The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1942-04-24

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industries was largely prevented by
the enforcement Of free trade and
refusal to take positive measures to
restore their growth. The indian
market was for years q virtual mon
opoly for British manufacturers.
Since the last war, when India had
TO send to England even for nails
and bolts, there has been nodificas
ton Of this policy, but India indus
trially Is still far from being self
supporting. The proportion Of Inc
d,istrial workers to the whole popu-
lation has steadily fallen and basic
industries are still existent.
Even agriculture has declined and
the landlords and Inoneylenders have
been able to obtain q whip-hand over
the peasarltry and the farms have
been cut lip into such tiny frag-
ments that efficient cultivation, in
some cases even the use Of q pillow,
has become impossible. The crop
Yield per acre averages lower in In
dia than in any other part OF the
world. Millions are unemployed or
partially employed. The vast natural
resources Of the country lie llrlex-
plored and undeveloped. The masses
live in wretched poverty; hunger,
disease and illiteracy are widespread.
Following the World War ] the Inc
dian nationalist movement began to
emerge as o powerful factor in the
life OF the country. Mahatma Can
dbl became O powerful leader Of non
cooperation and passive resistance
The British authorities tried their
utmost to suppress II, even 10 the
extent Of committing such atrocities
as the Alnritsar massacre, which
aroused Q storm Of protest through
out the world. Thousands Of the
leaders and others who participated
in the nationalist movement have
been thrown In jail and even today
the possession Of literature con-
corning 'our Russian allies" may
earn q man o long term Of ifnpris-
oninent. Nevertheless the movement
has grown In strength and numbers
and the Indian people are conscious
Of themselves as q potentially pow
erftil factor in the world, capable Of
playing an independent role and
looking especially to Russia and
China for Inspiration. In other words
the nationalist movement has de-
veloped into O demand for inde-
pendence.
IN an effort to stem the tide Of
revolt the British government has
found II expedient to concede GER
tain reform. Nevertheless up to now
the British government has insist =
ed that 1t must retain the power 10
take and enforce vital decisions
concerning the Indian people irrc-
spective Of their wishes. Their ar
gument has been that owing TO the
existence of the princes and Of re-
ligious differences, the presence OF
the British raj Is necessary to mair-
tain order. To this the Indian ma
tionalists reply that the subjects Of
the states, ruled by the princes, are
socially and economically homo
geneollS with the rest Of the cotifl-
try and have, no interest apart
from the indian people as a whole
They have on more than one occa-
sion revolted against their rulers
who are maintained in power BY
British armed force. The British
claim that political divisions In In.
dia coincide with religious differ.
ences. To this the nationalist reply
that although the Hindus and Mos.
lens profess different religions, they
are not divided on racial and ciii.
tural lines and still less In theiI
economic and political interests
For centuries they have lived ant
worked together In peace; and Il
war they have fought side by side
regardless Of whether the enem,
was Hindu, Moslem or Christian.
Today india has political orgafii
cations which represent Indians re
gardleSs Of caste or creed, and o
these the indian Congress is by "a
the most powerful. IT'S demand tina
the form Of government should b
settled by q Constituent Assembl,
elected by universal adult suffrag
over the whole OF india Is support
ed by the Trade Union and Peasan
movements, the All India Depressed
Glasses Association and the 1ndini
Christians as well as by the twent
million voters enfranchised by th
constitution OF 1895. II Is oppose,
| only by the Moslem League, con
trolled by princes, bankers and land
lords, which polled less than one
tenth Of the Mosleni vote In the las
election.
Since the outbreak OF war IN 1903
the Congress has withheld any &C
tive support Of the war effort. TIL
normal constitutional forms hav
been suspended and thousands 0
political workers, Congressmer
trades ui1lonists, students, peasant
and others have been thrown int
jail under Q variety OF charges. But
since the Japanese invasion OF IN
ola has become o real threat, man,
OF these prisoners have been re
leased. Az
Nevertheless, this has not assiaRel
the feelings Of the indian national
lists. They have not forgotten tina
Primo Minister Churchill pointed
excluded india from the scope 3
/ the pledges contained IA tho AT
iantic Charter" As Nehru, the lear
Aer os tAe Congress, who has only 70