The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-02-19
BRITISH IN INDIA.
DENUDE PEOPLE.
F0RB0YC0TT|NC.
Homespun Cloth Seized to
Compel Purchase of Eng
Iish Goods, Is Charge.
WoMEN'S JEWELS STOLEN
Raid on Homes in Benares
Cited As Typical Case of
Official LawIessness.

Goaded into action by English
interests which have been crippled
by the boycott Of their goods. Of
ficials in India, it is charged by
the Nationalists, have taken to
seizing the home-spun clothing of
the people in order to compel the
purchase of British clothes.
Report Of LoOting.
Several instances of this alleged
action have been brought to the at
tention of the American Commission
to Promote Self-Government In In
dia. One report, considered as typi-
cal, follows:
"Lawlessness of the worst kind
10 being adopted by the police in
Benares to stifle the volunteer
movement. In note the local
to enter the zenanas SECLUDED apart
ments for women) and attach every
thing they come across, including
things OF immediate use, blankets,
utensils, etc. 1t is also alleged that
ornaments have been taken off the
persons Of women.
zone volunteer states that after
the conclusion of their case in court
they were denuded Of their clothes.
after which 1t was announced the
things would be put up at auction.
Things that were not saleable, and
especially the white caps worn by
all national volunteers) were burned"
How seriously the British piece
goods trade has been hit by the
boycott, which began in India on
10 10 inHina faH hN tho
following statement in the Econo-
mist Hondon).
"Out OF 81 companies producing
yarn in the Manchester district,
having a paid-up capital of f6,7l7,-
$50, thirty-nine have not been able
TO pay any dividend to their stock
holders"
Fall In Textile Trade.
According to the Manchester Tex.
tile Mercury, shipments to India
have fallen off tremendously. Com
parative figures given by that paper
for 1918 and 1921 show:
Linear Yards.
1918 1921
Bombay 80. $50, 631 800 1872 ,039 900
Madras .... 145 ,454,S00 34,165, 800
Bengal -. 1,19S 1928, 700 1925, 500
Burma go. 108 ,24S, 800 17,271,20
Since September last. according
to reports to the American Commits
sion to Promote Self-Government in
India, exports of British piece-goods
to India have virtually stopped, and
enormous stocks which were in the
larger Indian cities and which could
not be sold to the Indian merchants
have been diverted to Ceylon, China
and Singapore, where they have
been sold at enormous sacrifices in
order to avoid further demurrage
and other charges. In some in
stances, It is reported. goods so
sold have brought less than 20 per
cent of original invoice prices, and
the sales have demoralized the
markets in the Far East. Even
the cheaply made Japanese textiles
have been unable to compete with
the sacrifice prices and several Jap
anese concerns have suffered heavy
losses through inability to dispose
Of their stocks.
Seizures Denounced.
Seizure of khaddi or home-spun
cloth in India is one of the latest
acts of repression adopted by the
British, according to the American
Commission. In a statement con-
corning this phase of the revolu-
tionary movement in that country,
the commission says:
Where repression amounting to
savagery has failed, the British of.
ficials in India have resorted to rob-
berry Of the starving native hosts.
More than so per cent OF the In.
dams have been reduced through
British misrule and grasping tax
laws to a condition where one rag.
ged garment frequently constitutes
an entire wardrobe. That the Brit,
ish have now begun to seize in or.
der to compel the people to buy
British made goods. 1t Is doubtful
II there Is AZ other instance in his
tory where a great nation, calling
itself civilized. has resorted to such