Evening star., 1942-08-14
Says Britoin Follows
Only Course in Indio
Military Writer Sees Peril
To Couse Of World Freedom
In Yielding to Congress Party
BU Maj. GEORGE Fielding Eliot.


BIZ Maj. George Fielding Eliot.
1t is true to say that war Is political
act that the control OF its conduct must
therefore primarily be a political mat
ter, and that 1t is directed toward the
attainment OF = political objective
that is that strategy is the handmaiden
of policy. But 1t is likewise true that
war being in progress. the making OF
political decisions which would be ad-
visable and even necessary In time OF
peace become impossible In time of
war and decisions which could not
even be thought of in peace become
necessary in war
1t Is against this background of the
interrelation of political and military
considerations that We must think OF
the present situation IN India. 1t is
quite beside the point to discuss the
wisdom or lack OF wisdom. the SINGER
ity or lack OF sincerity, of past Brit
of the Congress party or the Moslem
League, or the argument that the In
dian princes represent an anachronis
tic throWback to the Middle Ages. The
paramount consideration at present is
the winning of this war. Those policies
should be adopted in India which will
aid in the accomplishment of that
objective and those policies rejected
which will hinder it's accomplishment
This is the only criterion by which the
acts Of the various parties at interest
ought to be judged.
When the civil disobedience campaign
began under Gandhi's battle slogan of
DO or Die" the government of India
had three possible courses of action, and
only three: 1t could surrender, or 1t could
sit tight and hope for something to turn
up, or it could act vigorously to suppress
disorder. In effect, these were choices
among three forms of internal disturb
ance.
Surrender to the demands of the Con-
has not hesitated to admit, have resulted
in utter chaos-anarchy, If you like
with the extinction of all responsible
government, with every man, every viii
lage, every faction striving for local
power or local security. Sitting tight
would have meant the same thing, devel-
oping more slowly, with an outburst of
communal disorders Hindu -Moslem riots
and eventually chaos scarcely less COM
plete. Neither course could be chosen by
any government conscious of its respon-
sibilities The only remaining course,
that which has been selected by the gov
eminent of India is to arrest the leaders
OF disorder and suppress the disorders
themselves by force, calling all loyal and
moderate men to rally to the cause OF
law and order and the defense of India
against the foreign foe and against the
disturbers of her peace from within
1t may be asked. just what are the
responsibilities which the government
Of India is thus discharging? They are
various and heavy
First, the responsibility of the govern
ment as the representative of the British
crown to the Allies of Great Britain In
this war-Allies two of which (the
United States and China) actually have
armed forces on Indian soil participate
Ing in the defense Of India.
Second, the responsibility of the gov
ernment OF India to the Indian Army
and the other armed forces of India.
These include diverse elements There
are the British and native troops which
make up the regular Indian Army. divi-
sions and armored brigades of which
are now serving In Egypt, Syria, Irak
and Iran, as we'll as in India proper. The
native troops include Hindus, Moslems,
Slkhs and even Christians, as well as
many thousands of Gurkhas from the
neighbor kingdom of Nepal, which is
not part of India. There are the units
OF the auxiliary force, recruited from
Europeans resident in India, the terri
torlal force, raised for local defense and
the state forces, the armies of the vari-
GUS indian princes. All these troops are
ready to lay down their lives in the
common cause, and they are entitled to
know that their government is MAIN
tanning order at home and is giving them
VIC AuAicst pOSSlOle support,
Third, the responsibility of the row.
eminent OF India toward all the people
OF India, OF whatever religion and race.
lhh responsibility cannot be DISCHARGED
either by abdication pure and simple or
py handlng over the government to ono
political party out of the many antaeo-
nlstlc parties which 60 to make up the
Indian political melange
Fourth, the responsibility of the eov-
ernment of India toward the Indian
princes and the peoples of their states
Inc nature of this responsibility is fixed
by treaty, and it cannot be thrown
aside simply because Mr.. Gandhi does
not approve OF princes or of treaties with
them. We are fighting a war in order to
DO away with that particular attitude
toward treaties.
1t is all very we'll to say: Give India
her independence and India will there
upon become an enthusiastic ally. This
sounds we'll, but the whole trouble has
been that no one has been able to devise
plan by which 1t can be done and done
quickly.
The time element is the whole diff
Guilty. One might have some sympathy
In a period of profound peace with an
Indian demand for British Withdraw
iv7 N,.I~,