New Britain herald., 1930-06-16
Women's Part In Hindu Rebellion Indicates Existence of New Era
 Of Freedom From Old Practices
Religious Customs Being Put Aside in March To- ward Equal Rights for Sexes.
BY WEBB MILLER

Delhi, India, June 16 CUP)-The part women play in the Indian pas slve resistance movement is one of the remarkable features of this strangest of all rebellions.
 Never before in Indian history have women taken such active part in politics, and the national con- gress, the organization actively sup porting the campaign, is credited with being chiefly responsible for the, change.
 Women's activities have been un- usually important because of their traditional seclusion due to religious customs. Those narrowing customs have produced the highest illite-acy in the world among Indian women Only one of every 63 Hindu women is able to read and write, and only one in every 116 Moslem women.
 The custom of the ..purdah,' in- volving the complete covering of womens faces, is widespread, and in travelling it is a common sight to see women with their heads shroud- ed in whote robes, with only tiny screen to look through
 Indian leaders declare the new awakening of the women is leading gradually to abandonment of the purdah.
 The women's movement has been progressing for ten years, and dur ing that time they have secured a limited enfranchisement in all Brit : ish provinces and in four Indian states. About million women now are entitled to franchise, based on proper educational qualifications. and already more than 100 of them are municipal councillors.
 It was the success of women in the United States and England that furnished impetus to the movement here, and aided such leaders a Mrs. Annie Besant, Mrs Satojini Naidu, and Mrs. Herabai Tata, who went to London in 1919, to plead the cause of Indian women.
 The movement gained consider able headway with the previous home rule agitation a decade ago hut it has never had such impetus as during the past few months. It's significance was recognized by the - first half of the Simon report, pub lshed this week, which said
 The women's movement in India holds the key of progress, and the results it may achieve are incalcu, lably great. It IS not too much tc <. say that India cannot reach the DO. sition to which 1t aspires until wom- en play a due part as educated citi- xens.'
 Owing to the national congress deliberate policy of decentralization statistics on the number of.womer engaged in the Swaraji movemenr gre not available but the meeting! and processions this corresponden has attended have invariably includ ed hundreds of women.
 Throughout India. thousands 0 women now are participating r picketins work, standing outside Ii quor and foreign cloth stores. per suading purchasers to boycott the cloth and give up the use of liquor which is prohibited by both th' Hindu and Moslem religions, bu which is growing, particularly in tn industrial centers. Here in Delhi, 15C women are engaged in such work 50 in Calcutta. and 200 or more il Bombay
 Recently. when women started picketing Tn Lahore. the authorlte adopted a novel idea of hiring out caste women and placing one besld' each picket. who thus was driver away because of the fear that he caste would be contaminated.
 One reason that congress leader are utilizing women pickets is on tn theory that 1t makes the govern ment's task more difficult. owing t the hesitancy in arresting a larg number of women. especially of tn higher castes.
 Women are especially active | the prohibition movement and, lk American women. they carry anti drinking banners in processions an make anti liquor speeches in meet ings. -.-- .-~ --.--.
 Among the active passive resist ance women cam paigners is Nils Mira. Slade, an English woman, wh joined with Mahatma Gandhi' movement and adopted the name c Mira Bai. She writes regularly 10 Gandhi's organ. Young India
 Another feature of the campaigl is the medication of the passive re estance principles in the schoc children. Here in Delhi, this cor respondent saw hundreds of childrel going to school. nearly all wearini white Gandhi caps.
 Congress leaders claim that 1t the first time in history of 1ndl that a deeply rooted movement 10 the political emancipation. Of wom en is closely linked with the na tionalist movement.