Evening star., 1943-03-02
Eighth OF SerieS.)
BY DEWITT MACKENZIE.


The Indian political crisis bris-
ties with more dangerous points
than a porcupine does with quills
but the greatest of these is the
Hindu-Moslem division which
through the generations has been
marked by bitterness that fire.
quently has produced bloodsheed in
communal rioting.
Religious differences are the chief
basis of this feud, which perhaps
isn't so surprising when one casts
an eye about the world and notes
other countries where there have
been, and still are, similar difficult
ties. Out of these animosities has
grown on both sides distrust which
has constantly intruded and made
compromises hard of achievement
This deep division between the
main parties reached the point
where the Hindus and the Moslems
charged each other with seeking to
rule India. The British have point
that-government on unified basis
was difficult. The Indians charged
that the government was exploit
ing these differences in order to
continue imperialistic rule. Nobody
explained why the warning factions,
if they knew their quarrel was being
exploited, didn't bury the hatchet
and thereby spike the guns of their
common aversion.
Maybe 1t will simplify this con-
fused Hindu-Moslem mixup if we
take a glance at it from this angle:
The population of India is estimated
at about 388, 100000. There are some
100000 Hindus and 9000O,0 900
Moslems. That is to say, the Hindus
outnumber the Moslems by three to
one, and call your attention to this
because It's the key to much that
follows
Hindus Are Nationalists.
Now the Hindus are Nationalists.
They want national government
which will take in the whole of India.
The Moslems object to 4 national
government on the ground that,
since the Hindus have a majority Of
three to one, the Moslems would be
a constant minority without a look
in.
The vehicles which are carrying
this heavy argument are three or
CARNATIONS whose names have be-
come fairly familiar to the American
public. The Hindus are grouped
mainly in the powerful All-India
Congress, which is dominated by
Mahatma Gandhi, and in the Hindu
Mahasabha, which comprises the
more orthodox Hindus. The ALL
India Congress claims to be national
and to include members of all re-
ligions, though its opponents assert
that it is chiefly Hindu.
The Moslems are represented by
the powerful All India Moslem
League. This Is under the presi-
dency Of Mahomed Ali Jinnah,
brilliant lawyer who is one of Indias
outstanding personalities.
In Jinnahs forceful leadership the
league has developed an explosive
idea to safeguard the Moslem mi
nority against that Hindu majority
OF three to one. They call 1t Pakistan
and under that name you, perhaps.
win recognize 1t as one OF the rocks
on which the Cripps negotiations
over Indian sself-government were
wrecked last summer.
Moslems Want Autonomy.
The Pakistan Gland of the pure)
program rejects entirely the Hindu
program for a national government
and aims at the division of India
into two wholly autonomous states.
One Of these would be Moslem and
the other Hindu, and each would 20
its own way. Pakistan is the name
of the proposed Moslem state. which
would include areas in Northwest
and Northeast India where there are
Moslem majorities. The Hindu state
would take in the rest of India.
The exact territory covered bv
Pakistan is yet to be worked out. but