Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-06
VISIT PAID CITY !
BY INDIA NOTABLE
Woman Lawyer on First
Visit--DepIores Drive of
Nationalist.
BY GRETCHEN SMITH.

Thirty-six years ago q young Indian
girl defied the traditions of CEN
turtles, stepped from out the sequestered
women's quarters Of old Mother India,
graduated from oxford University and
boldly took UP the practice Of law in
Calcutta in behalf of the helpless, timid
and ofttimes abused women of her
race.
Miss Cornelia Sorabji, the pioneer Of
Indian women's liberties of SO years
ago, now a stately, dignified figure,
whose black hair Is just beginning to
turn gray, arrived in washington yes
terday to pay her first visit to the
American Capital.
Attired in the graceful, flowing gar
mentS OF the women of her country,
Miss Sorabji made an unforgettable
picture, as with flashing black eyes she
told of obstacles overcome in the past
and regrettable conditions to be over
come in India today. Miss Sorabji Is
patriot and nationalist, but not I'M
friendly to the British government.
Holds Time InOppOrtune.
THE extraordinary thing with many
Of these so-called nationalists," she said,
lis that they are making demands at q
time when everything possible Is being
conceded to give the Indians self-free-
dom.
lover 10 years ago, in 1919, the King
offered us, as a reward for the part In
dia had taken In the war, what great
part of us wanted-progressive, self
government within the empire. That
was much more than the Congress in
1884 had ever dreamed of getting. I'm
fortunately, 1t was just when the prom
Use made to us was about to be fulfilled
and supplemented into the act of 1919
that Gandhi came back and started his
homeopathic, non-violent opposition
program"
I'm 1929" continued Miss Sorabji,
proceeding under the act OF 1919, the
commission sent out to examine further
into conditions to determine Our ability
for self-government. Because the nom
co-operators said not to give any infor-
nation and started the no tax cam
paign, England invited Indian repre-
SentativeS to come to England, so they
could tell them in England, what they
couldn't tell them In India.
"If they can find working plan of
peace and cooperation as a result Of
that conference, there is nothing within
reason that England will not give us for
self-government."
Profession Comes First.
Although Miss Sarabji Is an astute
political scholar, and came TO this
country to attend the Institute of Poll
tics at Williamstown this Summer, her
greatest interest is her profession and
the betterment of conditions among the
women Of her race.
Indian women have had property
rights exceeding those of English
women for hundreds of years." Miss
hill 0.sk 1..IA d
for them to secure the enforcement Of
their rights. After the death of their
husbands, frequently vast estates and
large fortunes are left to Indian women
or to their minor sons. confined be-
hind the walls of the 'zenana,' unable
to write or to supervise personally their
bushes affairs, Indian women have fire.
quently suffered great injustices through
the dishonesty or fraud of administra-
tors or executors.
1T was a story of gross injustice
perpetrated against a friend of my
mother that made me, as a small girl,
first think Of taking up the Practice Of
law" she said.
IT was standing behind my mothers
chair when he friend told her the sad
story. This woman, like most OF the
indian women, could neither read nor
write. She had merely been taught to
make her mark, something frequently
taught to women of property or wealth.
Her business manager had secured her
mark to paper which, he told her,
were certain deeds for a new home she
had purchased. Trusting the man,
who had taken care of her business for
years, my mothers friend placed her
mark as instructed. She had Endorsed
a transaction deciding her entire prop
erty to her manager. Strictly 'pur-
dah'-that is, unable to see and con-
suit the men who might have assisted
her-the poor woman was helpless.
1T was this woman's case which
made me determine to study law and
help my countrywomen."
Miss Sorabjis first case after re-
ceiving her degree from oxford Uni
versity was to defend an Indian woman
accused OF numbering her husband.
Miss Sorabji not only secured her
clients acquittal, but found the real
murderer and brought him to Justice.
There Is great field for woman
lawyers in my country" she pointed
out. 1t has hardly been touched. Be-
sides myself, there are but two Indian
woman lawyers in my country"
Miss Sarabji Is not only officially at
tached to the Court of Wards Of CAL
cutta, but she has rapidly growing
clientele among the Hindoo and Mo-
hammedan women of the "zenanas."
In addition to her achievements In the
legal profession, the Indian lawyer is
the successful author Of many books