Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-20

Daily cables bring reports of riots
in India. The nation is in unrest,
which has been of cumulative force
for the last six or seven years. Some
prophets forecast serious efforts OF
the natives to break away from Brit
ish rule, and these prophets OF woe
point menacingly to the measures
taken by the viceroys preceding Lord
Reading toward giving more home
rule" powers into the hands OF the
natives. They argue that the es-
tablishment Of q native parliament,
in 1921, surrendered most of the pres
tige Of initiative and development OF
governmental policies out OF the hands
of the British viceroy and put 1t into
the power of the native politicians.
And now the natives Hindus and the
Moslems - are quarrelfng between
themselves, and both are at outs with
the British The result Is rtoung,
with CONSEQUENT slaughter by the po-
lice. both native and British, ana
growing unrest.
When Lord Reading, Lord CHIEF
Justice of Great Britain, accepted the
yiceroyalty, in 1921, following Lord
Chelmsford and the Duke OF Con-
naught-son of Queen Victor1a-he
fell heir to most serious and COM
plicated conditions.
The budget was unbalanced; in
spite Of high taxes. there was an an
nual deficit of some $4,000 600 pounds
sterling, with total expenditure OF
IS 100000 pounds. India costs the
British taxpayer $50, 100000 a year.
With stringent measures of reforms,
Lord Reading reduced the deficit TO
4 a m q Hfat q
left the budget unsatisfactory and the
| tax burdens onerous. Living costs had
. doubled. The population was exist
| ing upon incredibly straitened in
comes of 81 week. living in squalor
and upon starvation rations.
Conditions grew into desperation
and finally civil war against the Brit
| fsh rulers, though the war was soon
ended. after the killing of 1883,
wounding of 1862 and capturing
5.955 Of the rebels"
~ 4 ~
It was about the time of Lord Read
ing's arrival that Gandhi began his
agitation for non-cooperation. He
aroused both Moslems and Hindus as
they had not been aroused for CEN
turies, so that they appeared even
ready to forget their religious preju-
dices and unite as true Indians frst
and Moslems or Hindus second. This.
was the climax of danger to the Brit
| ish. but what intensified its possibili-
Ties was the new constitution which
| Lord Readings predecessors had in,
troduced, with its consequent false
hopes or independence or at least
"Swaraj"-home rule OF India by the
Indians.
The Constitution of 1919 was but
tentative. with provisions for full
amendment and revision in 1929. to be
based upon q decade OF experiment,
| but it was enough to stir up the In
dian politicians, patriots, dreamers
and demagogues, SO that the whole
country has seethed In political agi-
tation ever since. That accounts Tor
the frequent riots even to the present
day.
Gandhi. who was imprisoned for se-
ditiOn in 1922, is now again at liberty,
| but he has lost most OF his popular
| following. The seeds OF discomfort
bear fruit now in the dissatisfaction
Of the native princes and rulers Of
provinces who see, in the ambitious
plan OF the new constitution making
| WAll India q federal republic, a nee
essary surrender OF their royal pre-
negatives and state rights" The
same local jealOusies as gave such
| trouble to our own original Fedora
tiOn ana to our Constitutional Con-
yentiofl now confrOnts India, TO
which crisis must be added fun recog-
nition Of the utter impossibility Of
any nation becoming q true federal
republic with "a per cent Of the popu-
Elafion absolutely illiterate and STEPPED
| In religious prejudices and mutual
fanatical jeaIoaisies
Kw
The Calcutta Rsview for june last
said:
Earl Readings acts Of interference
lin the internal afEaira Of the Indian
States are much resented by Indian
politicians. Some OF the politicians
Think 0e the future India as the
sFedsration Or the United States Of
India. with some Of the Indian
States as provinces: they think Of the
IFederatioii 0f German States under
kings. princes and free cities. as their
model.
.;Others think of United India
latter the model 81 United Italy. under
4 constitutional monarch. still others
think DC the future India as the Re
man. sets him ont In his true light.
lexplaihs him In much that needed