The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-04-07
INDIA ENTERING
new PHASE or
FREEDOM FIGHT
Meeting Held to Discuss
Question of Leninism


have recently multiplied in India to
show that in 1927 we are entering on
revolutionary phase of the class
conscious political organization of
the Indian proletariat and its emer-
genee in its role as the leader of
the onal-revolutionary movement.
These signs are the visible fruits of
the underground activities Of the In
dian Communist Party, carried on
under exceptional hard conditions of
imperialist repression A recent fac
tor which has stimulated the revolu-
tionary orientation of the masses of
India is also undoubtedly the cause
of events in China.
During the last two or three years,
the Indian proletariat has gone
through a severe training in the
school Of industrial action in the
shape of many hard-fought strikes
and it has reached a certain degree
of political maturity which was alb
sent in the first postwar revolution
airy period of 192I-1922. This is evil
QChNCN ny IilC idCN iiAdI revolutionary
propaganda which before had to be
carried on underground, can now be
made publicly without the British au-
thorities attempting to suppress it.
An occasion for this open propagan-
da has been furnished by the present
visit to India of Comrade S. Saklat-
vala who has addressed a large num-
Der of meetings in the Province of
Bombay in the first week Of his ar
rival. A detailed report of his speech
es is being prepared.
towers or Endurance.
A foremost place in the revolution
airy proletarian movement in India is
destined to be taken by the workers
in the industrial areas of Bombay
Because Bombay is the seat of the
oldest capitalist industry in India,
namely, the textile industry, engag-
ing now about 100000 workers; and
the Bombay workers have shown very
great powers of combination and en-
durance in their strike action. The
trade unions of the Bombay province
have a record of industrial and pol
itical activities, not equalled by other
unions in India. Bombay is appro-
priately the permanent headquarters
Of the All-India Trade Union Con-
gress.
Discussing Leninism.
In Bombay we have had an ex-
ample of the new propaganda that is
being carried on among the Indian
workers. The Congress Labour Par
ty, a left wing organization within
the National Congress held a public
meeting of workers to discuss the
significant questions: "Does India
need Lenin? What did Lenin stand
for, and what has Russia gained by
adopting his principles? If India
needs Lenin, with what modifica-
tons should his theories be practice
and with what moderation should his
conceps>ns be introduced into the
body poI.ic of India?"
The meeting was presided over by
S. II. Jhabvala, Vice President of
the Bombay Textile Labor Union. By
social origin Jhabvale is of the in !
telligentzia. He has an active record
of work within the Indian trade union !
movement. According to Jhabvale,
the meeting was organized, inter ALA,
"to pay tribute to Leninism, Rus
sian movement that had revolution
lied the modern world and had evol-
we'd state Of society and govern
ment for which humanity had been
yearning for the last half century
or So" Jhabvala defined Leninism as
mass organization and the rule of
the proletariat."
Under Gandhi Influence.
That Jhabyala still remains under
the influence of the theology of Gan I
dhi is shown in the following remark
of his: "Lenin has done for Russia !
what Mahatma Gandhi can certainly
do for India; only, Indians should
imbibe Gandhism as the Russians had
assimilated Leninism." Continuing
mis- remark, Jhabvala said: "Gandhi
had contented himself with his ideal
ism while Lenin had dynamic force
of organization"
Coming to the needs of the present
situation in India, Jhabvala said
British Imperialism in India was
goaded on by economic and CONNER
cial motives, it was nothing short of
a money grabbing campaign. India
was and had long been prey to econ
omic exploitation of the oppressed by
the militarist force of the oppressor.
A general and wholesale revolt
against their organized and democra-
tised violence was the need of the
day. In China also, the present COM
motion was the natural and inevitable
outcome of the continued and persist
ent efforts Of the imperialists to
choke and curb the just aspirations of
a civilized nation"
For Mass Revolt.
Jhabvala then put forward the slo-