Evening star., 1942-08-11
Historic Rebellion
OF 1919 Recalled
ByIndian Crisis
Killing Of 37o Persons
By Troops Had Wide
Repercussions Later
r, the Associated Press.

F> the Associated Press.
The bloodshed and violence which
have gripped parts of India must
remind Mohandas X. Gandhi in his
palace prison of another period of
riotous upheaval which followed a
challenge to British rule and a
pledge to follow the truth and re-
frain from violence to life, person
or property"
This historic rebellion of 1919, in
which Gandhi and other Nationalist
leaders intended to disobey proposed
anti-sedition bills of the government
of India reached its climax when
Brig. Gen. Reginald r. H. Dyer or
dered his troops to open fire on a
banned assemblage, killing 379 per-
sons and wounding more than 1000.
The agitation against the govern
ment bills had reached shrill stage
when on March 30. 1919, Gandhi and
his committee ordered the closing of
ell shops. In Delhi eight persons
were killed the first day in a riot
which followed the refusal of a
shopkeeper to close his establish
ment.
For several days business was sus-
pended and railroad traffic was OBJ
structed. The unrest spread to other
cities and there was loss of life in
Calcutta.
Serious Disturbances.
The disturbances at Amritsar in
the prniah Northern Indio uyere
most serious. After the expulsion of
two leading lawyer agitators from
the city on April 10, mobs formed
and attacked the telegraph station.
They were turned back only after
police fired on them.
The National Bank was plundered
and ltc agents murdered. Another
bank, The town hall and the Indian
Christian Church were attacked and
various Europeans assaulted or
killed. Telegraph and railroad lines
were destroyed.
Other outbreaks took place in
other Indian cities-at Ahmedabad,
Bombay. Lahore and Viramgam
among others.
On April 13 in Amritsar a large
crowd turned up to attend a meet
ing which had been prohibited by
the authorities. About $4,000 persons
had gathered in the market place
when Gen. Dyer, who had been COM
manded by the civil authorities to
restore order, marched up with about
50 soldiers
When the crowd made threaten
Ing gestures, Gen. Dyer ordered his
men to fire. The market place was
cleared in 10 minutes, but 379 In
dians were killed and more than
1000 wounded.
The incident had wide repercus-
sions both in India and in England.
The British government and the
government of India, after an in
vestigation by a mixed commission. |
agreed that the action was unduly
eevere.
Gen. Dyer Resigned.
Gen. Dyer who insisted that in
the critical situation existing it was
necessary to make an impression in
the Punjab generally, finally was
forced to resign his commission and
60 into retirement.
The Morning Post of London, how
ever, described Gen. Dyer as "the
man who saved India" and Sir
Michael O'Dwyer, who was lieuten-
ant governor of the Punjab at the
time, declared:
Il have no hesitation in saying |
that Gen. Dyers action that day |
was the deciding factor in crushing
the rebellion"
Gen. Dyer died in 1927.
The most recent echo of the in |
cident came in March, 1910. when |
an Indian gunman arose at a meet
ing of the East Indian Associa ton |
IN London and shot and killed Sir
Michael O'Dwyer.
Gandhi said ODwyer's death
caused him great pain and he sent
his condolences to Sir Michael's
family.