Evening star., 1942-03-13
Cripps Goes to India

India with an unpublished plan for
uniting that much-divided country
on a common program which will
satisfy its political aspirations and
enlist whole-hearted cooperation
against the japanese menace, at one
and the same time.
That is tall order. Even Chang
Kai-shek could not do it on his re-
cent mission. Despite the friendly
feeling all Indian factions feel to-
ward him, his warnings against Ja-
pan and his urgent appeals for
union now" in face of an imminent
peril did not turn the trick. Sir
Stafford Cripps steps into the breach
at this crucial eleventh hour. No
better man could have been selected
for the task. A left-wing radical in
tellectual, his anti-imperialism and
his socialism alike should appeal to
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, head of
the Indian National Congress party,
who Is man Of similar temperament
and convictions.
Nehru makes no bones Of National
ist demands that the British gov
ernment not only promise India at
the very least full dominion status
after the war but also a large meas
ure Of self-government at once. Last
week he stated publicly that nothing
but solution on the basis Of Indian
freedom would move our millions to
effective action" And he has also
warned that British refusal or tenn
porizing would tend to throw his fol-
lowers into the arms of revolutionary
extremists like Subhas Chandra
Bose, outlawed and exiled Mayor of
Calcutta, who is now in Berlin schem-
ing with the Axis, while another
extremist by the same name directs
fifth column activities in India from
Japan.
The Congress party represents the
intellectual and religious leaders Of
the Hindus, who number 100000 900
about two-thirds of Indias ap-
proximate 100000 population. A
Congress-run India would mean
Hindu-ruled India. But that idea Is
anathema to e-fourth of the popu-
lation-the 100000 Moslems, who
incidentally include most of India's
Frh}irr iv, hn
India Moslem League. they demand
full guarantees against Hindu domi-
nation, which the Congress party
refuses to consider. And the Moslem
leader, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, has
cabled Prime Minister Churchill that
II the British government should be
"stampeded" into yielding to the
Congress party, the Moslems would
revolt" That would mean civil war
at the very moment when the Japa-
nese were knocking at India's eastern
portals. Also, MoSlem revolt in
India would rouse sympathetic
echoes in the whole Moslem world
and thereby endanger Britain's tick
lish position from North Africa to
Iran and Afghanistan.
Besides the Moslems, other ele-
ments in India are opposed to full
Congress control. The lowest castles
among the Hindus themselves have
long been stirring against the religi-
Gus expressions and determinations
to which they have been immemo-
rally subjected. and at least 50000,-
900 Of them are organized in the
Depressed Glasses movement headed
by an astute leader, DR.. Ambed To
them, a free hand to the Congress
party would mean domination by the
high-caste Brahmins: so they also
want guarantees. Then, there are
other militant minorities. especially
the Sikhs. who. with the Moslems.
furnish most Of the soldiers and po-
lice In 1ndia's present armed forces,
and whose disciplined loyalty Is es-
sential to the defense of India
against foreign invasion. Lastly,
there are nearly 800 native princes,
ruling nearly one-fourth Of India
and some 5o,O00,oo0 people. who tend
to regard the Congress ideal of po-
litical uniformity with deep dislike.
All this shows the enormous diff
flculties with which British states
manship is faced. Hitherto, India
has presented an insoluble political
dilemma. The best hope is that the
japanese menace to all factions may
work a seeming miracle. Perhaps
Sir Stafford can perform it. or help
bring 1t to pass.
kinhf Thonninn Aoure