The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-12-28
HARD TIMES, UNREST
IN india RESULT IN
anti BRITISH RIOTS
fBy Associated Press)


terized as one of the graves. crises
in its history, owing TO the deep and
widespread unrest which has develop
ed since the end Of the war. While
this discomfort is the product of num-
erous causes, in the main 1t is the
result of the high cost of living and
the consequent hard times for the
population.
The unrest has recently manifested
itself in various and serious ways.
There have been many great strikes
in the large industrial centers, in some
cases accompanied by rioting and
bloodshed. Organized anti-gov eminent
boycotts have been instituted. More
over, extremists have been preaching
revolutionary ideas with the result
that, as announced recently in Com
mons by Mr.. Montague, secretary of
state for India, there have been sew.
eral prosecutions and convictions un-
der the state seditious meetings act.
Reds Are Busy.
There has been much talk in the
western world of activities by Bolshe-
visit propaganda agends in India.
Competent observers state however,
that it is doubtful whether the eff
forts of the Bolshevists to stir up
trouble have met with much success.
In this connection it is pointed out
that the printed propaganda upon
which the Bolshevists depend so much
is of little value in India, where the
vast bulk of the population cannot
read. Thus the Bolshevist idea must
be spread by word of mouth, a consid-
cradle task in a country the size of
of India. That the Moscovites have
been busy in India, however, there is
no dispute.
The main causes of the unrest may
be epitomized thus:
The high cost Of living, prices in
some cases having advanced 1000
per cent, while incomes, especially
of the brain workers, have increased
only small fraction of this.
The continuance of war time re-
strictions on the conduct of the popu-
lace, whereas the government had in
dicated that these would be remov-
ed within six months of the termina-
ton of the war.
The desire on the part of a large
section of the educated classes for a
greater hand in the government than
has hitherto been accorded natives,
The allegation that the government
has failed to keep its wartime prom
Uses for betterment of general con-
ditions of living and employment, it
being charged that these promises
were held out merely to gain support
for carrying on the war.
The cost of living has hit the aver
age Indian exceedingly hard, since his
main interest in life centers in his
food, his business journeys. his period
ical pilgrimages to various parts of
The country, and in the observance of
his religious rites. His place Of abode
and it's furnishings trouble him little
or not at all. He is now unable to buy
the food to which he has been accus-
toned, simple as his wants are. Like
wise, he can no longer make his jour
neys, depending on his friends for food
and lodging because forsooth, his
friends cannot afford to entertain him.
To the nomadic Indian this is griev-
Gus thing.
Affects Religious Life.
Even religious observances are af-
fected, a most serious matter. The
gravity of the situation from the In
dams standpoint may be illustrated by
referring to the cost of ordinary cotton
cloth which at one time got beyond the
means Of the masses. The Moham-
medan religion requires that the dead
shall be buried in unused shrouds.
This is one of the cardinal rules, the
observance of which to the members
of this religion, of whom there are
nearly 100000 in India, is all i'm
portant.
With the price of cotton cloth be-
yond his reach, the lower class Mo-
hammedan was compelled to bury his
dead in ordinary clothing which had
been worn. To the living this seems
tc be the limit of sacrilege, and they
are terrified of the hereafter.
The high cost of living, and all other
troubles which may have fallen on the
indian, are attributed by him to the
government. This is due to the pater-
nal system which the government has
for generations exercised in India. The
government has come to be the all
powerful thing from which come all
things. both good and bad. Literally
speaking. if there has been a favor
able monsoon and the crops have been
good, the government has always re-
ceived the credit for it from the
masses, who do not question but that
Delhi makes the weather. Since the
reverse is also true, the government
is now condemned for poor crops or
high prices. Thus the government is
being censured for all present condi-
tons throughout the country.
So far as the political agitation is
concerned, those who know India we'll
state that much depends on the work
ing of the new Montagu bill which
gives the natives more say in the
affairs of government and which be-
comes effective next year. 1t is said
to be acceptable to a large portion of
the educated thinking people of India
although it has some strenuous op-
ponents among the extremists, who
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