Grand Forks herald., 1917-01-11
INDIAN UNREST
GROWS SERIOUS
The Natives of India Are
on the Verge of a
Revolt.

have appeared at various times to
the eject that India was on the verge
o1 an armed revolt. Though the rev.
olution has not materialized, the
people still furnishes material for
speculation abroad. To all outward
appearances the traveller today finds
India as peaceful as America, but the
waters of sedition run deep and to
learn the facts q correspondent of the
Associated Press has interviewed
many people-American residents.
dian subjects of varying rank in pri-
xate life. and conservative and radical
Indian politicians, both Mohamme-
dan and Hindu.
The vast majority of the 315.o0O,-
600 Inhabitants are peace-loving folk
who are opposed to all ideas of revo-
lutionary bloodshed. The illiterate
class, which forms the bulk of the
population, have little or no interest
the law-abiding section, whether they
be ultra-radical home rule advocates
or not, desire to remain a part of the
British empire. feeling that the pro-
lection Of Great Britain is essential to
the welfare Of India. Most Of them
look forward to the time when India
will occupy a position similar to that
sert India is ready for the change
now, but they all hope to achieve their
aims by peaceful methods, and in all
events do not desire a total severance
from England.
There is a certain amount of sedi-
tious unrest in various sections but
the people who harbor revolutionary
ideas are declared to be negligible
in number The cliques are more or
ind ,P md
are composed largely of men who
have received smattering of Euro
pean education. The majority have
studied with the idea Of entering the
government service. Naturally. there
are not enough civil service positions
to go around, and as these men feel
that having acquired polish. they are
above returning to the trades Of their
fathers, they find themselves without
means Of making a livelihood. For
this they blame the government.
Idleness brings them together for dis
cussions of their alleged wrongs and
they prove fertile ground for the re-
ally educated professional agitator to
work upon.
OF the totally illiterate people great
numbers are still in the primitive
state, and their minds operate along
the same lines as did those of their
ancestors centuries ago. Their
thoughts mainly concern their stom-
achs. If they have enough food to
stay their hunger and a place in the
sun they are content. The question
in the least. Many of them undoubt-
edly never heard of England. or any
other place outside their own little
sphere, and it would be difficult to
convince them that they ought to
rise in arms to oust the governing
power.
In a country as vast as India there
Is always a probability that local
troubles may occur. Things are quiet
at the moment but it would be unsafe
to predict that seditionists might
not stir up feeling which would re-
suit in local disturbances tomorrow.
Such events have occurred since the
beginning Of the war. the most pre-
tentious attempt having been made in
the Punjab as the result Of con-
spiracy developed among the Indian
emigrants on the Pacific Coast Of
America, largely in California and
Oregon. Between five and six thou
sand seditionists made their way
home and into the Punjab where for
months they vainly endeavored to
cause general disaffection among the
Indian troops and the people. There
were murders and other outrages but
the attempt failed, largely because
the people, having no sympathy with
the movement, voluntarily turned to
the aid Of the government and helped
arrest many of the offenders.
Aside from internal affairs is the
question of the border tribesmen at
the north. These are by nature a
warlike folk and fighting is their
main business. There have been a
number of conflicts between them and
the government forces since the war
began, but it is declared sufficient
troops are maintained in that section
to deal with any situation.