The New York herald., 1922-03-13

back to India proud in the conviction
that their much older civilization was
so superior to that of the British thai
it was time they governed them.
selves.
Their disappointment spread quickly
through the country, where the news
of travels expands rapidly as 1t pro-
gresses and the Englishmen, accus.
| toned to almost worship, found their
granting of legislative assemblies ia
the Indians by the British In 1919
their establishment and the promise
of gradual approach to ideal home
rule. the insurrectionary movement
split into two parties-one Of moder-
ates, at the head of which was Mrs
Annie Besant. noted Theosophist. and
one of extremists, in great minority
following the call of Gandhi.
Mrs. Besant's party found in Parlia-
ments elected on full male suffrage a
means Of expressing their demands
for home rule, but Gandhi, recalling
his success In South Africa, adopted
a policy of passive resistance and non
cooperation with the British Govern
ment or the British reforms that have
brought India to her deplorable plight
of to-day.
Complete Boycott.
Gsndhis followers do not work for
the British. do not wear British clothes
and do not attend British schools.
They regard everything that savors OF
those whom they regard as unlawful
occupants of their country as some
thing to be banished from sight.
Among a people easily moved and
susceptible to superstition Gandhi
has achieved great success with this
policy. A series of events commenc-
ing with the British inquiry into sedi-
ton under Justice Rowlatt in 1918.
which produced the famous Rowlatt
acts for suppressing any attempt to
overthrow British authority (never
put into effect) and battles with Brit
ish troops in the Punjab and at
Amritsar served to inf1ame Indian
opinion 70 the point of revolution.
Meanwhile an agrarian agitation
which had always existed in India
marched side by side with demands
for increased wages and the growth
OF trade unions. Landlords were not
paid. employers we're forced to pay
increased wages and workmen In
every part Of the country became
restive. All this discomfort has been
successfully exploited by Gandhi. for
wherever there has been trouble he
has sent his propagandists. who,
whether Hindu. Moslem or Sikh.
stirred UP strife against the British
Government The Moplah rebellion,
however. served to reveal new move
on tie part of Gandhi which has
brought about the resignation OF
Montagu. This fight was in an iso-
lated part of India between Moslems
and Hindus. the first born fighters.
the others effeminate but polished.
Converting the MosIems.
The strife was caused by the treaty
of Sevres and the report that the
Caliphate had been defiied by Turks
driven out from Asia as well as Eu-
rope and that the British had de-
termincd to suppress the Moslems all
over the East. BY exploiting the
Turkish peace and the clever use of
Wilson's elf-determination policies
Gandti welded both Hindu and Mos
lem under his banner In a unity never
previously known between these
Indians OF different religion and race.
Not even the visit of the Prince OF
Wales to India could break the power
OF Gandhi, though the moderates who
had deserted tie all Indian congress
and sided with the British expressed
loyalty to the King and Emperor
through affection for his son.
Gandhi's passive resistance and
non-cooperation. coupled with the
grievance against the Turkish peace.
has made the visit OF the Prince of
Wales most unpleasant in certain
cities where he has been. Lord Read
ing evidently realized that TO break
Gandhi's power Il is necessary TO de-
stroy the unity between the Moslem
and Hindu above which he flourishes
The viceroy's message to Montagu
asking rectification of the Turkish
treaty Is believed to have been an
attempt to separate the two factions
by granting the Moslem demands that
Turkey be restored to Europe and
the Caliphate remain inviolate.
Whether Lord Readings policy will
yet succeed remains doubtful, but 1t
las brought the possibility of civil
strife between Hindu and Moslem
within the range OF reason.
No bright outlook is offered for
the immediate future. The political
situation resolves itself into a des-
perate race between those English
men who would confer home rule upon
India step by step as thev feel the
Indians become educated up to these