Evening star., 1942-09-18
68 Rioters Killed,
1908 Wounded in
Indian II! UpheavaI
18 otficiuIs Slain Before
Order Was Restored,
Home Minister Says
By A, r. STEELE

A ny n. l.. S1LELE,
xoreirn CORRESPONDENT of The Star and
j. Chicago Daily News.
i NEW DELHI, Sept. IS de
MyedD.-With police control
largely restored over the greater
part of India after five weeks of
the most serious revolutionary
upheaval since the Indian mu-
tiny nearly century ago, the
British are still confronted with
problems of tremendous magni-
tude vitality affecting India's part
u the Allied war effort.
81 Political issues are no nearer set
tfement than they were five weeks
ego. Thousands of Mohandas K.
Gandhis active followers are still at
large, working underground with the
proclaimed aim of making trouble
wherever and whenever the oppor-
tanity offers.
& Largest Steel Plant Closed.
Since the opening of the legisla-
I'VE Assembly here, the government
pas lifted the veil nearly all the way
@ the record of the first five weeks
q rebellion, which Gandhi's arrest
Weclpltated. 1t is now possible to
neport that for the first two weeks
Qe biggest steel plant in the British
Anplre-Tata works in Bihar-was
anut down as a result of the walkout
& Its $4,000 employees.
.HSir Reginald Maxwell. India's
Aome minister, reported the conse-
quences of the five weeks disturb
ances as follows: 658 rioters killed
q which $40 fell from police firing
end 3l8 from military firing; 1908
wounded, OF which $50 were from
nonce firing and 153 from military
mlng. Rioters killed seven civil
0lcials and IL officers and soldiers.
Maxwell put particular emphasis
% the fact that the worst disturb
snces occurred in places where they
could do maximum damage to the
var effort and that showed evidence
q long and careful planning.
SIN Bihar, center of the countrys
war industry. thousands of rioters
gave themselves up to an orgy of
obstruction of communications and
other government property" and
Whole district with their small de-
pendlng forces, government officials
and police were isolated for DAYS on
end"
s Province of Bengal Cut Off.
For considerable period, Maxwell
said, the Province of Bengal. which.
Is 1ndias main bulwalk of defense
against the japanese, was almost
completely cut off from Northern
India. Maxwell referred signifi-
cantly to sinister motives, and the
gelective and careful planning of
sabotage of the war effort, but Of
Tered no proof of fifth column con-
neetion between the rebels and the
Japanese.
Maxwell declared the movement |
has been brought under control in
nearly all except few isolated dis
t1dcts In the northeastern part of the
country. that most of the industrial
phnts have resumed operation, and |
that, although this suicidal move |
nlent has not yet finally been
qnelled, we can feel some justiflable
confidence in our power to deal with
any situation that may arise"
Maxwell's speech serves as q
sequel to the report given to the
House of Commons last week by
Prime Minister Churchill, whose
remarks continue to evoke heated
criticism from practically all sec
tions of Indian opinion. Even the
Moslems. with whom Churchill
dealt most gently, attack the Prime
Minister vehementfy through the
columns OF Star of India, an organ
Of the All-India Moslem League.
Seldom" says this newspaper,
"has q speech SO provocative and
patronizing been delivered in Parh-
ament sas' tChurchill'S arrogant
pronouncements about the (Sir
6tafford) Cripps proposals being
the last word in British statesman
ship. are utterly futile. His
boast about white soldiers indicates
that part of his bombast was meant
for American consumption.
The British-owned Civil and Mil
itary Gazette, one of the stanchest
supporters of the British policy in
India, calls Churchill's statement
'little short of calamitous." This
organ holds no brief for the, ALL
India National Congress party's
rebellion, which it terms an ''orgy of
hooliganism" which must be excised,
but 1t points out that the Prime
Minister made grave mistake in
concentrating on an ugly growth
and ignoring the body which it dis
fieureSr
tcopyrisht. le42. by chicsso Daily NeVs.)