The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-11-27
OUTCAST CLASS
OF INDIA SEES
BRIGHTER DAYS
UntOuohabIes Join Hands
With Princes Fighting
for Home Rule.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMNIS
scripps- Howard Foreign Editor


WASHINGTON, Nov. 27.-India's
100000 pariahs and other "un-
touchables," the people whom God
forgot and whose very shadow was
sdeemed rank poison to their Hindu
sbetters, arc getting a break at last
The desire for independence from
Britain is what is working this
modern miracle. In their fight for
'self-rule, princes and pariahs have
literally joined hands What the
great Gods silva and Buddha failed
to accomplish, a common patriotism,
it seems. is bringing about.
To the everlasting amazement Of
Premier MacDanold and the British
delegates at the all-India confer
sence in London, they listened to
the story Of how Hindu and Mos
lem noblenaen sat in a room, and
had actually eaten with an "un~
touchable"
Delegates Are Equal
Sitting as absolute equals, the
British were told, Bhimrae Ambed-
,kar, a "scavenger" and member of
1.-THE outcast class, and the Hindu
and Moslem delegates had planned
the future of a free India together
Afterward, before a packed room
Sin St James palace, the "scaven-
ger" had told of the demands which
he, as representative of a despised
class. had put forward for their bet
terment.
And what have the high-caste
delegates here to say Of these de-
mands?" a British delegate casually
inquired.
One Of the Brahmins arose.
I will answer that question" he
said. we not only approve of the
'untouchables' demands, but we have
ALREADY granted them.
The effect Of the announcement
WAS like a. bombshell. The British
shave said self-government was i'm
possible in India because the coun-
try was divided against itself, be-
cause Mohammedans objected to
-being ruled by Hindus and the out
casts objected to them all.
Low Caste Is Unclean
NOW, it appears, not only have the
two great upper classes got together
ION home rule, but these have agreed
to remove the curse from the de-
spised "untouchables" and give them
full representation in government.
The "untouchables are the earth's
imost pitiful species. Cattle are bet
ter off. by far. The COW, in India,
is sacred. and is shown conSidera-
ton, but the "untouchables' are so
much vermin.
In some parts of India they must
sheer off at least sixty-four feet
when Hindus approach. and not
4ong since they had to wear bell to
warn that pollution in human form
was approaching.
To throw their shadow across the
person Of a Hindu might cause the
poor outcast to be beaten to death.
He may not draw water from public
swells. nor enter temples, serve on
the police force. or as a soldier. For
he must touch 30 one lest he render
them "unclean." Theirs, of course
is the task of doing all the filthy
work, Jobs which none but they
will undertake.
Seeking Self Government
All this. of course, is not from
choice. It has been part OF the
Hindu system since time imme-
mortal.
Now q light appears on the hori-
zon. II India wants home rule, she
must show that her 32O,0O0000 PEG
Tple want it, not just the Hindus or
the Noslems. And this, it seemed,
she could never do.
But the unthinkable seems to
have happened. 1t is said that even
upper caste Hindu ladies. back in
India. are actually cooking and serv-
ling food to Gandhi's volunteers
smany of whom arc 'untouchables,
suntouchable no longer.