The Irish standard., 1919-05-17
INDIA AS SHE is

While the Peace Conference is busy
moulding the destinies of the world,
revolt is on foot in countries which are
controlled by some of the members of
the Allies.
Our readers are familiar with the
revolutions in Ireland, Egypt, Korea
and other countries but as it seems
that they know very little about the
conditions in India which have led
the people to revolt, we take this op
portunity of writing few explanatory
notes on the situation.
India, where three hundred and fif
teen million human beings have their
homes, has been ruled by England fol
the last 1872 years. It is a rule of one
people by another. The result, there
fore is:-
(a) Administration without consul
tation.
(b) Taxation without Representa-
tion.
(c) Exploitation without consider
alton.
This system of government has
made the people suffer intensely.
The people have been ground down
to dust. They are in abject poverty
Their average per capita income, &C
cording to government estimates, is
$3.50 Tin reality it is much less) q
year; but they are nevertheless sub
jected to tax of $3.50. This leaves {
balance of $3.50. It is not enough tc
get even one complete meal day!
not to speak of two or three hearty
meals. The ordinary comforts of life
are out Of the question. AS result
more than half of the total population
goes to bed with an empty stomach
every night. This then leads to-
1. Waste of Humanity, brought
about by
(a) Terrible famines, which have
now become chronic and are contin
uously taking a heavy toll of human
lives. Famines are caused not by 8
lack of rain, or lack of fertility of the
soil or over population but because the
people of the country are exploited o1
their substance and deprived of theil
opportunities for the benefit of those
who, through greed and vanity, have
become devoid of human sympathy.
Agriculture, industries, natural and
human resources are all undevelopet
and the markets are controlled by for
eign merchants.
(b) Deadly diseases like the plague
cholera, influenza, malaria, and others
Food and proper nourishment alone
give power to resist such diseases
But people lack the very same. How
can they combat the germs then? Anl
moreover, sanitation is neglected OF
the plea that the government have NJ
money.
2. Bondage, brought about by
(a) Indebtedness of the working
class, which constitutes 1920 Of the to
tai population. Being always in deb
the working man is constantly in .
state Of despair, often on the verg.
of suicide,-never happy.
| (b) nliteracy of the people at large
Out Of 315 million people, there ar,
295 million who can neither read o.
write. The British government, afte
a rule Of 162 years, was able to edu
cate only six out Of every one hundred
people in India. (Wonderful record In
deed!) The education today is neithe
free or compulsory. People have, tim,
and again, asked for free and compul
sorry education but the government.re
fused to do so on the ground that the!
have no money.
The bondage and death combine.
are causing deterioration of the entir'
population in India. II these condition,
are permitted to continue the natiol
may be wiped out.
Add to these the recent develop
ments brought about by the damnabl,
expressive policy pursued by the allie,