The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-25
Edwin Samuel Mon
tagu Tells of Re-
cent Progress and
M a tured Plans of
Home Government

NOW consider the importance Oh tnlS
change. At present the Indian is
stranger to the burdens and sacrifices as
well as the honors of political response
bility. Men cannot be fitted for response
bility, they cannot be trained to vote, in
any other way than by giving them re-
sponsibility and the vote. At the same
time, as much for their own protection
as for that of their fellows, they must not
be overburdened with responsibility, nor
must it be given to any persons who can
not be held accountable.
ave propose to give control of primary
education to the Indians themselves, at
the same time giving them the response
bility and power of taxing the people for
its support, and such extension of its
original plan as they may consider ad-
visable. At the beginning mistakes are
certain to occur; for all Governments, be-
ing human, are liable to error, and this
is specially true where men are new to
responsibility. But the mistakes will not
be irretrievable.
Will Retain the Police Power.
Questions affecting the preservation
of law and order we do not propose, at
present, to hand over. This is not at all
because we distrust Indian loyalty, but
because mistakes with regard to these mat
tiers might disturb the tranquility of the
country, which has been established with
por,o,,hor kkot ~, g ~
a compact, homogeneous, well knit COM
munity,. but contains many races and
creeds, which in the past have not been
accustomed to act together, but have lived
in separate camps, so to say. As soon as
we have reason to believe that these dis
turbing elements have lost their strength,
and that Indians themselves can make the
State secure against such impulses, ws
hope to turn these matters also over to the
Indian representatives of the Indian
people.
perhaps it may be said by those dis
posed to criticise: You give education to-
day as a sop, but when the people want
more they will have to begin all over again
and work desperately to get it.
"To put it bluntly, that is not my
method. We are starting by dividing the
functions of government into those which
we hand over and those which we do not
hand over But we are also asking
Parliament to establish tribunal, which
shall sit at ten year intervals, to consider
how far the success of the Indians in gov
erning justifes an extension of the powers
entrusted to them. With this plan in
operation, the Indian will know that he
only needs to show real eapability in order
to obtain increased powers.
Canada Proves Fine Example.
"Look at Canada. There you see the
fulfilment of the purpose of our Empire.
The fact that the people in Canada are
subjects of the King is a source Of in
SEPARATION to them, and not handicap on
their freedom. Their loyalty and self
sacrifice in this war prove beyond ques-
ton that they have been and are satisfied
with their relationship to the British En-
pire.
eve believe that a similar result can
be achieved in India, and that in spite of
differences in race. Indians and Euro
peans can and will cooperate with each
other in the great work that lies before
them in India. We recognize that the
difficulties are enormous, for no person
can say reasonably that India is vet ready
for the measure of self-government exist
ing now in Canada.
an India there are still, unfortunately,
nearly 3OO,OOO,OOO people who can neither
read nor write. There are differences in
religion and caste which make common ae-
ton on national lines difficult, and preju-
diees must be overcome before India can
attain to the full status of nationhood.
"Still, experience has shown that with
the spread of education prejudiees disap-
pear, and religious cleavage becomes lass
potent, and the more this process con-
tinues the sooner will India achieve the
spirit of unity that characterizes the great