Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-03-07
ny Assoeiassd PressI


india Of late. due largely, according to
the genera. expression of opinion, 20
the fact that the war has shown the
people OF this country their imp3r
tance to the rest Of the empire, there
Jy arousing their aspirations for prog
ross Naturally the subject OF ultt
rate home rule occupies. q large place
in the thoughts OF the Indian politi
clan. few of the so-calIed ultra-ra
Gals even advocating the immediate
granting OF some form OF self-govern
ment.
American Highly Honored
The questions o. what the British
government ought to do and intends TO
do towards bestowing further political
powers on the Indian, and of how
much immediate advance the Indian
himself is capable of making. are be-
ing generally and eagerly discussed.
A correspondent OF the Associated
Press has discussed these questions
with scores Of prominent Europeans
and indians during the past few
months. Some extremely radical
views were encountered, but the ma
Jority OF those who expressed an opin--
ion met on certain common grounds
which are well summarized in an in
terview with the Rev. DR. j. c. Ewing,
the well known American educator,
who for the past seven years has UcclI-
pied the important post of yice-chan-
cellor, or president. Of the University
of the Punjab. DR.. Ewing is the only
American Who has ever been accorded
so high an honor in India as was be-
slowed upon him when he was made
head of this university to direct the
activities Of % affiliated colleges in
the province. with their student popu-
lation of some 1900. AS a mark of
appreciation for his services to this
country he was decorated by the King
in 1914, being made Companion of the
Indian Empire. He has made deep
study OF political questions in India
and not infreqdently has been consult
ed by government officials on delicate
matters of policy.
Deems Home Rule Inevitable
DR.. Ewing expressed the belief that
home-rule for India was Inevitable, j
but declared that the country was not
prepared for II at the moment and
would not be ready for this important
step for many years to come.
When the British Government at
the time of Lord Macaulay introdue
ed Western education into India IL
opened the door for self-goyernment,
said the doctor. such step, inyolv-
ing the teaching of democratic ideals,
could have no other result. 1t was the
crossing or the Rubicon, and there is
no turning back To do the British
government Justice, | believe that it
made this move with the full knowl-
edge OF what the outcome must be, |
and that It has always had in mind
the ultimate granting Of home-rule to
the people Of Hindustan.
There are, OF course, various
shades Of opinion among both Euro
peans and Indians as to the speed
towards which the home-rule goal
should be approached The great bulk
Of the people Of India are iiliterate,
something like "a per cent, according
70 the latest statistics, but among the /
other six per cent there are many
highly educated and brilliant men who
could be called upon to play their part
in government. Home-rule can never
become an accomplished fact until a
trained body Of Indians has been rails.
ed up. And In order to achieve this,
one OF the most important steps will
be the opening up Of the civil service
to still greater extent to the educat-
ed Indian. Not only must this be
done but Indian and British govern
ment employees must be placed on the
same footing and must learn to work
in close cooperation.
India Not Nation
Foreigners IN considering home !
rule for India often make the mistake I
Of looking upon India as nation AS
q matter OF fact Hindustan represents
many races and many languages, and !
In the process OF notification there are {.
as many difficulties to be overcome as
there would be, for instance, in an
to bring all the various coun- /
tries OF North and South America un.
der one government
Moreover, the average Indian of |
the so-called iIliterate class knows
nothing of politics and takes no inter
-ct ~ EA0NAClAAc VI BCICEu1aCIIt. IlG4 10 1
mainly concerned with his own little /
matters, and so long as con-
ditions of government favor him in
the pursuit OF his affairs It makes
small difference to him what that gov. |
is or what shape it takes.
Long Subject Race
The ideas of democracy are entire
" foreign to the bulk OF India. For |
endless centuries, until the assump /
ton of British rule, the people were 1
governed as q conquered race. and so
thoroughly has the idea of subsection
been instilled that il viii be exceed
Ingly hard for them to break away
from the belief that they can nave no
voice in governing themselves. Hutl
ali this is bound to change gradually
With the spread of general educa: ;on.
One great stumbling block in the
way of democracy is the fact THAI the
Indian never has learned to row to
he will of the majority. This may be
seen wherever bodies of Indians come
together for the discussion 4 mat