembly UNI
der proper safeguards.
What would happen in India, your
| FIighncSs, if the British government
suddenly should decide to grant alb
solute self-rule to British India, should
constitute the princes absolute SOW
creigEs, and should withdraw entirely
from the country the correspondent
asked
Who would be king?" countered
the Maharaiah quizzicallv
By that Your IIighneSs means thai
there must be a supreme head
Exactly. If YOU should take away
our British sovereign someone elst
would have to rule. Who would it be
That is hard to say. but il would be {
case of the survival of the fttest. Il
. the British were to withdraw from In
dia altogether the country would bC
plunged into chaos.
| But, Of course, the British govern
: ment will not withdraw and no one
5 excepting perhaps a handful If hair
Drained agitatorS, wishes it to with
draw. We want the British govern
, ment to stay. for Il is the greatest anC
best government in the world. We hay,
/ a true devotion for our king-emparo
and for his government aud all ",
, ask IS that we may he allowed to re
| main part Of the empire and do on
! share
) The query was raised as to what III,
/ effect would be on India if the entent,
allies brought the war to a successful
cor clusion and Constantinople was Al
lottcd to Russia, as has been suggested
s . Your question involves the matte
> of religious sentiment? asked III
; llighneSs.
f The correspondent replied in the af
t irmatiyc
; Such settlement would have Ii
4 effect on India, said the Maharaiah
Il myself am not 4 Mohammedan In
. | think | know the feeling Of the coan
n Try. Many people III India are extreme
: ly sorry that Turkey has placed her
5 self III her present position but no on
is likely to exhibit active sEmpath.
Cor her as She is ranged against til
|, British government ana their allies.